Often the first sign of disease in the Shar-Pei is a change in behavior or personality. This leads us to several conclusions. First, it is very important to know what the normal behavior of a particular dog is. While Shar-Pei possess several behaviors in common, there certainly exists wide variation among individuals. The veterinarian is usually not aware of the “normal” behavior of a specific dog and must rely on the owner to furnish that information. Second, the owner must understand that the veterinarian may want to pursue diagnostic testing in order to determine if the behavior changes are caused...

Amyloidosis is the deposition of an abnormal substance called amyloid in the tissues of the body. These amyloid deposits are composed of protein fibrils formed by the polymerization of protein subunits forming a specific pattern called the beta-pleated sheet. The specific biophysical arrangement of this sheet gives the amyloid deposits their unique staining and optical properties. Due to this structure amyloid is insoluble and can be thought of as “wax”. It is also important to realize that amyloidosis is not a single disease, but can be the end point of many diseases. The structure of amyloid also is responsible for...

Shar-Pei seem to have a predisposition to allergic skin disease. This can be allergic inhalant dermatitis (“hay fever”), food allergies, contact allergies, flea bite hypersensitivity or any combination of these. An important distinction here is whether the itching, chewing and scratching is seasonal in nature. This usually coincides with the hay fever season in people. Diagnostics may include skin testing, RAST testing, elimination diets, and skin biopsies. Treatment for “hay fever” can include hyposensitization injections, use of fatty acid supplementation in conjunction with various antihistamines, and use of corticosteroids. Treatment for food allergies is elimination of the offending substance from...

While the vast majority of the episodes of Familial Shar-Pei Fever (FSF) seen in Shar-Pei run a fairly benign course there are occasional exceptions which can have life-threatening consequences. Over the last few years Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) has been seen more frequently as a complication of FSF in the Chinese Shar-Pei. STSS involves infection with a group G streptococcus called Streptococcus canis. In the Shar- Pei cases I’ve seen this streptococcal infection is a rapidly progressing, highly invasive process which results in a necrotizing faciitis and/or STSS leading to a shock-like syndrome and multiorgan failure. If not recognized...

In recent years there has been a lot of discussion concerning the use of stem cells in both animals and humans. The initial work with stem cell therapy has been done in horses for the treatment of ligamentous and skeletal muscle injuries resulting in lameness. In the last five years this technology has carried over into the companion animal field primarily in dogs. At the animal hospital I work at we’ve been doing stem therapy for osteoarthritis for 3 years in 20 dogs. I’ve also had opportunity to treat a Shar-Pei in early kidney failure with systemic stem cell therapy...

MAST CELL CANCER seems to be a particularly aggressive and troublesome problem in the Shar-Pei breed. The following discussion hopefully will provide you with some useful information. CAUSE: Mast cells are a normal component of the body. These cells contain granules in their cytoplasm which contain heparin (an anticoagulant), serotonin (an inflammatory mediator), histamine, bradykinins, TNF-α and a number of other substances. The release of these vasodilator, nociceptive and proinflammatory molecules cause inflammation, itching, edema, vasodilation and attract other cells such as macrophages and white blood cells to the area. This response is usually helpful in responding to allergic reactions,...

Canine parvovirus was first identified in dogs in the late 1970s and was named CPV-2 (CPV type-2) It was quickly recognized world-wide but was replaced in the early 1980s by an antigenically and genetically distinct strain, CPV type 2a (CPV-2a). Since then, novel antigenic and genetic strains have continued to evolve and have been named CPV-2b and CPV-2c. CPV-2c was recognized in 2001. Results of some studies indicate that CPV-2c causes more severe disease, infects properly dogs, may not be detected by in-clinic diagnostic tests and frequently results in poor patient outcomes. Results of other studies indicate that dogs vaccinated...