What to ask a Doberman breeder about Wobbler and Von Willebrand?

I'm not sure I completely understand your question but I will do my best to answer it. In any breeding situation, the best thing one can do healthwise is verify as much as reasonably possible. Ways to do this are to obtain x-rays to verify the health of the hips and elbows. In the case of a Doberman in particular, an echocardiogram to check for any signs of heart disease or defects is paramount. Another Doberman specific test would be to check for von Willebrand's disease, which is a disorder that reduces clotting abilities. Having Gowri's eyes examined by an ophthalmologist for CERF certification is also valuable in breeds that are known for genetic predisposition for ophthalmic disease. If you were asking about what blood tests to get to verify status in the heat cycle, obtaining progesterone levels can be valuable. Obtaining vaginal cytology (vet looks under a microscope at the type of cells) is often the best method to determine readiness for a successful breeding. The discharge you noted may or may not be normal, but in the absence of any other clinical signs of illness I would not be terribly concerned. Hope this answers your question.

Genetic tests will tell you more about the likelihood of issues, but will still not give you an 100% yes or no answer. The test results should lay out chances of an issue fairly clearly. So I'd recommend researching the disease and thinking about if you want to take on this pup if he might have it, while you wait for results. I hope you get good news!

Has your guy seen a neurologist? This would be the best person to assess your guy and help with a treatment plan. I have attached a link below that may also help. In general a lot of medical therapy is centered on pain management/anti inflammatories and avoiding anything around the neck. I hope this helps and thank you for using PetCoach! https://vet.osu.edu/wobbler-syndrome

I am not 100% sure what you are referring to but I am guessing DM (degenerative myelopathy). Is that correct? Yes, there is DNA testing available to see which dogs carry the gene for this disease. If two dogs bred together that both have this autosomal recessive gene then the chance of the offspring developing the disease is 1 in 4. Some dogs carry the gene but never develop symptoms. All animals should ideally be tested prior to purchase and breeding. The problem is that most breeders do not do the testing. If you buy another GSD you should only buy from a breeder that has done the testing. Hope this answers your question. Best wishes.

I think that’s a great rule of thumb! Good on you for budgeting for your dogs, it’s extremely smart. Dobermans live an average of 10-14 years. They can have some serious genetic problems like Wobbler's syndrome, cervical vertebral instability (CVI), and cardiomyopathy. Minor diseases seen in this breed of dog include canine hip dysplasia (CHD), osteosarcoma, von Willebrand's disease (vWD), demodicosis, and gastric torsion. Make sure any Doberman puppy you get has had both its dam and sire tested for these issues. I hope this helps.

Hi, thanks for using Petcoach! Sometimes this can be difficult to answer. To accurately know your dogs breed it would be based on both of Duke's parents being registered with a legitimate registration organization like the AKC. That is the only way you could prove to someone buying Duke's puppies, if you chose to breed him. Without proof of lineage it is hard. You may have to wait until he is full grown to see how he looks. There are DNA blood tests that can help but personally I think the accuracy isn't the best. You can buy these kits yourself and send in either a blood sample or a cheek swab. https://www.chewy.com/wisdom-panel-30-breed-identification/dp/127224

In-breeding over time can cause certain characteristic traits and genetic qualities (including defects) to be selected for that are undesirable. However it is unsure what exact characteristic traits will predominate in each individual puppy and to what degree. I think it is fair to ask if this line of pedigree has any genetic defects that you should be concerned about that could possibly pass on to Mabei, to make this breeder a bit more transparent in information and also hold them accountable for informing you as a concerned potential adoptee. Also another great tool is the DNA genetic testing (the blood test that is done through a vet, not the cheek swab one which is highly inaccurate) which will give you a list of genetic predispositions and abnormalities that Mabei currently has so that you are aware from the very beginning of any disease processes she will be vulnerable to developing later in life. In-breeding is not what we want to see done in any situation, because it creates all kinds of genetic nightmares in most situations and does not speak highly of this breeder in my professional opinion. I hope this helps and best wishes on your decision making when it comes to adopting this pet. Best wishes and take care.