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Health
and Welfare
 Inherited
and other health concerns in the Great Dane
The following health conditions have been identified in the Great Dane.
Items so marked ( ) can be identified through testing.
Screening tests are not currently available for the other conditions
listed. Conditions thought to involve significant & direct inheritance are noted.
For those purchasing a pet or intending to breed: it is important to know
the health status before breeding any dog or bitch. Clinically affected
dogs, i.e., those dogs exhibiting symptoms for conditions considered serious and
heritable should generally NOT be bred and health screenings (where
available) are certainly recommend. Please note that the text below is
intended as an aid to those seeking health information on the breed, and should not be used to
form a diagnosis replacing regular veterinary care by a qualified veterinarian.
DCM: CARDIOMYOPATHY - is suspected to be an inherited disease in
the Great Dane and current (preliminary) research indicates that this disease may
be sex-linked in our breed. Research is ongoing. An echocardiogram of the heart will
confirm the disease but will not guarantee that the disease will not develop in
the future. Regular exams on breeding stock are recommended.
There are some congenital heart defects also
occasionally found in the breed. For an in-depth article
on the subject, see "Heart
Disease in the Great Dane."
K9HD: HIP DYSPLASIA - is an inherited disease with multi-factorial
expression. Clinically the disease may be seen as simply poor rear end conformation or lessened
athleticism to such malformation of the hip joint that the dog becomes crippled. It
is recommend that breeding stock be Xrayed as normal. OFA and
PennHIP both offer
certification programs.
See OFA and
PennHIP.
HYPOTHYROIDISM & other heritable endocrine disease
- Hypothyroidism in dogs is generally the
result of a heritable disorder of the immune system.
This condition results when the thyroid gland is not
producing enough hormone to adequately maintain the
dog's metabolism. Happily, it is easily treated with
thyroid replacement pills. Thyroid testing (T4, TSH and
autoantibodies) on breeding stock should be performed on
a routine basis. Finding autoantibodies to thyroglobulin
is normally an indication that the dog has autoimmune
thyroiditis. Low thyroid dogs, manifested by a high TSH
and a low T4, should be treated and monitored on a
regular basis. Dogs with confirmed thyroid abnormalities
should not be bred. See the
Hypothyroidism
update article. Another autoimmune endocrine disease
that can affect the breed is Addison's disease. See the
link on Addison's Disease Info in the Research section
to learn more about both the ongoing research project as
well as how to diagnose and treat dogs with Addison's
disease.
CATARACTS
- although not common, cataracts have been described in the
Great Dane and can be blinding. Eyelid abnormalies (e.g.
entropion) are also not unheard of in the breed. For breeding stock a CERF exam can insure that the eyes are normal in all
aspects. See CERF data for the
breed.
GDV: Bloat -
is the number one killer of Great
Danes & Great Danes are the #1 breed at risk for bloat.
For reasons not fully understood, in certain deep-chested
breeds in particular, the stomach distends, then has a
tendency to rotate, which cuts off the blood supply to
various parts of the body, as well as effectively
shutting down digestion. This condition is extremely
painful as well as a true emergency that is rapidly life
threatening. A dog with a bloated, twisted stomach
(technically called "Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus")
will die in great pain in a matter of hours unless
drastic steps are taken: surgery is normally
necessary. The reasons for GDV are currently not
understood, however most would agree that multiple small
meals per day and preventing vigorous exercise around
mealtimes can help reduce the chances of bloat. Many
breeders and owners of Great Danes consider a surgery
called a prophylactic gastropexy ("preventative tack")
which can help prevent some of the more serious aspects
of GDV. Discuss this with your veterinarian and your
Dane's breeder. Click
HERE
to find a detailed chart on
dealing with bloat/torsion. See also this chart on
Prophylactic Gastropexy (the preventitive "tack"
surgery).
CANCER: Danes can suffer from a variety of cancers as do many other breeds of dogs as well as many mixed breed dogs. Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) and lymphoma appear to be the two forms of cancer most commonly seen in the Great Dane, and along with heart disease and bloat (GDV), cancer is a leading cause of death in Great Danes. Research into both types of cancer is ongoing and treatment options are improving every day. See
The Genetics of Cancer
Wobblers syndrome - is a result of
pressure on the spinal cord in the neck region and
results in a "drunken" gait & increasing instability &
potential paralysis. The congenital form of Wobblers
in Danes usually presents in adolescent Danes and is
the result of a malformation of the cervical vertebrae
thought to result from a combination of nutritional
effects and inherited traits; it is considered a form
of DOD (Developmental Osteodystrophy) and is referred
to as cervical vertebral malformation or CVM. A
whiplash sort of traumatic injury to such long-necked
dogs as Danes can occur in adult dogs and can also be
referred to as "Wobblers" or cervical vertebral
instability (CVI). Great Danes are considered at risk
for both congenital & trauma induced "Wobblers." Ronaldo
da Costa, DVM, DMV, MSc, PhD, Dipl ACVIM-Neurology, at
Ohio State University in conducting research into
the cause & treatment of Wobblers & can be reached at
the following email: Ronaldo.daCosta@cvm.osu.edu
HOD and Pano - these are painful conditions of the bones that occur during
the rapid growth phase of puppyhood causing lameness and general malaise.
By far HOD is
the more serious one and can be deadly. Pano is usually self-limiting and may not
need treatment. HOD stands for Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy. Pano is short for Panosteitis.
Information on growth and other puppy issues is
available
HERE.
Recommended disease screenings - OFA offers a public
database where breeders can record the health status of
their dogs. The minimum recommendations for the Great
Dane to be used for breeding are a baseline at
approximately two years with normal hip, heart, thyroid
& eye results established. Heart & thyroid testing
should be repeated at least every 2-3 years as results
done on young adults do not remain valid for the life of
the dog. Echocardiograms (for heart testing) are
recommended for all adult Great Danes used for breeding,
but are particularly important for stud dogs. Records of
other disease issues should be maintained on all
potential breeding stock (i.e. these four tests are not
enough on their own). Note owners may wish to perform
any &/or all of these tests on their own dogs, as health
is a concern for all owners, not just breeders of Great
Danes, and results publicly recorded can benefit the
whole breed. For more information see the AKC-CHF's
CHIC program for the Great
Dane.
Champion
Of Health Award
Submitted by JP Yousha, Chair, H&W Committee, GDCA. February, 2003.
If you have health and welfare questions about your Dane(s) not addressed on these pages, please feel free to email:
danehealth@gdca.org
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