Bracco Italiano Breed Maintenance
If you’re not a fan of regular grooming, we have good news. The Bracco Italiano is a minimal shedder, so maintenance is on the low side; a weekly brush through should suffice, unless your dog has been enjoying itself in wet and muddy terrain and needs some extra attention. Braccos will happily trample through undergrowth, so look out for any dirt or debris in its coat.
What might need a bit more focus are those fantastic ears. Breeds with long and heavy ears can be at risk of infection if dirt accumulates inside them and they’re not cleaned regularly. It can be a common issue with gun dogs and sporting breeds, especially those that love the water, as moisture gets trapped in the inner ear.
Read our guide on cleaning a dog’s ears here.
Bracco Italiano health
An active, energetic and hard-working breed by nature, the Bracco Italiano is — like all dogs — at risk of health problems from time to time. There are some health conditions that the breed is particularly associated with, including:
Hip dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia
Eye issues — entropion and ectropion
Kidney disorders — renal amyloidosis
Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia can be an inherited condition that develops when a dog is still young, or can occur later in life due to injury or obesity. With hip dysplasia, the ball and socket of the hip joint suffers malformation, so the head of the femur grinds in the joint socket instead of moving smoothly. It can happen in one or both hip joints.The condition restricts movement, and is usually painful for the dog. Signs of hip dysplasia in a Bracco Italiano, as in any other dog, include limping, difficulty getting up or climbing stairs, lameness and decreased activity.
Elbow dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia is essentially arthritis in the elbow joint. It can affect Bracco Italiano puppies as well as adult Bracco Italiano dogs. While it's primarily a genetic developmental disease, it can be caused by a fast growth rate, poor diet and rapid weight gain. Limping after exercise, stiffness after resting and a reluctance to exercise are all signs of elbow dysplasia.
Entropion and ectropion
Entropion and ectropion are both eye issues. With entropion, the dog’s eyelid — or eyelids, both eyes can be affected — folds inwards. This rubs against the eye and causes obvious discomfort, potentially leading to inflammation and, in the most serious of cases, ulcers in the cornea.
Ectropion is the opposite. With this condition, the eyelids roll outwards, leaving the eyeball exposed to elements like dirt and debris. This exposes a risk to infection, and the eye can become inflamed. You might see your dog pawing at his eyes or suffering frequent conjunctivitis. Sometimes, surgery is needed to resolve ectropion, though not always.
Renal amyloidosis
Renal amyloidosis is a kidney disorder that’s thankfully relatively rare in dogs but is nevertheless a serious condition. It occurs when proteins known as amyloid are deposited near organs and cells, and though it typically affects older dogs, a dog can be diagnosed with it at any age. Look out for the signs; loss of appetite, urinating more frequently than usual, excessive thirst, weight loss and vomiting are all symptoms of renal amyloidosis.No dog will stay completely healthy throughout its lifetime. If your dog became unwell, would your pet insurance policy help with the cost of important treatment? Find the best deals on pet insurance quickly with Wag! Compare. It’s free and fast.
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What to feed a Bracco Italiano
A Bracco Italiano is a big dog, and tends to have an appetite to match. This is especially true if they’re really active, and even more so if used in a working capacity in the field. A Bracco Italiano can use a lot of energy, so this needs to be replaced and replenished.
There’s lots of choice on the market but a dog food recipe that’s been formulated for large dogs is best. If your Bracco is used as a working dog — hunting and retrieving — you might also want to consider food for working breeds.
A word of caution, though. If your Bracco Italiano is only moderately active, it won’t need such a high-calorie diet and there’s a risk of overfeeding. Be sensible with portions to avoid him or her becoming overweight or even worse, obese.
