Puppy First, Health First
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The big picture
Shiba Inus typically live 13–16 years.
Most Shibas whose knees and hips are checked get normal results. Like every breed, Shibas have a few health problems that run in the family, and regular checks catch most of them early.
The problems Shiba owners meet most are itchy skin from allergies and kneecaps that slip out of place.
Shibas are also known to be prone to a few conditions, most of them inherited.
This page explains each one in plain words: what it is, what you might notice and what you can do.
Worth knowing
This list is not exhaustive or official. Keep asking your veterinarian as your puppy grows.
Allergies are probably the most common health problem in Shibas, and they often show up in the skin and ears.
Look for itching, paw licking, red skin or repeated ear infections.
Bring these signs to your vet early, and ask about flea allergy, one of the common forms in Shibas.
A kneecap that slips out of place (patellar luxation) is one of the most common serious problems in Shibas.
You might notice an occasional skip in your dog's step.
A vet can feel a slipping kneecap even in a young puppy, so ask for a knee check at each visit. Keeping your Shiba lean takes strain off the knees.
Glaucoma is raised pressure inside the eye, and in Shibas it comes from a narrow drainage angle in the eye that is thought to be inherited.
A red, cloudy or painful eye, or a widened pupil, needs a vet the same day.
It usually starts in middle age, so ask your vet about eye-pressure checks from about age 5.
Hip dysplasia is a problem with how the hip joint forms as a puppy grows, and it is partly inherited.
Your vet checks the hips at routine exams, and X-rays show how well the joints formed.
Keep your Shiba lean, and ask about joint support as it gets older.
Gangliosidosis is an inherited disease that damages the nerves, and Shibas can have two forms: the Shiba type and Sandhoff disease.
Affected puppies look normal at first, and signs of the Shiba type usually begin at around 5–6 months.
A cheek-swab DNA test shows whether a puppy could develop either form, and a dog tested clear cannot.
Less common
A slow thyroid (hypothyroidism) can start between 4 and 10 years, with weight gain, coat changes or a tired dog.
Cataracts, cloudy spots in the lens of the eye, turn up in some Shibas, and eye exams find them early.
Some Shibas get long-term gut trouble (chronic enteropathy), so tell your vet about stomach upsets that keep coming back.
Shibas are more easily harmed by onion and garlic than most dogs, so keep those foods away.
Many healthy Shibas have small red blood cells high in potassium, so tell your vet the breed before any blood test.
DNA tests
DNA tests use a cheek swab, and they check for two inherited nerve diseases in Shibas: the Shiba type of gangliosidosis and Sandhoff disease.
Each result comes back as clear, carrier or at risk, which some labs call affected. Clear means no copies of the gene change, and a carrier has one copy and is healthy. At risk means two copies, and a DNA result is a genetic finding, not a diagnosis. Another DNA test shows which coat-length genes a Shiba carries. In one large survey of Shibas across Japan, about 1 in 100 carried one copy of the gene change for the Shiba type. Carriers are healthy, so for your puppy the test simply shows its status.
Checkups your dog will get
Care plan by life stage
Planning for Shiba Inu vet costs
These are typical published costs for treating what a Shiba Inu vet exam looks at and the conditions the breed is known to be prone to. Each range shows where it comes from and when, and your own vet's estimate will differ.
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist's first exam (consultation fee only) | $198–$350 | per visit | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee) | 2023–2026 |
Planning for pet insurance
When you are ready to compare plans, here is one option for Pawrade buyers.
Only with Pawrade, you receive a pet insurance policy with no waiting period included for immediate accident or illness coverage, 1 month, with every puppy.† You activate it by calling MetLife; instructions arrive with your travel details. Continuing MetLife coverage after the first month is strongly recommended.
View the MetLife 30-day offer →†NH, NY, RI, SC and TN residents excluded. Activated by calling MetLife; coverage begins immediately following policy activation. See the offer for full terms.
Whichever plan you look at, read the policy before you buy. Check the waiting periods, how it defines a pre-existing condition, and its deductible, reimbursement percentage and annual limit.
A waiting period is how long after you buy a pet insurance policy before a claim counts.
| Policy | Accidents | Illness | Joints |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetLife policy included with your Pawrade puppy† | None | None | None |
| MetLife, bought directly | None | 14 days | Not listed |
| Industry standard | 0–14 days | 14–30 days | 6–12 months |
| Nationwide | 14 days | 14 days | Not listed |
| Trupanion | 5 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Embrace | 2 days | 14 days | 6 months |
| Figo | 1 day | 14 days | Not listed |
The breeder's licensed vet checks your puppy before it goes home. The vet follows PetPay's exam standards, and the results go in your puppy's Veterinary Health Report.
Focus
Mouth and bite
Teeth and jaw alignment · Bite (overbite or underbite)
07
Skin and coat
Fleas and ticks · Hair loss · Signs of infection
08 Focus
Kneecaps
Kneecaps that slip, and how much (grade)
09
Hips
Hip pain
10
Hernias
Belly-button (umbilical) hernia · Groin (inguinal) hernia
11
Soft spot on the skull
An open soft spot, and its size
12
Body condition and weight
Body condition score · Weight
13 Focus
Reproductive organs
Both testicles in place (males) · Extra skin folds around the vulva (females)
14
History of vomiting or diarrhea
Any history of vomiting or diarrhea (reported, not examined)
15
Stool test for parasites
Fecal flotation test, with any treatment given
16
Past surgery and notes
Any past surgery · The vet's explanation of anything abnormal
The vet checks the bite and the teeth that are present.
The vet feels both knees to check that the kneecaps stay in place, and grades any slipping.
In Shibas, a slipping kneecap (patellar luxation) shows as a skip in the step, and a vet can feel it even in a young puppy.
In a male puppy, the vet checks whether both testicles have come down.
Testicles can come down late in Shibas, so a finding at this age is not final.
The vet checks the bite and the teeth that are present.
The vet feels both knees to check that the kneecaps stay in place, and grades any slipping.
In Shibas, a slipping kneecap (patellar luxation) shows as a skip in the step, and a vet can feel it even in a young puppy.
In a male puppy, the vet checks whether both testicles have come down.
Testicles can come down late in Shibas, so a finding at this age is not final.
Puppies grow and change quickly, and their immune systems are still developing, so no exam can find everything. The Veterinary Health Report is a strong early look at your puppy and a written starting point that your own vet builds on.
Health guarantee
Every Pawrade puppy comes with a health guarantee administered by PetPay, independent of the seller. The terms are on the health guarantee page.
Customers Love Us!
Jiro · Shiba Inu“Kenji (jiro) came in perfect health. He is so well behaved already. All around best pup ”
Shiba Inu Puppies for Sale
Frequently asked questions
Shiba Inus are known to be prone to a form of glaucoma (raised pressure inside the eye), hip dysplasia and two inherited nerve diseases: the Shiba type of gangliosidosis and Sandhoff disease. DNA tests can rule out the two nerve diseases, and regular eye and joint checks help with the rest. Allergies and slipping kneecaps are also common in the breed, so mention itching or a skip in the step to your vet.
Glaucoma, raised pressure inside the eye, is one of the conditions the breed is known to be prone to, and it usually starts in middle age. Eye-pressure checks from about age 5 help catch it early. A red, cloudy or painful eye needs a vet the same day.
Allergies are probably the most common health problem in Shibas, from itchy skin to flea allergy. Itching, paw licking and ear infections are the signs to bring to your vet early.
A kneecap that slips out of place (patellar luxation) is one of the most common serious problems in Shibas. Among Shibas whose knees were checked through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), about 5 in 100 had an abnormal result. Owners choose whether to send in results, so this describes checked dogs, not every Shiba. A vet can feel a slipping kneecap even in a puppy, so ask for a knee check at each visit.
Cheek-swab DNA tests check for two inherited nerve diseases: the Shiba type of gangliosidosis and Sandhoff disease, a related form. A carrier has one copy of the gene change and is healthy, and a dog tested clear cannot develop the disease. Another test shows which coat-length genes a Shiba carries.
Clear means no copies of the gene change, and a carrier has one copy and is healthy. At risk, which some labs call affected, means two copies. A DNA result is a genetic finding, not a diagnosis, and a dog tested clear cannot develop these diseases.
Shiba Inus typically live 13–16 years. Eye-pressure checks, a lean weight and joint care keep a senior Shiba comfortable.
Older Shibas need regular eye-pressure checks, and a red, cloudy or painful eye is an emergency. Weight control and joint support help the knees and hips. Remind your vet that Shibas can show a falsely high potassium and naturally higher kidney values on bloodwork.
Normal Shiba blood can look abnormal on a lab report. Many Shibas have naturally small red blood cells, and their high-potassium red cells can make a potassium result read falsely high. Knowing the breed, your vet can read the results with that in mind.
When to spay or neuter is a decision to make with your own vet, based on things like sex and expected adult size.
Measure meals and adjust the amount to your Shiba's body condition. A lean weight takes strain off the knees and hips, which matters more as your dog ages.
