The Medical Problems in Great Danes

Before bringing a pet into your home, it is important to become informed about all aspects of the pet, such as health problems. Choosing a great Dane for your family is a good option if you like large dogs that make good house pets. However, like many large breeds, the great Dane is susceptible to a variety of health problems. Be prepared to take those on before adding a great Dane to your family.

  1. Orthopedic Conditions

    • Because great Danes are such large dogs, and because they grow very quickly, they are prone to a variety of orthopedic conditions. Like many large dogs, great Danes can get hip dysplasia. This painful condition happens when the hip joints start to separate because the tissues around them have deteriorated. Other orthopedic problems are wobbler's syndrome, which is a bone disorder that causes a wobbly gait, and hypertrophic osteodystrophy, which causes fever and severe pain in the joints when a great Dane has grown very quickly.

    Bloat

    • Bloat is another typical large dog malady that can plague great Danes. Bloat is very common in great Danes and can cause serious pain. It is fatal in more than a third of the cases. Bloat is caused when an abnormal amount of gas or liquid builds up in the stomach and causes it to twist. One way to avoid bloat is to feed a great Dane several small meals a day rather than one large meal.

    Dilated Cardiomyopathy

    • Dilated cardiomyopathy is a deadly disease that plagues great Danes. This degenerative disease will, over time, cause the heart muscles and tissues to weaken. While medication can relieve the pain associated with dilated cardiomyopathy for a time, the great Dane will eventually die from the disease when the heart is no longer strong enough to adequately pump blood.

    Hypothyroidism

    • Hypothyroidism is a common disease among great Danes that causes the thyroid to be unable to put out enough hormones to adequately support the dog's metabolism. Dogs with this disease will often be overweight and will have low energy. Hypothyroidism is an inherited disease, so one way to try to make sure your dog will not have it is to inquire as to whether the dog's parents had the disease.