HEALTH ISSUES TO CONSIDER BEFORE BREEDING WITH YOUR DOBERMANN

• HD (Hip Dysplasia)
• ED (Elbow Dysplasia)
• DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy)
• vWD (von Willebrand’s Disease)
• Eye tests, and in specific PHTVL/ PHPV
• Thyroid
• Auto Immune Deficiency Syndromes
• Herpes
• Cervical Vertebral Instability (Wobblers)
• Demodectic Mange
• Cancer

Hip Dysplasia (HD) and Elbow Dysplasia (ED) assessments are only required to be done once in an animal's life, after the age of 12 months, and the results are applicable to the life of the animal. (KUSA are in the process of adopting the FCI HD grading system. The new regulations will be applicable with effect from 1 January, 2007).

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM): Heart scan can be done but results are only valid at time of scan. Try to find out as much as you can about the ancestors - to what age did they live, what was the cause of death. One of the gene mutations that affects the heard in Dobermanns has now been idetified and can be tested for. It is at this stage not totally definitive but will enable a breeder to avoid breeding two known high risk dogs.

von Willebrand's Disease (vWD): The vWD test is a DNA test, the result of which is applicable to the life of the animal. See the following guidelines:

The following table clearly shows the risk in mating Carrier-to-Carrier and Carrier-to-Affected and Affected-to-Affected:

Ideal Breeding Pair: Clear to Clear. Puppies will not have the disease gene (neither as Carrier nor as Affected).

Breeding Is Safe: Clear to Carrier. No Affected puppies will be produced. However, some or all puppies will be Carriers. Accordingly, it is recommended that Carrier dogs which are desirable for breeding be bred with Clear dogs in the future, which will produce 50% carrier and 50% clear animals, to further reduce the disease gene frequency. These offspring should be tested by VetGen's test for this defective gene, and if possible, only the clear animals in this generation should be used.

High Risk Breeding: Carrier to Carrier/Affected to Carrier. Some puppies are likely to be Carriers and some puppies are likely to be Affected. Even though it is possible that there will be some clear puppies when breeding 'Carrier to Carrier', in general, neither this type of breeding pair nor 'Carrier to Affected' are recommended for breeding.

Breeding Not Recommended: Affected to Affected. All puppies will be genetically Affected.

Eye Tests: Of the eye problems currently tested for in SA PHTVL/PHPV is the most significant. PHTVL/PHPV only needs to be tested once during the dog's lifetime. If the dog is clear at the time of the testing this will not change at a later stage.

Thyroid: Inheritability is low. TSH and T4 tests can be done but results are only valid at the time of testing. Testing available from your usual vet if you feel your dog has symptoms indicating a problem.

Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome: No information at present.

Cervical Vertebral Instability (CVI, Wobblers): Hereditary degenerative disease of the neck spinal column, occurring most commonly in middle age (4 to 7). No test available but check on the ancestors. Surgery is the only successful treatment.

Demodectic Mange: An immune system problem assumed to be passed on from the dam -  in severe cases significant hair loss and extreme itchiness. Only identifiable when condition occurs but it can be very uncomfortable for the dog and expensive to treat.

von Willebrand's Disease testing can now be done in South Africa:

Thyroid and Herpes test can be done through your regular veterinarian as it is only a blood sample which needs to be sent to Onderstepoort for analysis.

CVI/Wobblers diagnosis can start with your vet, but it is probable that specialist help may be needed.

Demodectic Mange. Your own vet should be able to take skin samples for analysis.