Cane Corso Health Issues

Cane corso

The Cane Corso breed originates from Rome, from a group of molossoid dogs. The other name for Cane Corso is Italian Mastiff. The breed was on the verge of extinction twice: the first time during World War II and the second time in the late 1900s.

These dogs are smaller in stature and more muscular than their Mastiff cousins, and their average lifespan is up to 12 years. Cane Corsos were originally used as guard and companion dogs, as well as in authorized state law enforcement agencies. Today, they are first-class family pets – great with children, very loyal and active.

Cane Corsos come in two colors: black and brown and may have tiger stripes all over the body. Their ears and tail can be cropped. Ears in these dogs should be checked and cleaned regularly because they are prone to ear infections.

Do Cane Corsos Have Health Issues?

Although Cane Corsos are generally healthy dogs, they can have certain health issues. Below you can see a list of health issues that are common in this breed. This doesn’t mean they will certainly occur in every Corso, but it’s important to be aware of them if you have opted for this breed.

The health issues that have been reported in Cane Corso breed over the years are:

  • Orthopedic issues: hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, panosteitis, osteochondritis, luxating patella, cruciate ligament rupture
  • Skin problems: allergies, demodectic mange, skin fold dermatitis, deep pyoderma, elbow hygroma, chin folliculitis
  • Heart diseases: cardiomyopathy, mitral valve disease
  • Eye disorders: entropion, ectropion, Cherry eye, distichiasis
  • Neurological diseases: Wobbler syndrome
  • Cancer
  • Idiopathic epilepsy
  • Seizures
  • Ear infections (fungal)
  • Colitis
  • Bloat
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Von Willebrand’s disease
  • Obesity

Please note that the health issues in this list aren’t ranked according to any special criteria, which means that diseases from the top of the list do not occur more often in this breed than those from the bottom of the list and vice versa.

If you are thinking of getting a Cane Corso puppy, make sure to do so from a responsible breeder. Any responsible breeder should offer insight into certificates or tests that show that puppies are free from hereditary diseases.

Early socialization and learning obedience through training will certainly help the intelligent Cane Corso mature into a pet that you will be happy with. When it comes to the training of Cane Corso while he is still a puppy, you should be careful because the skeleton of these dogs doesn’t fully develop until they are a year and a half old and any major physical effort can lead to injury or deformity.