Common Diseases and Disorders
In general, the Doberman is a healthy dog with few medical concerns. However, the following diseases or disorders have been reported:
Wobbler's disease is a malformation of the bones in the neck resulting in neck pain and a characteristic wobbly gait.
Gastric torsion, also known as bloat, is a life-threatening sudden illness associated with the stomach filling with air and twisting.
Hip dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint that results in pain, lameness and arthritis.
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a serious heart condition that results in a large, thin walled heart muscle.
Hypothyroidism results when the thyroid gland does not function adequately to produce adequate amounts of thyroid hormone.
Von Willebrand's disease is a disorder that results in the inability to clot blood. Affected animals will bleed extensively following trauma or surgery.
Melanoma is a tumor arising from melanocytes, which are the cells that produce pigment.
Cutaneous Histiocytoma - is a benign tumor of the skin that can affect young dogs.
Lipomas are benign fatty tumors of the subcutaneous tissue.
Fibrosarcoma is a type of cancer that arises from the fibrous connective tissues.
Alopecia is a disorder resulting in a loss of hair.
Cataracts cause a loss of the normal transparency of the lens of the eye. The problem can occur in one or both eyes and can lead to blindness.
Entropion is a problem with the eyelid that causes inward rolling. Lashes on the edge of the eyelid irritate the surface of the eyeball and may lead to more serious problems.
Diabetes is a disease of the pancreas related to insufficient amounts of insulin production.
Lick granuloma is a condition in which the dog licks an area excessively, usually on the front leg, until a raised, firm ulcerated lesion is formed.
Parvovirus is a devastating gastrointestinal virus that primarily affects unvaccinated puppies.
Chronic hepatitis is a chronic and progressive inflammation of the liver of dogs that leads eventually to the replacement of normal liver tissue with scar tissue.
Portosystemic shunt (PSS) is a malformation of the blood flow associated with the liver. Blood is shunted away from the liver, resulting in accumulation of blood toxins and subsequent profound illness.
Drug reaction to a group of drugs called "sulphonamides" may cause skin reactions and polyarthritis in this breed.
In addition, the Doberman is prone to acne, osteosarcoma and elbow dysplasia.
