DOBERMANN: PATOLOGÍAS MÁS FRECUENTES

The Dobermann, like all Breeds, has certain pathologies that can be found more frequently. Each breed is more prone to certain diseases and the Dobermann is no stranger to this peculiarity. It is extremely important that the owner of a Dobermann familiarizes himself with the pathologies of the Breed in such a way that he can recognize it at the first symptoms.

It is the intention that the most frequent diseases are known and which are of the utmost importance for the health of the Breed. Some pathologies become more relevant due to their possible genetic influences. Every responsible breeder must remove from breeding that specimen that unfortunately suffers from them. Dogs clinically affected or showing symptoms of any of these pathologies should not be bred. You should also contribute your knowledge by educating any new breeder or owner. The future of the Breed will largely depend on the joint effort to take care of the health of our Dobermanns. Disseminate, prevent and select are new goals that we must encourage.

The following diseases have been identified in the Dobermann Breed. Those marked with *** can be diagnosed through examinations or clinical tests. For the rest, there is still no correct diagnostic method for their early identification and prevention.

• Wobbler syndrome

It is suspected to be hereditary in Dobermanns. Spinal cord diseases (myelopathies) in canines are the most common neurological diseases in the small animal clinic. The neurological problems resulting from such conditions usually impair locomotion and are therefore easily recognized by owners. Various terms have been used to describe a disease of the cervical spinal cord in Dobermanns, Great Danes (about 80% of cases occur in these breeds), and other large breeds. Perhaps the term “cervical spondylomyelopathy” is the one that most accurately describes the complexity of this syndrome. It is also known as “Wobbler Syndrome”.

The etiology is unknown, however the high incidence of this pathology in the breed suggests that heredity is a contributing factor. This pathology generally presents as a chronic degenerative disc disease that is normally present between the cervical vertebrae. This produces a ventral compression of the cervical spinal cord and nerve roots with serious consequences. The reason for this is thought to be an instability of the space between the cervical vertebrae or a degenerative disc lesion. The dog usually has a history of incoordination and slowly progressive weakness. Clinical symptoms often progress gradually over several months or years. However in some cases manifestations are acute. It is most often seen in the hind limbs. The toes of the hindquarters can be dragged. Abnormalities are more easily seen when the animal rises from a lying position. The forelegs have a short, uncoordinated walk. The deficiency of these limbs are generally slight in comparison with the posterior ones. The neck is often flexed. This position produces less compression and the animal tends to have less pain in this position. The extension of the neck or a sudden movement usually causes pain; but the most important thing is that it can accentuate the compression and increase the symptoms. It is diagnosed by its symptoms, x-rays of the cervical vertebrae and by computed tomography.

• *** Coxo-femoral dysplasia (Hip dysplasia)

Coxofemoral Dysplasia (CFD) is a progressive hereditary disease characterized by a lack of congruence between the femoral head and the hip acetabulum that invariably leads to degenerative joint disease. There is agreement in considering CFD as a genetic problem. It is well known that a specimen can be a carrier of CFD genes without suffering from the disease but nevertheless transmit it to its offspring. It would take 6 or 7 generations free of this pathology to be able to definitively eradicate it within a reproductive line. It occurs in susceptible dogs between 4 to 12 months of age, however many animals do not show clinical or radiological signs until 2 to 6 years of age. It is the most common orthopedic pathology of large and giant breed dogs. It affects both sexes with equal frequency. The exact etiology is unknown, although joint laxity is a consistent feature of CFD. Environmental and nutritional factors are also considered. This laxity in the hip joint leads to subluxation and poor congruence between the femoral head and the acetabulum. CFD can present with intermittent claudication, which can appear before efforts, until an evident pain that prevents the locomotion. The tentative diagnosis is made based on the anamnesis, clinical picture and the result of palpation. However, the definitive diagnosis is made with the evidence of the typical signs of CFD on radiographic plates of the hip. It is important and necessary to gradually eliminate dysplastic specimens and breeders that give dysplastic offspring from reproduction. Many times we hear breeders in our country mention that CFD is not a frequent pathology in the Dobermann Breed. It would be important, if so, to continue maintaining this pathology with a low presence in the breed through a serious breeding program, initially non-mandatory and controlled.

• Cardiomyopathy

It is suspected to be a hereditary disease in the Dobermann. It inevitably leads to the death of the animal. Given the symptoms of the disease, the echocardiogram and the electrocardiogram will confirm the pathology. However, when faced with a specimen that does not suffer from symptoms, "it will not guarantee" that this disease will not develop in the future. This makes its prevention difficult. Research is ongoing at several institutions. The Dobermann Pinscher Club of America annually allocates funds for this purpose. Males and females are equally affected. Sudden death is the first and only physical sign of the disease in 17% of Dobermanns with this pathology. So far there is no cure, however there are possible therapeutic methods. Once the symptoms appear the prognosis is poor. Pulmonary edema often presents acutely. Dogs with less tolerance to efforts, weakness, tachycardia, arrhythmias are some of the possible symptoms. It is important to know that a simple control electrocardiogram can lead to early detection of the disease and this detection in the hidden phase is the key to increasing your life expectancy.

• *** Von Willerbrand's disease

It is a hereditary disease, not related to sex, that produces a prolonged bleeding time due to deficiency of factor IX of coagulation that can range from mild to severe. It is an inherited bleeding disorder. Most affected Dobermanns do not bleed spontaneously but bleed excessively during or after surgery. It is diagnosed by means of a DNA test and can be genetically: free, carrier or sick.

• *** Idiopathic Chronic Hepatitis

The most observable symptoms of affected Dobermanns are anorexia, weight loss, lethargy, polyuria and pilodipsia, jaundice, abdominal collection, and finally signs of hepatic encephalopathy. It can initially go unnoticed by the owner. The cause that produces it is unknown. It is a familial chronic hepatitis that is frequently observed in certain blood lines. The affected animal is usually sick for weeks or months. It can lead to death. It is diagnosed by its symptoms, through blood tests, ultrasound and mainly by liver biopsy. It is a common pathology seen in the breed.

• *** Hypothyroidism

It is probably an inherited disease in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones to properly maintain the dog's metabolism. Its diagnosis is simple and consists of a simple blood extraction and its corresponding analysis (T4L, TSH and antibodies). Dogs with difficulty in the thyroid gland present deficient values of FT4 and elevated TSH. Its treatment consists of the daily administration of the missing hormone. Its difficulty arises from the fact that the study should be carried out annually since a specimen could present normal values and with the passing of months or years be hypothyroid.

• Albinism

In 1979, “Shebah” was born in the United States, the first White Dobermann registered with the American Kennel Club. This motivated unscrupulous or unaware breeders to breed this color of Dobermann.

A "white" or "albino" Dobermann has a genetic fault that masks the pigmentation of the four normal colors. It is a recessive gene that, when expressed, greatly reduces the number of pigmentation granules (melanocytes) in the hair, skin, and eyes. This gives the appearance of a light cream basecoat with death white markings. They always have translucent blue eyes with a pink nose, eye rims, and pads. They are positive albinos. Geneticists and veterinarians determined that these dogs suffer from a harmful form of partial albinism. The greatly reduced pigmentation in the skin and eyes causes marked photosensitivity (eyes partially or totally closed to sunlight) and increases the risk of skin damage from the sun including cancer. Photosensitivity is a handicap for a working Breed. Letting the albino trait spread is a serious threat to the genetic integrity of the Dobermann Breed. In order to prevent this harmful gene from spreading, the AKC has agreed with the DPCA to implement a tracking system using a “Z” in the registration number, thus helping breeders and buyers to identify carriers of the albino trait. A trait that results from having a "white" parent or ancestry that goes directly back to Shebah's parents. This information assists in gene segregation by aiding in the identification of puppies, stud service dogs, and wombs that are free of the deleterious gene. Buyers are warned with the letter “Z” in the AKC pedigree number when considering the purchase of a puppy. A “Z” in the litter number identifies pups that could potentially produce a litter containing “whites”. Breeders now have a simple way to exclude this trait from their breeding program. Ethical breeders are expected to use this information with each planned breeding. To date there is no information about the birth of a White Dobermann in Argentina.

• *** Progressive Retinal Atrophy

It is a hereditary disease in Dobermanns. Clinically it manifests with a decrease in visual sharpness. At first in the dark and then during the day. It progresses over months or years leading to total blindness. Your diagnosis is made with a veterinary ophthalmologist who issues a certificate for 12 months, from the date of your evaluation. This pathology is not seen as frequently in the breed.

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