Blue Doberman Pinscher Dog Health Problems

Blue Doberman Pinschers get their characteristic coloring due to a recessive dilution gene. The blue coloring of the dog is a dilution of the dominant black color, and the dog must receive the dilution gene from each parent to display it. In addition to normal health problems for Dobermans, blue Dobermans are prone to skin and coat problems.

  1. Skin and Coat Problems

    • The reason for high incidences of skin and coat problems in blue Dobermans comes from the way melanocytes are located in the shaft of the hair. Melanocytes are responsible for imparting color to the hair, and their presence in the hair shaft is irregular compared to black and red Dobermans. Furthermore, the hair is soft and faces a problem emerging from the hair follicles and skin. This results in higher risk of developing ingrown hair and staph and bacterial infections.

    Color Mutant Alopecia

    • Color mutant alopecia is hereditary skin disease prevalent in blue Doberman Pinschers. Typically, the puppies are born with normal skin and hair, but by the time they reach 4 months of age, the skin turns scaly and rough and the coat becomes brittle, dry and thin, taking a moth-eaten appearance. There is a risk of the dog losing all its fur. In addition, the puppies get acne-like bumps on the skin. However, some Dobermans may not show the symptoms of this disease until they are several years old. Unfortunately, there is no cure for color mutant alopecia. The treatment involves giving the dog warm-water baths to ease the discomfort and feeding it a special diet to prevent aggravation.

    Hypothyroidism

    • Blue Dobermans can suffer from an under-active thyroid gland, in which the thyroid does not produce sufficient amounts of thyroxine hormone, affecting the growth, development and metabolism of the dog. Symptoms include hair loss, dandruff, thin coat, oily skin and excessive itching. Veterinarians sometimes diagnose hypothyroidism as color mutant alopecia. Hence, if your blue Doberman has a thin coat, it is important to conduct a thyroid test to confirm the diagnosis. Hypothyroidism can be treated with thyroid hormone supplements.

    Gastric Dilatation Volvulus

    • Gastric dilatation volvulus is a condition in which the stomach twists and prevents the movement of the food into the intestines. As a result, gases develop in the stomach, causing a swelling of the abdomen. It is a painful condition and can be fatal if not treated. Symptoms include continuous pacing, salivating, panting, being agitated, unproductive vomiting and swollen abdomen.

    Cardiomyopathy

    • Cardiomyopathy is more common in male Dobermans between 4 and 6 years of age. The heart muscle gets enlarged and weak. Usually, the left ventricle and left atrium are affected. The dog faces difficulties in breathing, suffers from loss of weight and appetite loss, has a swollen abdomen and a persistent cough and will not be able to tolerate even light exercise. There are instances of Dobermans dying suddenly without any signs and symptoms of the condition. Cardiomyopathy is a progressive and fatal disease.

    Chronic Hepatitis

    • Chronic hepatitis is more common in females than male Dobermans. This is a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver and can prove fatal if not treated. Symptoms include jaundice, vomiting, diarrhea, accumulation of fluids in the abdomen and weight loss.

    Wobbler's Syndrome

    • Also known as cervical vertebral instability, Wobbler's syndrome is characterized by weakness, lack of coordination and confusion. It develops due to an abnormality of the spine. It is a progressive disease and requires treatment to prevent deterioration of the dog's condition. The symptoms usually appear between the ages of 3 and 9 years. As the disease progresses, the dog may get stiff legs. The hind legs are affected first. Wobbler's syndrome causes severe pain in the neck.

    Von Willebrands Disease

    • This is a blood-related genetic disease wherein the clotting factor is missing from the blood. Even a small injury can be deadly. Dobermans suffering from this disease may get nosebleed, bleeding from the gums and bleeding in the stomach and intestines. Some dogs may pass blood in their urine. There are tests available to check whether a dog is a carrier of this disease or suffers from it.