You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

The University of Liverpool School of Veterinary Medicine were awarded a Petsavers grant to study the underlying causes of Dilated Cardiomyopathy in the Doberman.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) occurs in many animal species including dogs, cats and humans, but it is particularly common in the Doberman (CLICK HERE for more general information) . DCM is a serious and invariably fatal disease affecting the heart muscle. DCM causes the heart muscle to become enlarged and weakened. As the heart muscle disease progresses, fluid builds up in the lungs causing coughing and breathing difficulties (congestive  heart failure). Also, abnormal heart rhythms may occur, which can cause collapsing / fainting, or sudden death. Unfortunately, once in congestive heart failure , these Dobermans have a very poor prognosis, despite treatment with heart medications. Most affected Dobermans die within the first 3-6 months after being diagnosed with DCM.

With the exception of L-carnitine deficiency, the other causes of DCM in the Doberman are currently unknown. Therefore , through this study at Liverpool Veterinary School hoped to identify the mechanisms underlying DCM in the Doberman (and hopefully other dog breeds), which will help us design more effective treatment strategies, to improve the quality of life and prognosis for these affected dogs.

Any Doberman, male or female, which is affected with symptomatic DCM was eligible for the study. All Dobermans enrolled onto the stud received free-of-charge cardiac evaluations (ECGs, heart scans and 24 hour holter monitoring) and regular check-ups at Liverpool Vet School for as long as they remained in the study. The important information  from these cardiac evaluations  ensured that these dogs received the best possible veterinary care and remain as symptom-free as possible for the remainder of their life. Inevitably, due to the severity of Doberman DCM, there will come a time when these dogs no longer respond to medical therapy and are put to sleep on humane grounds, to prevent suffering. With the owner's fully informed consent , we will then take a sample of the heart muscle tissue at post-mortem, from these dogs. The owners were offered a private cremation free-of-charge for their pet, in respectful thanks for their participation in this very important study.

Results of the study : 1. Recommendation for screening Breeders should ensure that both parents have been tested by high sensitivity Troponin I, a combination of Troponin and NT-pro-BNP, and/or echo/Holter within one year before mating and have normal results. Cardiac biomarker testing should ideally be repeated annually throughout the dog’s life

2. Treatment with Pimobendan can prolong survival times after diagnosis

Updated January 2016