Japanese Akita Inu Dog Health And Longevity

The Japanese Akita is a mountain dog from the spitz grouping, and is native to Japan. They are large, powerful dogs that can be prone to dominance, but also make for excellent guard dogs and protectors, as well as personable and loving family companions.


As the Akita has become more and more widely known worldwide, they are becoming ever more popular as pets within the UK, where they are legal to own. However, in various other countries, the breed is subject to some restrictions as part of dangerous dog legislation, and as a dog that is both large and strong, require a confident and experienced owner who is able to manage the breed properly. Despite this, the Akita is also renowned for being gentle and loving with children, protective and loyal with their families, and clean and good natured within the home.


If you are interested in the Akita dog breed and may be considering ownership of one, it is of course vital to do plenty of research before committing to a purchase. With this in mind, it is wise to make yourself aware of some of the breed-specific health issues that the Akita can be prone to, and which can affect the dog’s longevity and quality of life. In this article, we will look at the health and longevity of the Japanese Akita Inu in more detail. Read on to learn more.

Akita longevity

The average lifespan for dogs of the breed is generally around ten years, which is slightly lower than the norm for other breeds of a similar size and weight, with twelve years of age being the general average for dogs of the same sort of size.

Veterinary challenges specific to the Akita dog breed

First of all, it is important for all Akita owners and the vets that treat them to be aware that the breed as a whole is known to have a heightened sensitivity to certain medications, including vaccines, tranquilisers and veterinary drugs. This means that any treatment must be handled extremely carefully, including the administration of standard vaccines, due to the dog’s elevated chances of sensitivity to certain medications.


Various Asian dog breeds including the Akita are prone to a condition called pseudohyperkalaemia, which means a high level of potassium in the blood stream. This means that when performing blood tests, dogs of the breed may return a false positive on lab results for hyperkalaemia.

Autoimmune conditions

There are quite a few autoimmune conditions that are known to be present within the Akita breed pool, but that will not necessarily affect all dogs of the breed. Some of the most common of these are:

• Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, which is a disorder of the blood.


• Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome, sometimes called Uveo-Dermatologic Syndrome, which affects the eyes and skin of affected dogs.


• Pemphigus Foliaceus, which is a skin disorder that is believed to be hereditary in some Akita breed lines.


• Sebaceous Adenitis, another skin disorder with a hereditary element to it, thought to occur due to the inheritance of an autosomal recessive anomaly.


• Lupus, or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, which is an autoimmune condition that affects connective tissue in any part of the body.

Immune mediated endocrinal conditions

On top of the various autoimmune conditions that may affect the Akita, there are also various inheritable immune-mediated endocrine conditions that are hereditary and found within the breed as well. These include:

• Hypoadrenocorticism, or Addison’s disease, which affects the dog’s adrenal glands.


• Hyperadrenocorticism, or Cushing’s disease, which is the opposite of Addison’s disease, affecting the adrenal glands again, and which is caused by a long-term elevation of the body’s glucocorticosteroid levels.


• Type one diabetes, the hereditary variant, which is present from birth and affects the pancreas.


• Hypothyroidism, another autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid gland and causes and underproduction of the necessary thyroid hormones.

Other conditions

Some other conditions that have a potential genetic aspect to them that are seen relatively commonly within the Akita dog breed include:

• Bloat or GDV (gastric dilation volvulus) which causes a painful and dangerous build-up of gas within the stomach, and ultimately, twisting of the stomach.


• Glaucoma, a build-up of pressure in the eye, which can lead to blindness if left untreated.


• Micropthalmia, which simply means “small eyes,” and is a disorder of the developing eyes, leading to pronouncedly small eyes.


• Progressive retinal atrophy or PRA, an untreatable and progressive degeneration of vision that can lead to blindness.


• Hip dysplasia, a developmental disorder of the hip joints and bones that can be painful and affect normal movement.


• Elbow dysplasia, which is again painful and causes lameness, and which can lead to osteoarthritis.


• Von Willebrands disease, a genetic condition that causes a blood clotting disorder, meaning that even minor bumps and cuts can be potentially serious for the dog.

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How To Keep Your Akita From Reacting Badly To The Approach Of Another Dog

The dog is of course a social animal by design, and in the wild, dogs rely upon each other to a great extent for a wide range of things, including assistance with hunting and scavenging for food, shared warmth and comfort, and protection from predators and potential dangers.


However, all of these skills are learned techniques, and dogs are not born instinctively knowing how to do this, how to read the signs of other dogs, and how to respond properly to them. This is why, in the domestic situation, early socialisation is so important for dogs, and is a skill that every dog should learn as early as possible! If your dog is incorrectly socialised or has not had enough time spent around other dogs, they will be at something of a social disadvantage when it comes to meeting others, and may not how to react and respond to them appropriately.


Some dogs tend to be rather more speculative about strangers than others, and when you combine this with strong guarding instincts, large size and a strong personality such as the Japanese Akita possesses, this can result in aggression.


This type of problem often presents itself most commonly when your dog first meets another dog face to face for the first time, and how dogs greet each other in the first instance can be considered to be a very loaded transaction in canine terms.


If your Akita is apt to behave inappropriately when they meet another dog face to face when out on the lead or when they come head to head in the dog park, this can present a whole range of problems that are best avoided. While you should of course spend time working on your dog’s socialisation skills to improve first meetings in the future, in this article we will look at ways in which you can manage and control your dog from reacting poorly to another dog in an approach situation. Read on to learn more.

Getting Akitas used to meetings with others

Firstly, you should take steps to get your Akita used to meeting with other dogs in a wide variety of contexts, at first within situations that you can control with confidence. Try to arrange meetings on neutral territory, where neither dog is within their home zone and likely to feel defensive about it. Keep both dogs on a lead and let them face each other in their own time, and from a safe distance so that neither dog feels pressured or pushed into the other dog’s zone.


Try to identify the core factors that trigger a poor reaction in your dog, such as if your dog is usually fine with others but becomes unhappy or defensive when other dogs come to their home. If your Akita is ok with other dogs as long as they can make their approach in their own time but become upset if the other dog is the first one to make the approach, you will need to work on your dog’s defensive reactions to others, and if their behaviour is loaded due to a defensive reaction in protection of you, or to resource guard toys or food.

Identifying a problem about to occur

You should make yourself familiar with the signs that your Akita is feeling tense and is potentially going to react badly to the presence of the other dog; keep an eye out for cues such as raised hackles, nervous whining, growling, bared teeth and a stiff posture.


When you are confident that you will be able to tell that your dog is about to react badly to another dog, you can then work with your dog to elicit the negative reaction in them within a controlled environment, so that you can work on their reactions and responses. Keep your dog on a lead while you do this, so that you can control their movements, and ensure that they do not get dangerously close to the other dog.


Only expose your Akita to another dog in the triggering situation for a short period of time, up to a minute or two, without a break. Break for a few minutes, and repeat the process a few times before calling it a day.


When your dog exhibits a bad reaction, ignore the behaviour and do not provide any feedback for it. When your dog is tolerant and well behaved, praise and reward. Over time, you should be able to desensitise your dog to reacting to others when they come face to face, and to moderate his negative responses to others.


Always watch your Akita for the signs that they are becoming wound up, but also learn to quickly identify when your dog’s response transitions from negative to passive or positive, and always offer praise and reward at this point. Keep watching your dog at all times, and be ready to remove praise and the positive response if and when their mood changes for the worse again.

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The Akita Inu Dog - A Good Choice Of Pet?

The Akita Inu dog originates from Japan, and is one of the largest dogs from within the Spitz grouping. There are two different types of Akita: The Akita Inu, which is also known as the Japanese Akita, and the American Akita, which is a very similar breed but not commonly seen within the UK.


The Akita Inu is a large, strong and very impressive looking dog, which appeals to many different types of dog lovers for different reasons. They are very quiet, calm and dignified, and are considered to be easy to house train too. However, the Akita Inu is one of the most challenging dogs to keep as a pet within a domestic environment, as they have complex, rather dominant and strong personalities that mean that they are not the perfect fit for everyone. If you are considering owning an Akita Inu, read on to find out a little more about the traits of the breed, and some of the pros and cons of ownership.

More about the Akita Inu temperament

The Akita Inu has strongly protective instincts, and sees it as their job to guard and watch over both their family and their home. They have a tendency to be reserved with strangers and not quick to accept strangers on their territory, something that needs careful management.


Akitas also need a heightened level of socialisation with other dogs from a very young age, as they do have a tendency to be less than accepting of other dogs. Particularly, un-neutered Akitas are likely to be very defensive, dominant and potentially even fight with other un-neutered dogs, and so if your dog is un-neutered, they will require constant supervision around others.


The breed is also marked out by the distinction of not being particularly easy to read in terms of their body language. Most dogs will indicate clear signals of dissatisfaction or the onset of aggression, while the Akita will often react quickly in an otherwise calm situation involving another dog, without giving any obvious warning that they are about to snap.


Akitas are not only territorial but very prone to resource guarding, and are unlikely to be willing to share their toys with other dogs, so resources are best left at home when going to the dog park. Akitas are also very dominant over their food, and will not usually tolerate other dogs or people in their personal space when they are eating. This can be particularly problematic if your dog shares your home with children.


The Akita has strong hunting instincts, and generally, will not tolerate living with a cat without making their life a misery! There are exceptions, however, particularly if the dog is introduced to the family when young. As a general rule, however, the Akita is best kept as the only pet within the household.

Training and handling an Akita Inu

It is fair to say that the Akita is one of the most challenging dogs to train, as they are highly intelligent, easily bored, and strong willed. It can be hard to catch and keep the dog’s attention, and training the Akita requires strong, confident and experienced leadership. If you get the balance right when training, you will find that the Akita can be highly amenable to learning new skills, and can retain a wide range of complex commands.


As a large, dominant and confident dog, the Akita needs to be treated with respect, by an owner who is sure of their position as head of the pack and that will not tolerate power plays or messing around. Ambiguous commands, teasing or unclear leadership will all lead to the Akita walking all over you where training is concerned!

Akita Inu exercise requirements

The Akita Inu enjoys brisk walks and periods of off the lead play, but despite their size, they do not need to spend hours and hours each day running flat out.


Akitas also thrive in cold weather, so if you enjoy walks and runs on brisk winter mornings and are not afraid of a bit of snow or ice, the Akita will be happy to match you step for step.

Pros of owning an Akita Inu

• They have thick, luxurious coats that can stand up to even the coldest of weather


• They are large, powerful and robust dogs with an attractive, wolf-like appearance


• They make good guard dogs and deterrent dogs


• They are relatively quiet and not prone to barking


• They are self-reliant and not clingy


• Their exercise requirements are not complex or vigorous

Cons of owning an Akita Inu

• They are strong-willed and can be challenging to train


• They may be aggressive if not properly socialised and managed


• They need careful socialisation and supervision around other dogs


• They can be very possessive, and will often see themselves as dominant over children


• Best kept as a lone pet


• They are extremely heavy shedders, and drop a lot of fur


• Can be expensive to insure

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