Can a dog be mentally retarded?

Now this is not to be funny/mean/ or make fun or anyone and not meant to offend anyone first off.





Second my dog is a product of bad breeding. I love her anyway but the fact is many things about her are not right. Her ears are the equavent of a person who would need tubes to make them right. The inside of her ears her inner ears are misshapen and result in many ear infections. She also has a tooth missing in the front of her mouth. It just never came it. She is 2 now so all her teeth should be in. There is no sign it's coming in late either. She also has HORIBLE skin. She has unbelievable dry itchy skin. The best dog food only makes it okay. It's not gone though.


Anyway her ears are not so bad that they affect her hearing or balence. It's been checked. She is either unbelievably silly (like I've never seen) or she's mentally retarded. Only she's more slow than full blown retarded. But enough to notice. Is this even possible? Can a dog be mentally retarded?

Can a dog be mentally retarded?
i can say with 100% sure that they can be... and are... to differing degrees as youve concluded.


my own son... (dog), andrew, was a pup when hurricane he was named after hit Fla., I found him in the following months, and he suffered with the same conditions, (skin, balance, slowness... )... among other conditions. Care and a great vet did great things that showed me he was living a good life and was not in dimensia or suffering... over the course of 6-8 months he was a dog... albeit with a "personality"... as it came to be his character.


the best is that while i recently lost him, he lived in bliss and was a friend like nothing i'll know again, for 17years.


Look intop the balance issue and keep watch of the patterns and bahaviors to be sure his world isn't maddening, ask your vet about vestibular disease, it is often mistaken for a canine stroke, and the dog is needlessly put down to avoid what is visibly difficult to see and surely is confusing if not tortue to the dog. The facts of this I know having gone through this with mine as he got on in age, but my Dr. is a national leader in his field and he diagnosed this right and the bottom line is they do not know for sure what or why it occurs but it fades away just as it came on... in days or weeks... again, I know as I managed this and got on and shared a few more loving years as a result.


The answer,, to all of what is and will come, is care, attention, patience, and love. While this may be a cliche... it is aslo the honest truth. With this as your answer, it will also be your guide to waht and how you need to do. Afetr all is said and done, she... your dog, will be or can be so much more than a "normal" dog.... if you approach her issues with concern but equally with the notion that its more her personality, or character, rather than with the stigma of seeing her as retarded. This individualisum you could call it, came from whatever reason, but she is young and how t ngoes from here on, and how she is recieved by you and yours is what will turn this worm and in 10-15 years when nature takes it course and her end is near, you'll think of this point of time when you wondered about her future, and you'll no doubt recall this, and will know what I am telling you. You'll know it, and you'll treasure this part of her... regardless of how it came about, the bad is over and the good is in front of you and your girl.


best wishes.
Reply:I second this notion VEGGIE... you were far more concise but essentially this is what I was trying to convey, that you need to be informed as to what is going on, and how she is feeling, how things effect her. Report It

Reply:yap


there are chances
Reply:we have a dog that we like to refer to as 'touched',,,i dont thnk shes mental, but shes different, thats for sure.
Reply:I suppose it's possible. You see books and articles on people's opinions of the "smartest breeds" so I imagine there would be ones at the bottom of the list too. Does she have lab in her? Labs have a very Peter Pannish outlook on life for several years. Some terriers and small companion type dogs never grow up.





As to the itchy skin, someone suggested to me once that I feed a pup with demodectic mange yogurt and sardines packed in oil. Don't go overboard on amounts, but it really did help Eddie's skin. DON'T feed your dog raw eggs (another suggestion you hear a lot).
Reply:Yes, but I would also check into food issues. You are describing signs of gluten intolerance. Insanity cognitive depression is a part of it.
Reply:Yes.





Like you've discovered, breeding can be a factor.


Their brains can be "wrong" in any number of ways which will cause retardation and "silliness".





Also injury. Head injuries can cause retardation, just like with people.
Reply:I think your dog is perfect. Maybe she has a few problems, but that makes her great. I am sure she could have a problem, and it could be bad breeding. It could be she just has crummy genes and bad luck. Poor little thing. I hope the other dogs don't tease her. -s
Reply:Almost anything that humans are prone to, animals can also have. Retardation is just as common, perhaps even more, with the inbreeding and over breeding that occurs. If your having trouble with health issues there are probably some immune deficiencies as well. This could cause the skin problems a possibly the ear issues as well. Retardation is not a standard, often times there is the problem of under-developed organs, such as ears and internal organs as well
Reply:Yes dogs can be slow to learn for various reasons. If she could talk I am sure she would say how thank full she is that she has some one like you to look after her. She might calm down a bit more as she gets older. Omega three helped my dogs coat. How lucky she is to have someone like you who obviously cares.
Reply:Check with your vet for better answer to rest assure of your doubt.
Reply:Sure.


My little gal was 'dumber than a box of rocks' but loved by everyone. She was a product of inbreeding as well. The skin - - make sure you feed her a good quality of dog food and a bath (do not use people shampoo - - soap dries on skin). Also, skin problem may be from an allergy - - a food allergy is the first to pay attention to. There are other things that would affect the skin such as mites that cause mange, etc...





As for the ears. This also could be from an allergy or ear mites or an infection. My little gal had an aggressive staff infection that never cleared up with all the different meds from the vet (this was difficult to clear up because of her diabetis).





I'm leaning towards a food allergy for both ears %26amp; skin.
Reply:Well, sure, I guess animals can have birth defects, too. We had a horse whom I'm quite sure was retarded.
Reply:At least she isn't biting you or killing cats. Could have gotten a really smart mean dog. Maybe you could take her to a dog dentist and get false tooth. Then she might not look so dumb. Just kidding but I think I would do it. Try fish oil capsules they do wonders for bad skin.


Also, some dogs don't mentally mature till around 4 or 5 years, so there is still a chance she will get smarter.


I think you should find a new owner for her because she probably knows you think she is ugly and dumb.


It would be best for you and her. Put a free ad on Craigslist with her picture. Someone will think shes cute you will see.
Reply:years ago I had a puppy that was "retarded"....very simple minded, near impossible to train...I am sure it was a result of oxygen deprivation when it was born