In this blog we will be touching base on 2 different conditions that our beautiful Doberman Pinchers are prone to. These 2 conditions may cause complications when they go under anesthesia, so they should be screened prior to anesthetic as well as monitored throughout their lives. 

These 2 conditions are:

Dilated Cardiomyopathy

This is a condition where the cardiac mussels cannot properly contract. Meaning, the expected and safe amount of blood being pumped to the heart is reduced. When anesthesia is administrated into the dog it can increase the risks of this condition. Dobermans are also prone to heart disease so taking precautions and additional heart screenings before anesthesia is very important!

Von Willebrand’s Disease

Dobermans are prone to a bleeding disorder called Von Willebrand due to a genetic variation. This disease causes excessive and prolonged bleeding due to a problem with forming blood clots, which can be dangerous in situations under anesthetic as well on a day to day basis. This condition does not cause your doberman intense pain unless it is in a confined space (a joint). Excessive bleeding in any breed of dog can lead to several different results, some being, seizures, weakness and worst case scenario being death. Pain medications may also be need to be reassessed as dogs with this condition may not respond well to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Preliminary Testing

It is very important to have your vet run some preliminary tests prior to having your dog go under anesthesia. To diagnose Von Willebrand disease your vet will need to run a blood test and they can prescribe some medication before surgery to help lower the risks.  Dilated Cardiomyopathy can be diagnosed through an ultrasound but may develop over time as your dog ages so looking at this issue before each anesthetic procedure may be something your vet recommends.

Neither of these health conditions are necessarily going to affect your dog throughout their life and they are also not the only health conditions that Dobermans may face but it’s great to be informed so you can be as safe as possible!