DOBERMANS AND HEALTH PROBLEMS
The Doberman Pinscher unfortunately is prey to a myriad of crippling and life threatening diseases. Most of these conditions are passed on through genetics via poor breeding practices. With that said, one would think that after decades of selective breeding the Doberman Pinscher would be healthy as a horse. Sadly, this is not the case.
There is nothing more gut wrenching than to purchase a puppy and have it crippled or die soon after simply because the breeder was unscrupulous or ignorant regarding their dogs and the multiple genetic problems they have been breeding.
This is yet another reason we have pursued the European Doberman to occasionly blend into qualified American Doberman Pinscher lines. While qualified American Doberman lines are few and far between, European breeding practices are strict and by sheer numbers, the ratio of sickly pedigrees is few and far between when compared to their North American cousins.
There is absolutely no reason to breed any Doberman Pinscher that is afflicted by the below listed genetic diseases. If a breeder is breeding such, they are either ignorant and should not be breeding or are very aware and are simply after the money to be gained from innocent individuals via their poor breeding stock. An educated and qualified breeder definitely deserves compensations from well-bred Doberman Pinscher puppies. Unfortunately, qualified breeders are few and far between.
DOBERMAN PINSCHER DISEASES
HIP DYSPLASIA: This is a degenerative joint disease of the hips and is common in many large breeds to include the Doberman. The hip joint is formed by a ball and socket configuration. The socket portion of the joint is in the pelvis (hipbone) while the ball portion of the joint is at the top of the long leg bone, otherwise known as the femur. The ball portion of the femur should fit in just like a puzzle piece into the socket portion of the hipbone. There are also a wide array of tendons and ligaments that help hold these bones in place.
Hip dysplasia occurs when the muscles, ligaments and tendons surrounding this hip joint are lax or inferior in some way. The bones are not held in place but over time start to separate and move apart. Hip dysplasia can present in either one hip or both hips.
What does all of this mean to your dog? PAIN. Sheer and absolute pain. If you have ever known a human being who required a hip replacement surgery, then this concept should be easy for you. The symptoms vary from dog to dog and can range from light limping, the inability to run, and small whimpers to screams of discomfort when trying to move, onward to dogs that are immobilized and need help getting up.
Your local veterinarian will be versed in how to treat this condition with medications, etc. Hip dysplasia NEVER goes away. It is with the dog for life and is simply managed with proper diets, supplements and medication.
HOW DO I MAKE SURE MY PUPPY IS HIP DYSPLASIA FREE?
If both Doberman Pinscher parents are free of hip dysplasia, then the probability is huge that your puppy will grow up hip dysplasia free as well.
It is important to note that good genetics are just a part of the equation when it comes to hips that are dysplasia free. It is IMPARATIVE that fast growing and large dogs such as the Doberman Pinscher are fed high quality and nutritious food in order to insure the best nutrition possible. This in turn will lend itself to properly developing hip structures.
To verify good hips, you will ask the breeder for copies of evaluations put forth by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). This x-ray evaluation of the hips is performed when the dog is 2 years old or older. If you run across a breeder selling puppies from parents that are younger than 2 years, run like the wind! Please be advised that hip certifications from Europe are much looser than what we accept here. Upon importation, a dogs hips should be immediatley X-rayed and sent to the OFA. While America lacks in many places, our hip certification procedures are bar none in the world today.
The hip x-ray will have been taken by a local veterinarian and sent to official OFA doctors for evaluation. The Doberman Pinscher x-rays are then given a rating of Excellent, Good, Fair or Fail. Of course, we want to purchase puppies from parents that are either OFA Good or Excellent. While a dog that has a rating of Fair is considered hip dysplasia free, we prefer to not breed animals that have this low rating. The bottom line: A fair rating is way too close to actual hip dysplasia.
VON WILLEBRANDS DISEASE
This is another disease/disorder that is inherited from the parents. There is no reason for ANY Doberman Pinscher that has this disease to be bred EVER. The short form of this disease is referred to as vWD. What this means, in a nutshell, is that the dog has a blood disorder where the blood will not clot normally. A small scrape or wound of some sort can result in not - stop and dangerous bleeding. Othwise know as canine hemophilia. Should a dog that is affected by this disease require surgery or treatments mfor wounds, the danger is quick and rapid bleeding at high risk levels. This of course, instead of forming a scab, which is normal.
When purchasing a Doberman Pinscher puppy ask for proof that both parents are vWD free. They will provide you a form that either says free, carrier, or affected. If a dog is affected or a carrier, run like the wind! If both parents are free, this is incredibly good news.
A special note on dogs that are carriers of vWD. If a dog is a carrier that means it only carries the gene and is not affected by the disease. It is common practice in the
vWD CERTIFICATION WARNING
A viable concern regarding asking for proof that a Doberman Pinscher is vWD free is the fact that the test can be forged. The test does not need to be conducted by a veterinarian. Cheek cell samples ( which carry DNA) can simply be sent to the testing lab by the breeders themselves. There is nothing that stops a breeder from sending multiple cheek samples from a dog that is free of vWD and claiming the samples belong to another dog. There is no way for the laboratory to differentiate the samples. It is our hope that science or some type of regulation eventually protects consumers against fraudulent vWD claims.
CARDIOMYOPOTHY
This is often referred to as dilated cardiomyopothy and this is the type of heart disease that affects most Dobermans. This is a fancy term that means heart failure. The chambers of the ventricles of the heart become dilated and the heart muscle is diseased as a whole. Like any heart disease, the initial symptoms of atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm) typically go undetected until the disease process progresses further.
At the height of the disease process dogs can present with symptoms such as rapid weight loss, weakness, depression, breathing difficulties, coughing and an enlarged stomach.
It is usually by this time that nothing can be done for the dog and a heart attack is imminent.
All breeding Doberman Pinschers should be checking for cardiomyopathy at age two and all Doberman breeders should present a potential puppy buyer professional medical documents that clear the dog as cardiomyapothy free.
The caveat. Cardiomyapathy can strike at any age. A dog that is free of this disorder at age two may present with it at age six. The only thing that you can do to protect yourself and your future puppy is to ask the breeder that in addition to the certification they have presented you, how long have sires/dams and grandsires/grand dams lived? If they have been long lived chances are great your puppy will be cardiomyopathy clear as well.
Just a clue. An excellent breeder will perform the cardio test every two years for the life of the dog. This is what we do at Dark Angel Euro Dobermans. Don't expect anything less.
PERSISTING HYPERPLASTIC TUNICA VASCULOSA LENTIS AND PRIMARY VETRIUM
We certainly will not repeat that again and will refer to the disease as PHTVL/PHPV. The short of it, this is a disease of the eyes that is hereditary and also prominent in Doberman Pinschers.
This is a serious condition affecting the lens of the eye and once detected will require regular medical care for life. There are blood vessels present in the unborn puppy that coat the lens of the eye. These blood vessels should disappear before the puppy is born. In affected puppies, the blood vessels remain after birth and usually other important parts of the eye have not developed properly.
What this means is the dog can be mildly affected and have no major problems. The middle stages result in poor vision, so the dog is not good for its job of guarding or work. In the later stages, the dog is simply blind. So sad and avoidable this is for both innocent dogs and equally innocent puppy owners.
This condition can be spotted in a puppy that is 8 weeks or older. While all responsible breeders should provide proof that the sire and dam are free of this condition, if there is any doubt, have the puppy checked by a qualified veterinarian before committing to a purchase.
There is NO reason at all for a breeder to breed dogs that have this condition.
Thyroid Issues:It is routinue to find Dobermans that suffer from thyroid issues. The dog should be tested at two years of age and year thereafter for either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism occurs when not enough thyroid hormones are produced. it causes a wide variety of symptoms to include hair loss, weight gain and skin troubles. It is important to note that this disorder affects medium to large breeds of dogs such as the Doberman. This disease condition is ultimatley treated by synthetic hormones in order to relieve the symptoms.
In the event of hyperthyriodism, the thyroid produces too much of the thyroid hormone called thyroxin. Symptoms include weight loss, excessive thirst and runny stools. This condition is also treated with synthetic thyroid hormones. bask Your breeder for certification of healthy thyroid testing within 18 months of the purchase of your beloved puppy.
Wobber's Syndrome: This results in an unsteady gait due to pressure in the spinal cord region of the neck. The most affected breeds are Great Danes and you guessed it, the Doberman. Males are affected twice as much as females. This disease is diagnosed via a neurological exam or X-rays. A CT scan or MRI is the most conclusive test today. Symptoms include an unsteady gait in both front and back legs, a clumsy appearance and falling when making sharp turns. In severe cases, paralysis can occur. Make suren you ask your Doberman breeder for certification that their breeding stock is Wobbler's Syndrome free.
THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT
Doberman Pinschers are a beautiful animal that is unfortunately challenged by a myriad of health conditions as a result of breed popularity and unscrupulous breeding practices.
This in that of itself is criminal to these noble and gorgeous representatives of the canine world. The degradation seems to know no bounds as backyard breeders and even breeders of show champions’ alike share in the demise of this incredible animal.
We respectfully ask you to NOT be shy and ask your breeder to prove at the very minimum that their breeding stock is free of the above-described diseases. Again, be forceful in asking for this documentation. Anything less is a disservice to the breed and only perpetuates the continued demise of this incredibly magnificent animal. Not to mention, this puts you, the puppy buyer in a place to purchase a heartache verses a strong, healthy, confidant, and dependable family companion.
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