Great Dane Health
We believe it is important to understand health issues common to the breed. We have compiled a list of some health concerns common to Great Danes. This is by no means a complete list, nor are we experts in Great Dane health. We simply desire to insure that anyone considering a Great Dane for a companion is well educated and prepared for any heath emergency.
The information provided here is for educational purposes only. We recommend that you consult with your Veterinarian if you have additional questions or concerns. The list below contains brief descriptions about specific health concerns with links to web sites that provide additional details.
| Bloat | |||
| Bloat
is a life-threatening condition that acts rapidly and can lead to death
within hours of it's onset if it's not recognized and treated immediately.
Unfortunately, the cause of bloat remains unknown at this time. But so
far, it seems to be likened to an "electrical storm" in the
stomach tissue. For all practical purposes we can think of it as an
"epileptic seizure" of the stomach.
The scientific term for bloat is gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Bloat is characterized by rapid and abnormal expansion of the stomach with gas (dilatation). This can be followed by rotation of the stomach (volvulus). This rotation closes both the entry to and exit from the stomach. the blood vessels are also closed down and the blood flow is restricted. |
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| About Bloat at Pet Education | About Bloat at Great Dane Rescue Inc | About Bloat at Homevet.com | Back to top of Page |
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The principal breed affected with Wobbler's Syndrome is the Great Dane. Cervical Spondylopathy or Canine Wobblers Syndrome as the lay person knows it, consists of any incoordination or lameness caused by pressure on the spinal cord as it travels through the neck (at any age for any reason). In Great Danes, a true wobbler is usually seen between the ages of 3-12 months of age. The outstanding symptom is a slowly developing, progressive, incoordination and paralysis of the hind limbs. This paresis and/or incoordination is caused by pressure on the spinal cord as it passes thru the vertebrae of the neck, the last three being the most prominent sites. The animal may appear clumsy, "wobbling" or display swaying of the rear legs. |
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| About Wobblers | Back to top of Page | ||
| Hip dysplasia is a congenital disease that affects mostly large breed dogs. It causes weakness and lameness to the rear quarters, and eventually leads to painful arthritis. This arthritis goes by several names; degenerative joint disease, arthrosis, osteoarthritis. This disease is so prevalent, and so debilitating, that a special veterinary organization called The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) was organized. | |||
| About Hip Dysplasia, Long Beach Animal Hospital | About Hip Dysplasia at Vetinfo.com | Back to top of Page | |
| Hypertrophic
osteodystrophy causes lameness and extreme pain in young growing dogs,
usually of a large breed. Great danes, German shepherds, dobermans,
retrievers and weimaraners are examples of breeds that may be affected by
this condition. It appears to occur in weimaraners as a vaccine reaction
and this may also affect mastiffs and great Danes. In this case, it
usually occurs a few days after vaccination and may appear to be worse
than the "average" case on radiographs.
HOD usually shows up as an acute lameness, often seeming to affect all four legs simultaneously. Affected dogs may stand in a "hunched up" stance or refuse to stand up at all. They may have a fever but this is not consistently present. They usually have painful swellings around the lower joints on the legs. Some puppies will die from this disease, some suffer permanent disability but many recover later. The disease is so painful that many owners elect to euthanize the puppy rather than watch it suffer, despite the reasonably good chance for recovery, long term. Affected dogs may be so ill that they refuse to eat. |
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| About HOD at Doglogic.com | About HOD at Vetinfo.com | Back to top of Page | |
| Osteochondrosis (also known as OCD) is a common, painful disease in dogs. It is characterized by an abnormality in the cartilage-to-bone transformation. As a result, cartilage and bone fragments may break off into the joint space. | |||
| About OCD at RecoverySA.com | About OCD at Vetprof.com | Back to top of Page | |
| Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor in dogs. It most commonly occurs in the long bones of middle-aged, large and giant breed dogs. The distal radius is the most frequent location for osteosarcoma. Dogs present with signs of lameness and swelling. | |||
| About Osteosarcoma at Southpaws.com | Back to top of Page | ||
| Panosteitis is a spontaneously occurring lameness that usually occurs in large breed dogs. German Shepherds seems to be particularly predisposed to this condition. Due to this, it is possible that the disease may have genetic causes. Some veterinarians feel that this disease may be induced or worsened by stress. | |||
| About Panosteitis at Vetinfo.com | About Panosteitis at Siriusdog.com | Back to top of Page | |
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Click on any of these links for more information on Great Dane Health |
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| Great Dane Health Foundation | ||