The short answer
The Chow Chow is a thick-set, heavy-coated breed whose defining health issue is the eyes. Deep-set eyes and heavy facial folds mean the eyelids very commonly roll inward, a painful condition called entropion that often needs surgery to fix. As a solid dog the Chow also faces hip and elbow dysplasia and a slipping kneecap, an underactive thyroid, and skin infections in the coat and folds. Learn one emergency above all in Sydney: heatstroke. The dense double coat and shortened muzzle make the Chow poor at cooling, so heavy panting, drooling, bright red gums, weakness or collapse on a hot day is life-threatening. Manage the heat, keep year-round tick prevention, and get to a vet at the first signs of trouble.
Eye disease: the Chow Chow signature
If there is one health theme that defines the Chow Chow, it is the eyes. The breed has small, deep-set eyes framed by heavy folds of skin around the face, and that structure comes at a cost. The eyelids very commonly roll inward, a condition called entropion, so the lashes and hair on the lid rub directly against the surface of the eye. It is painful, and it is one of the most common reasons a Chow ends up at the vet.
Entropion. The constant rubbing causes tearing, squinting, redness and chronic irritation, and if it is left, that friction can scratch the cornea and lead to ulcers. The signs to watch are squinting, watery or weepy eyes, redness, and pawing or rubbing at the face. Entropion is uncomfortable and can harm sight over time, but it is very treatable, usually with a minor surgical correction that rolls the eyelid back to its normal position. That is why so many Chows have eye surgery at some point, and why a rescue Chow may already have had it done. It is worth asking whether a dog's eyes have been treated.
Corneal ulcers and general eye care. When entropion or any irritation damages the surface of the eye, a corneal ulcer can form, which is genuinely urgent. A red, cloudy, or suddenly very painful eye, or a dog holding an eye shut, needs same-day veterinary attention because an untreated ulcer can threaten sight. Chows also tend to have limited peripheral vision because those deep-set eyes and the mane of fur around the head narrow the field of view, so approach a Chow from the front and teach children to do the same. Any Chow with persistently sore, squinting or weepy eyes should see a vet. General welfare and health guidance is available from the RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase, and inherited eye conditions in dogs are catalogued by screening bodies such as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.
Emergency: heatstroke in a thick-coated Chow Chow
This is the Sydney emergency every Chow Chow owner must know. The very thick double coat plus a somewhat shortened muzzle make the Chow poor at cooling itself, so it overheats far more easily than many dogs, and Sydney summer heat is a real danger. Get to a vet or a 24/7 hospital immediately if your Chow shows heavy or frantic panting, heavy drooling, bright red gums, weakness, stumbling or collapse. While you move, get the dog into shade, offer water, and start cooling it with cool (not icy) water over the body. Do not wait to see if it settles, because minutes matter. Phone ahead so the team is ready, and out of hours head to a 24/7 hospital such as SASH, which offers round-the-clock emergency care in Sydney. To prevent heatstroke, exercise only in the cooler hours, always provide shade and water, never leave the dog in a car, and never shave the coat to the skin.
Hip and elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation
As a solid, heavy-set breed, the Chow Chow can develop hip and elbow dysplasia, where the joint does not fit together smoothly and wears unevenly over time, leading to arthritis and pain. It can also develop patellar luxation, where the kneecap slips out of its groove. The Chow's distinctive stilted, stiff-legged walk comes from its straight-angled hind legs and joint conformation, which means genuine joint trouble can hide behind what looks like just the way the breed moves.
Watch for stiffness after rest, reluctance to jump, climb stairs or get up, a skip or hop in the step, limping, and slowing down on walks. Keeping the dog lean is one of the best things you can do for its joints, along with steady sensible exercise rather than repetitive high-impact pounding on hard ground. A vet can assess sore joints, confirm what is going on with imaging, and advise on management, which ranges from weight and exercise through to medication and, in some cases, surgery. Reputable breeders screen the parents' hips and elbows before breeding, and a good rescue will note if a dog already moves stiffly.
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
Chow Chows can be prone to hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid gland that slows the body's metabolism. The classic signs are weight gain despite no change in food, low energy and lethargy, and coat and skin changes such as thinning hair, a dull coat, dry or flaky skin, and sometimes recurring skin infections. Because some of those overlap with the breed's skin problems, it is a picture for your vet to sort out rather than something to guess at home.
The good news is that hypothyroidism is diagnosed with a blood test and, once picked up, is one of the more manageable conditions with ongoing care from your vet. If your Chow is putting on weight, slowing down or losing coat quality, mention it at your next visit rather than putting it down to age. Catching it means the dog feels a great deal better.
Skin, coat and the folds
The same thick double coat and heavy folds that give the Chow its look also make skin trouble more likely. Warmth and moisture get trapped in the coat and in the folds around the face and body, and that is exactly where bacteria and yeast thrive. Hot spots, which are painful, red, weepy patches that can flare within hours, are common, as are infections down in the skin folds. Watch for redness, a bad smell, constant licking or scratching, scabs and hair loss.
The Chow can also develop immune-mediated skin conditions, where the body's own immune system attacks the skin and causes crusting and sores. These are not caused by poor grooming and cannot be fixed with a better shampoo, so a vet needs to diagnose and manage them. Good coat care helps prevent the routine fold infections and hot spots, but any skin that is red, smelly, weepy or losing hair is a vet visit. Your vet can work out whether it is a fold infection, a hot spot, an allergy or something immune-mediated, because the treatment differs. Detailed coat and grooming routines belong in our companion guide, linked below.
A note on bloat, and why adopting is not a health disadvantage
One more emergency is worth knowing. Bloat, or gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), is where the stomach fills with gas and can twist on itself, and it is rapidly life-threatening. It is more associated with deep-chested breeds than the Chow, but any owner of a well-built dog should know the signs: a swollen or hard belly, trying to retch or vomit but bringing nothing up, drooling, restlessness and collapse. If you see those, get to a vet immediately. Feeding smaller meals rather than one large one, using a slow feeder if your dog gulps, and avoiding vigorous exercise right after eating are sensible habits.
People sometimes worry that a rescue dog is a health gamble next to a breeder puppy. For a Chow Chow the picture is more balanced than that. A Chow adopted through a reputable Sydney rescue arrives desexed, vaccinated, microchipped, treated for parasites and vet-checked, with all of it included in the fee. You are not taking on an unassessed animal, and a rescue Chow may already have had its entropion corrected. A good rescue will usually flag any sign of eye trouble, stiffness in the joints, skin issues, or a known thyroid or other condition, either on the listing or through the foster carer. If you are weighing it up, our Chow Chow adoption guide for Sydney covers where to look and what it costs, and the Chow Chow temperament and grooming guide covers coat care and what living with the breed is really like. Sydney rescues worth watching include RSPCA NSW, AWL NSW, Sydney Dogs and Cats Home and Monika's Doggie Rescue.
Keeping a Chow Chow healthy: the checklist
Most of what keeps a Chow well is routine, and knowing the early signs of the breed's conditions is the rest. The habits below do the heavy lifting.
- Watch the eyes closely. Squinting, weepy or red eyes, or pawing at the face, can mean entropion. A cloudy or suddenly very painful eye is urgent. Entropion is fixable, so get eyes seen early.
- Manage the heat, always. Walk in the cooler hours, provide water and shade, never leave the dog in a car, and never shave the double coat to the skin. Learn the heatstroke signs.
- Keep the folds clean and dry. Trapped moisture in the coat and folds breeds infection and hot spots, so keep them clean and get red or smelly skin seen.
- Keep the dog lean and moving. A lean weight protects the hips, elbows and knees, and steady exercise beats repetitive high-impact pounding.
- Mind the thyroid. Weight gain despite normal food, low energy or coat changes are worth a blood test.
- Know the bloat signs. A swollen hard belly with unproductive retching, drooling, restlessness or collapse is a get-to-a-vet-now emergency.
- Approach from the front. Chows have limited peripheral vision, so approach where the dog can see you and teach children to do the same.
- Stay on year-round tick prevention. Use a vet-recommended product every month without a gap, because the paralysis tick on the NSW coast is a fatal risk.
The Sydney paralysis tick point
One health risk has nothing to do with the breed and everything to do with where you live. The paralysis tick is native to the east coast of Australia, including the coastal and bushland areas around Sydney, and its bite releases a toxin that causes an ascending paralysis which is fatal without veterinary treatment. It is a year-round risk here, not just a summer one. That sits alongside the heat point above, so on a hot Sydney day you are managing both a heavy coat and a tick season at the same time.
The response is straightforward. Keep your Chow on a vet-recommended tick prevention product every single month with no gaps, and after any walk through bush or long grass run your hands slowly over the whole dog, feeling for a lump. The Chow's thick, dense coat makes ticks especially hard to find, so be thorough: part the coat right down to the skin and check under and inside the ear flaps, around the face and folds, under the collar, in the armpits and between the toes. If your dog develops a wobbly back end, a changed or weak bark, gagging or heavy breathing, treat it as an emergency and get to a vet at once. Your own vet can advise on the right prevention product for your dog.
Browse adoptable Chow Chows in Sydney
Adopting an adult lets you learn a dog's health history and see how its eyes, skin and joints are directly, with a vet check already done and known issues flagged. Browse live NSW listings and set an alert so you hear the moment a Chow Chow comes in.
See Available Chow Chows →When to see the vet urgently
Most Chow Chow health issues are managed at a normal appointment. A few need a faster response. Get to a vet immediately, including out of hours, if you see any of these:
- Heavy or frantic panting, heavy drooling, bright red gums, weakness or collapse on a warm day (possible heatstroke, which is life-threatening).
- A red, cloudy, suddenly very painful eye, or a dog holding an eye shut (possible corneal ulcer or other urgent eye problem).
- A swollen or hard belly with unproductive retching, drooling, restlessness or collapse (possible bloat, which is life-threatening within hours).
- A wobbly back end together with a changed or weak bark, gagging or heavy breathing (possible paralysis tick).
For the everyday things, such as squinting or weepy eyes, stiffness in the joints, red or smelly skin, or weight gain despite normal food, book a normal vet visit soon rather than waiting. Catching those early gives your Chow the best outcome. When in doubt, phone your vet or a 24/7 hospital and describe what you are seeing. They would far rather you called and it was nothing than the other way around. For more on living with the breed, see our Chow Chow temperament and grooming guide, or browse the full Sydney adoption resources hub. To find a local vet, the Australian Veterinary Association can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What health problems are Chow Chows prone to?
Chow Chows are prone to a handful of breed issues, and eye disease is the theme that sets them apart. The deep-set eyes and heavy facial folds mean the eyelids very commonly roll inward, a condition called entropion, where the lashes and hair rub the eyeball and cause pain, tearing and squinting. Beyond the eyes, as a solid, thick-set breed the Chow can develop hip and elbow dysplasia and a slipping kneecap called patellar luxation, along with an underactive thyroid and skin trouble in the coat and folds. The Sydney-specific concern is heat: the very thick double coat plus a somewhat shortened muzzle make the Chow poor at cooling down, so heatstroke is a real risk. Most of this is manageable with regular vet checks, keeping the dog lean, staying on top of the eyes, skin and joints, careful heat management and year-round tick prevention. Chow Chows often live around 9 to 12 years.
Why do Chow Chows need eye surgery, and what is entropion?
Entropion is where the eyelid rolls inward so the lashes and hair rub against the surface of the eye, and it is the signature Chow Chow eye problem because the breed's small, deep-set eyes and heavy facial folds make it very common. That constant rubbing is painful and causes tearing, squinting, redness and chronic irritation, and left alone it can scratch the cornea and lead to ulcers. It usually needs a minor surgical correction to roll the lid back to its normal position, which is why so many Chows have eye surgery at some point. A good rescue may have already had a Chow's entropion corrected, so ask. The signs to watch are squinting, weepy or watery eyes, redness, and pawing or rubbing at the face. Any Chow with persistently sore, squinting or weepy eyes should see a vet, and a red, cloudy or suddenly very painful eye is an urgent eye emergency.
Can Chow Chows cope with the Sydney heat?
Chow Chows cope poorly with heat, so Sydney summers need active management rather than a relaxed attitude. The breed carries a very thick double coat built for a cold climate, and its somewhat shortened muzzle makes it less efficient at cooling through panting, so a Chow overheats more easily than many dogs. Walk in the cooler parts of the day, early morning or evening, always have water and shade, and never leave the dog in a car even briefly. Keep exercise light on hot and humid days. Never shave the double coat down to the skin, because that coat insulates against heat as well as cold and shields against sunburn, and shaving can leave the dog worse off. Learn the heatstroke signs, which are heavy panting, drooling, bright red gums, weakness and collapse. Heatstroke is a get-to-a-vet-now emergency, so move the dog to shade, start cooling with water, and go to a vet or 24/7 hospital at once.
How long do Chow Chows live?
Chow Chows often live around 9 to 12 years, which is a fairly typical span for a solid, medium-sized breed. As with most dogs, quality of life through those years depends a lot on management. A Chow kept lean, with its eyes, skin, thyroid and joints looked after, its coat maintained and regular vet checks booked, has the best chance of comfortable senior years. Because entropion and the other eye problems, joint disease and heat sensitivity are part of the breed picture, knowing the early signs and acting on them protects both length and quality of life. Ask about the dog's health history when you adopt, keep up year-round paralysis tick prevention, and learn the heatstroke signs so you can act fast on a hot Sydney day.
Are Chow Chows prone to hip and joint problems?
Yes, as a heavy, thick-set breed the Chow Chow can develop hip and elbow dysplasia, where the joint does not fit together smoothly and wears unevenly, and patellar luxation, where the kneecap slips out of place. The breed's distinctive stilted, stiff-legged gait is linked to its straight-angled hind legs and joint conformation, so movement issues can be easy to miss as just the Chow walk. Watch for stiffness after rest, reluctance to jump or climb stairs, limping, a skip in the step, and slowing down on walks. Keeping the dog lean is one of the best things you can do for its joints, along with steady sensible exercise rather than repetitive high-impact pounding on hard ground. A vet can assess sore joints, confirm what is happening with imaging, and advise on management that ranges from weight and exercise through to medication or, in some cases, surgery.
Do Chow Chows have skin problems?
Chow Chows can be prone to skin problems, partly because the thick double coat and facial and body folds trap moisture and warmth where bacteria and yeast thrive, and partly because the breed can develop immune-mediated skin conditions. Common issues are hot spots, which are painful, red, weepy patches that flare quickly, and infections in the skin folds. Watch for redness, a bad smell, constant licking or scratching, scabs, and hair loss. Autoimmune skin conditions, where the body attacks its own skin, also occur in the breed and cause crusting and sores that need a vet to diagnose and manage. Good coat care helps, but skin that is red, smelly, weepy or losing hair is a vet visit, not something to treat with a shampoo alone. Your vet can work out whether it is a fold infection, a hot spot, an allergy or something immune-mediated, because the treatment differs.
Do rescue Chow Chows come health checked?
Yes. A Chow Chow adopted through a reputable Sydney rescue arrives desexed, vaccinated, microchipped, treated for worms and fleas, and given a vet check before it is listed, with all of that included in the fee. A good rescue also notes any known issues, and for a breed with eye, joint and skin concerns that history is genuinely useful. A rescue Chow may have already had entropion surgery, so it is worth asking whether the eyes have been treated. Any sign of eye trouble, stiffness, skin issues or a known thyroid or other condition is usually flagged on the listing or shared by the foster carer, so you adopt knowing what you are taking on. A foster carer who has lived with the dog can tell you how it moves, how its eyes and skin look day to day, and how it copes with warm weather, which an unassessed puppy simply cannot offer.
How do I keep my Chow Chow healthy in Sydney?
Keep a Chow Chow healthy by watching the eyes for signs of entropion and irritation, keeping the dog lean to protect its joints, caring for the coat and skin folds, staying on top of vet checks and year-round tick prevention, and managing the heat carefully. The Sydney-specific points are heat and ticks. The thick double coat and shortened muzzle make the Chow poor at cooling, so walk in the cooler hours, always provide water and shade, never leave the dog in a car, and never shave the coat to the skin. Keep the folds clean and dry to prevent infection, and get any red, sore or weepy eye seen promptly. Keep up a vet-recommended paralysis tick product every month with no gaps, and run your hands right through the dense coat after any bushwalk to feel for ticks. Book annual vet checks that become twice yearly for a senior, and learn the heatstroke and bloat emergency signs so you can act within minutes.
Keep reading
Adoptable Chow Chows in Sydney
Live listings of Chow Chows across Sydney and NSW rescues.
Chow Chow Adoption in Sydney
Where to adopt a Chow Chow, why they end up in rescue, and what adoption costs against a breeder.
Chow Chow Temperament & Grooming
What the aloof Chow temperament means day to day, and how to care for that dense double coat in Sydney.
All Sydney Adoption Guides
Browse every breed and how-to guide for adopting a rescue dog in Sydney.