Health Overview
Hip xrays
These health conditions have been identified in the Dobermann. It is important to know the status before breeding a dog or bitch -clinically affected dogs, dogs exhibiting symptoms for any of these conditions should NOT be bred.
PLEASE NOTE: The text below is intended as an aid to those seeking health information and should not be used to form a diagnosis replacing regular veterinary care by one's own Veterinarian.
CARDIOMYOPATHY (DCM) - is suspected to be an inherited disease in Dobermanns. Research is in progress in several institutions. An echocardiogram of the heart will confirm the disease but WILL not guarantee that the disease will not develop in the future. Dr. Kate Meurs of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine has identified a genetic mutation responsiblefor causing cardiomyopathy in Dobermans. A reasonably priced test is available through the Veterinary Cardiac Genetics Laboratory at WSU. ( http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/deptsVCGL/)
HIP DYSPLASIA - Hip dysplasia, has many causes. One of these causes is genetics. Feeding a very high-calorie diet to growing dogs can exacerbate a predisposition to hip dysplasia, because the rapid weight gain places increased stress on the hips. Being overweight supports the genetic potential for hip dysplasia, as well as other skeletal diseases. A diet with an imbalance of calcium and phosphorous is bad for bone development. Another factor that can bring on the symptoms of hip dysplasia is inappropriate exercise during the period of rapid bone growth. Young dogs should be discouraged from jumping up and down from heights in situations where they land on their back legs (such as jumping up to catch a ball), and from standing up on their back legs (which dogs do when they stand up against a fence or window to get a better view). They should also avoid running on pavement.
Hip Dysplasia (HD) and Elbow Dysplasia (ED) assessments are required to be done once in an animal’s life, after the age of 12 months, the results are applicable to the life of the animal. The test may be done at any veterinary practice, where x-ray facilities are available, to be certified by Dr Kirberger (Onderstepoort)
HYPOTHYROIDISM - Means that the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones to adequately maintain the dog's metabolism. It is easily treated with thyroid
replacement pills on a daily basis. Thyroid testing (T3, T4, TSH and autoantibodies) should be performed on an annual schedule. Finding autoantibodies to thyroglobulin (T4 autoantibodies) is an indication that the dog has "Hashimoto's Disease". Low thyroid dogs, manifested by a high TSH and a low T4, should be treated and monitored on a regular basis. Testing is available from your usual vet if you feel your dog has symptoms indicating a problem. These are only screening tests and the three possible grading areas are 'Normal', 'Grey-area' and 'Hypothyroidism'. Inheritability of thyroid dysfunction in dogs is low.
vWd (VON WILLEBRAND'S DISEASE) - is an autosomally (not sex linked) inherited bleeding disorder with a prolonged bleeding time and a mild to severe factor IX deficiency. The vWD test is a DNA test, the result of which is applicable to the life of the animal. It is recommended that wherever possible only Clear animals are used in the breeding programme. There are three possible results CLEAR, CARRIER & AFFECTED.
CLEAR:
This indicates that the gene is not present in the dog, therefore when used for breeding a clear will not pass on the diseased gene.
CARRIER:
This indicates that one copy of disease gene is present in the dog, but that it will not exhibit disease symptoms. Carriers will not have medical problems as a result. Dogs with carrier status will pass on the disease gene 50% of the time.
AFFECTED:
This indicates that two copies of the diseased gene are present in the dog. Unfortunately the disease will medically affect the dog. This dog should NEVER be used in breeding.
CERVICAL VERTEBRAL INSTABILITY (CVI, Wobblers): This disease is caused by compression of the cervical spinal cord as a result of cervical vertebral malformation-malarticulation or instability. Spinal cord compression injures the portion of the spinal cord necessary for an animal to stand and move normally. In Dobermanns, the skeletal abnormality occurs predominantly in the last three cervical vertebrae (the fifth, sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae). The cause of the skeletal malformation or malarticulation is unknown. Clinical studies suggest both genetics and nutrition may play a role in the development of the defects. Research has shown that, in some young dogs, excessive intake of a diet high in protein, energy, calcium, and phosphorus accelerates growth, which may induce skeletal changes such as those seen in some "wobbler" dogs.
PHTVL/PHPV - There are various eye problems and diseases that are currently tested for in SA, however, PHTVL/PHPV is the problem that we concentrate on. PHTVL/PHPV only needs to be tested for once during the dog’s lifetime as it is genetically inherited; the result at the time of testing is applicable for the life of the dog.
PLEASE NOTE: The text below is intended as an aid to those seeking health information and should not be used to form a diagnosis replacing regular veterinary care by one's own Veterinarian.
CARDIOMYOPATHY (DCM) - is suspected to be an inherited disease in Dobermanns. Research is in progress in several institutions. An echocardiogram of the heart will confirm the disease but WILL not guarantee that the disease will not develop in the future. Dr. Kate Meurs of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine has identified a genetic mutation responsiblefor causing cardiomyopathy in Dobermans. A reasonably priced test is available through the Veterinary Cardiac Genetics Laboratory at WSU. ( http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/deptsVCGL/)
HIP DYSPLASIA - Hip dysplasia, has many causes. One of these causes is genetics. Feeding a very high-calorie diet to growing dogs can exacerbate a predisposition to hip dysplasia, because the rapid weight gain places increased stress on the hips. Being overweight supports the genetic potential for hip dysplasia, as well as other skeletal diseases. A diet with an imbalance of calcium and phosphorous is bad for bone development. Another factor that can bring on the symptoms of hip dysplasia is inappropriate exercise during the period of rapid bone growth. Young dogs should be discouraged from jumping up and down from heights in situations where they land on their back legs (such as jumping up to catch a ball), and from standing up on their back legs (which dogs do when they stand up against a fence or window to get a better view). They should also avoid running on pavement.
Hip Dysplasia (HD) and Elbow Dysplasia (ED) assessments are required to be done once in an animal’s life, after the age of 12 months, the results are applicable to the life of the animal. The test may be done at any veterinary practice, where x-ray facilities are available, to be certified by Dr Kirberger (Onderstepoort)
HYPOTHYROIDISM - Means that the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones to adequately maintain the dog's metabolism. It is easily treated with thyroid
replacement pills on a daily basis. Thyroid testing (T3, T4, TSH and autoantibodies) should be performed on an annual schedule. Finding autoantibodies to thyroglobulin (T4 autoantibodies) is an indication that the dog has "Hashimoto's Disease". Low thyroid dogs, manifested by a high TSH and a low T4, should be treated and monitored on a regular basis. Testing is available from your usual vet if you feel your dog has symptoms indicating a problem. These are only screening tests and the three possible grading areas are 'Normal', 'Grey-area' and 'Hypothyroidism'. Inheritability of thyroid dysfunction in dogs is low.
vWd (VON WILLEBRAND'S DISEASE) - is an autosomally (not sex linked) inherited bleeding disorder with a prolonged bleeding time and a mild to severe factor IX deficiency. The vWD test is a DNA test, the result of which is applicable to the life of the animal. It is recommended that wherever possible only Clear animals are used in the breeding programme. There are three possible results CLEAR, CARRIER & AFFECTED.
CLEAR:
This indicates that the gene is not present in the dog, therefore when used for breeding a clear will not pass on the diseased gene.
CARRIER:
This indicates that one copy of disease gene is present in the dog, but that it will not exhibit disease symptoms. Carriers will not have medical problems as a result. Dogs with carrier status will pass on the disease gene 50% of the time.
AFFECTED:
This indicates that two copies of the diseased gene are present in the dog. Unfortunately the disease will medically affect the dog. This dog should NEVER be used in breeding.
CERVICAL VERTEBRAL INSTABILITY (CVI, Wobblers): This disease is caused by compression of the cervical spinal cord as a result of cervical vertebral malformation-malarticulation or instability. Spinal cord compression injures the portion of the spinal cord necessary for an animal to stand and move normally. In Dobermanns, the skeletal abnormality occurs predominantly in the last three cervical vertebrae (the fifth, sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae). The cause of the skeletal malformation or malarticulation is unknown. Clinical studies suggest both genetics and nutrition may play a role in the development of the defects. Research has shown that, in some young dogs, excessive intake of a diet high in protein, energy, calcium, and phosphorus accelerates growth, which may induce skeletal changes such as those seen in some "wobbler" dogs.
PHTVL/PHPV - There are various eye problems and diseases that are currently tested for in SA, however, PHTVL/PHPV is the problem that we concentrate on. PHTVL/PHPV only needs to be tested for once during the dog’s lifetime as it is genetically inherited; the result at the time of testing is applicable for the life of the dog.
