Dobermans and clotting disorders?

Question

A lot of people jump on other breeds for problems, but this one really bugs me. Why is it that there are still Dobermans with Von Willebrands? There is testing for this disorder, and it is well known if you breed 2 affected dogs together then you will have an entire litter of affected pups, and if you breed 1 parent that is affected and 1 that is not, then you will get an entire litter of pups that are carriers. So, why is it that breeders in this breed have not bred this out of the Doberman?

Well Fluffy do you want a gold star for that stupid answer?? Duh, yes it does, my question is with Dobes!!!

Answer 1

You can spot the "affecteds" but you can't spot the carriers. The gene could be carried for generations and not show up, until you breed a carrier to carrier and get an affected.

Some breeds (like Scotties) now have a DNA test for this, but Dobermans do not yet. The gene fault is different in different breeds.

Basset hounds don't have a DNA test for vWD, but we do now (just in the past year) have a test for Basset Hound Thrombopathia, which is another serious bleeding disorder. They've also uncovered the marker for a similar disease in Great Pyrenees and European Landseers (NOT the Landseer version of the Newfoundland but a separate breed).

Even with the tests, it will still take time to eliminate the disease completely. Since BHT is estimated to be carried by 25% of the Basset Hound population, to automatically eliminate all carriers from breeding would exclude many excellent dogs who have much to contribute to the breed. The researchers who located the gene recommend that such a carrier should simply be bred to a clear dog only, and all puppies in the resulting litter must be tested and the best prospects selected from the clear ones.

EDIT: I stand corrected regarding the vWD test for dobes.

Answer 2

Well, there is a DNA test for VWD in Dobes. I did this over 10 years ago. The reason why it hasn't been bred out of the breed is simple. BYB don't test. All they want is the $ in their pocket, with no concern at all for the breed. They don't want to put out the $ to improve things. They just don't give a rats a**. Most show breeders do test their breeding stock, but some will still breed carrier to affected because there are other traits they are breeding for other than worrying about getting a bleeder. There is a difference, however, between an affected dog and a clinical bleeder. VWD is not as prevalent as some people think, but cancer and cardiomyapathy are the top killers of the Dobes, and they have not yet found the genetic marker for cardio. The same applys to hip dysplasia. I people would OFA their breeding stock, and only breed dogs that are rated good or excellent, that would go away also. Same thing, dysplasia is not as prevelent in the breed as in other breeds.

Answer 3

Until recently the only test that was available only determined if your dog was affected, not carrier. Within recent years they have developed a new genetic test that determines whether your dog is clear, carrier or affected. Now that that test is available, hopefully vWD will be eradicated. The only problem that I know of is that it is still so new that not all vets even know about it to recommend it. I have a Doberman that is vWD affected and the breeder that bred her had both parents tested and cleared by the vet. The only problem is that it wasn't the genetic test, so both parents were obviously carriers but because they were only carriers, the test came back normal.
Hopefully with new test available breeders will be able to breed vWD clear and produce healthier pups.
Also, many breeds are affected by vWD, especially Sheltis.
Here is the company that does the DNA vWD testing:
http://www.vetgen.com/canine-vwd1.html

Answer 4

A good breeder is capable of safely breeding a dog that is a "carrier" of a particular genetic disorder. There is one that is present in BC, CEA, that as long as only one parent carries it, it will not pass on to the pups directly and they only risk being carriers. As long as a breeder is fully aware of this, they can choose the dogs they will breed based on this and ensure that one is not a carrier so as not to inflict this disorder on the litter directly.

I guess the other thing to consider is how small would the gene pool be if they were to entirely eliminate any dogs that are carriers. If the gene pool would be severely affected by pulling the carriers, maybe the benefit of a more diverse gene pool out weigh dealing with dogs that only carry it.

Answer 5

Great question! Never heard of this before so I just got done doing some reading. I wonder the same also... If I was a breeder I would want to breed it out also. It says dobermans are the most common carriers but are not the number one to show symptoms so maybe thats why. Got me! Maybe its the same with horses. Everyone continues too breed crooked horses cause the papers look good and show a higher potential of being a racehorse. Nice working Shepard you got there though.....

Answer 6

Good question with a relatively easy answer.....because there are still a lot of breeders out there that are more concerned with their bottom line than with creating quality animals. It's a shame! I know that I am going to sound like a dork here, but is VonWillebrands a Homozygous dominant trait or can it be Heterozygous. If it is a Heterozygous dominant, and you breed two of those affected, you would only end up with 1/4 affected, 1/2 carriers and 1/4 not affected, non carriers.....Anyone still with me here??? :) Good point though!! :)

Answer 7

Von Willebrands affects many breeds, not just Dobes.

Most breeders aren't really good breeders. A lot of dogs are bred because someone thinks their dog is just the best dog ever and wants more like it or because they want to see the miracle of life and don't bother getting any genetic testing done at all. No hip screening.. Nothing. As long as people keep breeding unethically there will still be problems with diseases which seem like they should easily be weeded out of the population. That is why it is so very very important to buy from a good, reputable breeder with many references (from people who have bought puppies and other breeders) and not just get the cheapest dog you find in the newspaper.

Keep your gold star. The answer is really bloody obvious and shouldn't need elaboration or explaining.

Answer 8

I agree with you. It is sad because A reputable breeder cares about the Breed and would not perpetuate this disease. But there are back yard breeders out there that only care about financial gain, not what is in the best interest of the breed. But that is true of many breeds and irresponsible breeding practices, motivated by money or ignorance. But we can help but refusing to support puppy mills or bad breeders.

Answer 9

I don't know much about the problem specifically, on the other hand 80% of dog owner wannabes spend more time on research how to buy a "new car" or "iPod" then when it comes to selecting a good breeder.