Veterinary care of the Belgian Malinois military working dog

The Belgian Malinois dog was introduced into the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Program in 1984. All dogs are purchased in Europe and have adapted well to the rigorous training requirements of the program. Most veterinary problems seen in this breed are related to kennel confinement and include traumatic dental disease, tail lesions, a variety of dermatologic conditions, and an inability to gain weight. Epilepsy is a breed problem and has been seen in this population, as has gastric dilatation/volvulus. Both elbow and hip dysplasia exist in the Malinois breed.