TYPE 1
* Lay the animal on its side.
* Put one hand on its spine and the other hand on its belly.
* With the hand on belly , push inward and upward with quick short motions.
* Look in mouth for object and remove.

TYPE 2
* Lift the animal off the ground and hold it vertically (head up and spine against your chest.)
* With arms around belly push inward and upward with quick short motions.
* Check mouth for object and remove.

TYPE 3
* Kneel behind the standing animal.
* Place hands under belly just below the rib cage.
* Push inward and upward with quick,short motions.
* Check mouth and remove any object.

Remember you have about 4 minutes!!

For the EMS Provider and Pet Owner

Lori H. Feldman, DVM
Henry J. Feldman, MA EMT-M
(c) 1996

Dr. Feldman is a Massachusetts and New York Licensed Veterinarian and a member of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society. This document is primarliy aimed at EMS and Emergency Medical personel who may encounter animals in arrest.
Pet owners should consult their veterinarian for specific details on procedures outlined here.

AIRWAY
The first step in animal CPR, after determining non-responsiveness, is to obtain a patent airway.
You should not continue on,  until this step has been achieved.
Carefully pull the tongue out of the animal’s mouth

WARNING: even an unresponsive dog may bite by instinct!!
Make sure that the neck is reasonably straight; try to bring the head in-line with the neck.
WARNING: Do not hyperextend in cases where neck trauma exists Attempt 2 rescue breaths, by closing the mouth, and performing mouth-to-nose ventilations. If they go in with no problems continue to Breathing. If not, then reposition the neck and try again.

• Visibly inspect the airway by looking into the mouth, and down the throat for foreign objects occluding the airway.
• Unlike human-CPR, rescuers may reach into the airway and remove foreign objects that are visible
• Proceed to the Heimlich maneuver

HEIMLICH
After unsuccessfully attempting to ventilate:

• Turn the animal upside down, with its back against your chest
• With both arms, give 5 sharp thrusts (bear hugs) to the abdomen. Perform each thrust as if it is the one that will expel the object
• Stop, check to see if the object is visible in the airway, if so, remove it and give 2 mouth-nose rescue breaths. If the breaths do not go in, go back and repeat the thrusts.
• Use gravity to help you expel the object

Do not proceed with CPR, even if the animal goes into cardiac arrest. You must clear the airway first.

BREATHING
After achieving a patent airway, one must determine whether the animal is breathing, and whether this breathing is effective:
Carefully pull the tongue out of the animal’s mouth
WARNING: even an unresponsive dog may bite by instinct!!
Make sure that the neck is reasonably straight; try to bring the head in-line with the neck.
WARNING: Do not hyperextend in cases where neck trauma exists
Ventilate the animal by closing the mouth, and performing mouth-to-nose ventilations. If they do go in
with ease go to Airway.

AIRWAY
Ventilate at 20 breaths per minute If supplemental Oxygen is available, and the animal is breathing on its own,
use a high-flow blowby.
WARNING: Do not attempt to intubate the animal, without prior training, and properly sized ET tubes.
Proceed to Circulation, while continuing respiratory support as necessary.

CIRCULATION
This is the final step of CPR and should only be initiated after the airway and breathing steps have been completed:
Make sure that there are no major (pooling/spurting blood) points of bleeding. Control as necessary
Lay the animal on its right side
Locate your hands where its left elbow touches the chest. Approximately the middle of the rib-cage
Compress the chest 15 times followed by 2 rescue breaths (3 compressions every 2 seconds)
Compress

• 1/2″ – small dogs
• 1″ – medium dogs <
• 1.5″ – large dogs
• Repeat as necessary

Important:
Animals do not have palpable carotid pulses. You can only obtain a femoral pulse in the inguinal crease.
(Palpate carefully on a conscious dog!)

During an emergency it is very important that you remain calm. Animals can sense your unease, but cannot understand what is happening and you cannot verbally tell them. Your body language is very important. Be calm, yet deliberate in your actions. When you determine that you either have corrected the life-threatening problem, or are unable to stabilize the animal, you should transport to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital.

Notify your emergency clinic that you are coming in with a dog in respiratory arrest with a foreign body airway obstruction and/or cardiac arrest.

Give them the following information via phone if possible:

• Your name
• Your ETA (estimated time of arrival)
• Steps taken (CPR, O2…)
• Breed/size
• If a foreign body, what the suspected object is
• If a poison or medication has been ingested
• Mechanism of injury (hit by car…)

Many long time owners and breeders have seen first hand how quickly bloat can overcome their Dobermans.

This “Bloat Kit” with directions is intended for those who are familiar with bloat and it’s emergency treatment.

This is NOT intended for the unexperienced pet owner and is NOT to be used without veterinary guidance.

BLOAT FIRST AID

The procedures in this document should be used to provide first aid only to dogs in a bloat condition. They are not intended to replace prompt, professional treatment by a qualified veterinarian. Please read and understand these instructions completely before attempting the first aid procedures described herein.
Some symptoms may be anxiety, evidence of abdominal fullness after meals, heavy salivating, whining, pacing, getting  up and lying down, stretching, looking at abdomen, unproductive attempts to vomit, labored breathing, disinterest in food, and stilted gait. Severe symptoms, such as dark red, blue, grey or white gums, a rapid heartbeat and a weak pulse are normally followed by prostration and death.

Recommended Bloat Kit Contents:
*Instructions for use
*Stethoscope
*Rolls of tape (3 rolls, 1 in. x 10 yd)
*Stomach tube (2) (different diameters). 5 ft. length bevelled at one end, with two holes drilled in tube 2 & 3 inches up from the bevelled end. Pre-measured and marked for each Doberman in the household
*14 gauge or larger needles (2) (1 1/2″ to 3″ length)
*K. Y. jelly
*Gas absorbent (Digel, GasEase, etc)

BLOAT PHASES, SYMPTOMS AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
PHASE 1:
SYMPTOMS: Pacing, restlessness, panting and salivating, unproductive attempts to vomit (every 10-20 minutes). Abdomen exhibits fullness and beginning to enlarge.
ACTIONS:
Call Veterinarian to advise of bloat case enroute. Transport dog to Veterinarian immediately.
PHASE 2
SYMPTOMS: Very restless, whining, panting continuously, heavy salivating. Unproductive attempts to vomit (every 2-3 minutes), Dark red gumS, High heart rate (80 to 100 BPM). Abdomen is enlarged and tight, emits hollow sound when thumped.
ACTIONS:
Apply first aid if Veterinarian care is more than 10 minutes away. Then, transport dog to Veterinarian immediately.
PHASE 3
SYMPTOMS: Gums are white or blue Dog unable to stand or has a spread-legged, shaky stance. Abdomen is very enlarged. Extremely high heart rate (100 BPM or greater)and weak pulse.
ACTIONS:
Death is imminent! Apply first aid immediately. Transport dog to Veterinarian as soon as possible (even while applying first aid if possible).

Recommend a copy of this table be available as a quick, ready reference wherever Dobermans are located (home, kennel, RV, van, etc).

Listen to the dog’s heartbeat using a stethoscope if possible. If a stethoscope is not available, use your ears and eyes. The heartbeat can be best heard on the left side of the dog’s chest just behind the elbow and is strong enough to be visible on the chest wall . A normal heartbeat is irregular when the dog is resting and often consists of a double beat (thump…thump…thump-thump…thump…thump, etc). Using a timepiece with a second hand, count the number of heartbeats for 10 seconds. Multiply the number of heartbeats x 6 to find the Beats Per Minute (BPM) (12 beats x 6 = 72 BPM, etc.). The normal heart rate/pulse rate of a large breed dog is 60-80 BPM. Take the pulse rate of the dog by pressing your fingers inside the dog’s rear leg just below where it joins the body. At this location, you can feel a cord-like structure called the Femoral Artery.  Count the pulses for a ten second period and multiply by six to determine the rate of the dog’s pulse (same procedure as discussed above). You can also observe the strength of the pulse at this location.
When your dog is showing any of the bloat symptoms you should:

• Attempt to determine the bloat phase he may be in.
• Call your veterinarian, discuss symptoms and ask for guidance.

*If you conclude your dog is in phase 1 bloat and you can reach your veterinarian within 30 minutes, do not apply first aid procedures. Go directly to the veterinarian.
* If you conclude your dog is in phase 2 bloat and you cannot reach your veterinarian within 10 minutes you should attempt to insert a stomach tube before going to the veterinarian.
*For phase 3 bloat, if you cannot reach your veterinarian within 10 minutes apply first aid immediately. Attempt to insert a stomach tube. If this is not acomplished quickly, you should use Trocharization procedures to relieve the gas pressure! Death is imminent!

DOGS MAY GO TO PHASE 3 BLOAT WITHOUT SEEMINGLY GOING THROUGH PHASES 1 OR 2. PHASE 3 CAN BE FATAL IN MINUTES. BE ALERT!

PROCEDURE

Pre-measure and mark each stomach tube for each Doberman in the household. To do this, place the dog in a sit position. Measure the stomach tube on the outside of the dog from the front of the mouth to the last rib and mark the tube at the front of the mouth with a piece of tape

Remove an eighteen inch strip of tape from the tape roll. Insert the roll of tape in the dog’s mouth behind the front teeth. Ensure the tape roll hole is pointed toward the dog’s front and rear. Using the strip of removed tape, tightly bind the dog’s muzzle with the roll of tape in position.
Lubricate the bevelled end of the stomach tube with K. Y. jelly (be careful not to plug up the tube holes with the jelly).
Carefully insert the tube into the dog’s mouth through the hole in the tape roll . Some resistance will be felt when the tube reaches the dog’s throat. However, the dog will start to swallow as you push the tube deeper into the throat and the  tube should enter the esophagus with little resistance. It the dog does not swallow the tube or the tube seems stuck, gently move the tube back and forth until it enters the esophagus.
Once the tube is in the esophagus, gently blow through the tube as you advance it toward the stomach.
This will expand the esophagus and allow the tube to pass more easily.
The tube may encounter a resistance when it reaches the stomach because of muscle spasms in the stomach valve or twisting of the stomach (torsion). If this happens, blow more strongly through the tube while turning the tube in a clockwise direction. If the tube does not enter the  stomach, continue blowing and carefully turn the tube back and forth.  You will feel a quick, forward movement of the tube when it enters the stomach.

Caution! Do not insert the tube too far into the stomach and pierce the stomach wall. Immediately remove the tube from your mouth. Gas will be expelled through the tube as it enters the stomach. Fluids will follow the gas.
After the gas and fluids stop, you should squeeze the dog’s abdomen to remove as much of the remaining stomach contents as possible. To do this, stand over the dog facing the same direction as the dog. Grasp the dog with locked wrists around the abdomen and squeeze firmly. Continue to remove the stomach contents for five/ten minutes.
Cover the end of the tube with your thumb and carefully remove the tube from the dog. Then, transport the dog to the veterinarian immediately.

If you are unsuccessful in inserting the tube into the stomach after five minutes, it is probably not possible to pass a stomach tube.

If you are unable to pass a stomach tube and the dog displays phase 3 bloat symptoms, you have a very short time to act to save the dog’s life. By this time, the dog will normally be gasping for air and unable to stand. The abdomen will be very distended and sound like a drum when thumped. The heart rate will be over 100 BPM and the gums will be white, blue or grey.

Trocharization must take place immediately. This action can save your dog’s life. The veterinarian will appreciate the fact that you took the Trocharization action and brought in a dog that has a chance of recovery.

Locate the last rib on the dog’s left side. The stomach is located on the left side of the dog’s abdomen under the last few ribs (you will not have any problem finding the stomach because it will be very distended).
Remove the cap from the 14 gauge needle.
Firmly grasp the blunt end of the needle and with a sharp motion, stab the needle into the dog’s stomach on the left side behind the last rib (figure 7). Gas will be expelled immediately through the needle. Do not be concerned about hurting the dog because he is already in such intense pain from the bloat and torsion he will not notice the pain from the needle.

Squeeze the abdomen then remove the needle. Immediately transport to a veterinarian.

Your animal may become poisoned in spite of your best efforts to prevent it. BE PREPARED!

You should keep the telephone numbers for your veterinarian, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and a local emergency veterinary service in a convenient location.

If you suspect that your pet has been exposed to a poison, it is important not to panic

In the event that you need to take your animal to your local veterinarian, be sure to take with you any product container. Also bring any material your pet may have vomited or chewed, collected in a zip-lock bag.

Here are some potential items that can injure your dog:

FOOD HAZARDS
Onions, onion powder Chocolate (bakers, semi sweet, milk, dark) Alcoholic beverages, Yeast dough, Coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans) Tea (caffeine), Salt, Macadamia nuts, Hops (used in home beer brewing)
Tomato leaves and stems (green parts), Potato leaves and stems (green parts,) Rhubarb leaves.

AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIES
Automotive products such as gasoline, oil and antifreeze should be stored in areas that are inaccessible to your pets. Propylene glycol is a safer form of antifreeze. Sierra brand antifreeze contains propylene glycol and is recommended to use in pet households. Less than one tablespoon can be lethal to a 20 pound dog.

FLEA PRODUCTS
Before buying a flea product, consult your veterinarian, especially when treating sick, debilitated or pregnant pets. Read all of the information on the label before using a product on your pet or in your home.

PLANTS
Be aware of the plants you have in your home and yard. The ingestion of azalea, oleander, castor bean, sago palm, Easter lily or yew plant material by an animal can be fatal.

CLEANING SUPPLIES
Never allow your pets to have access to the areas in which cleaning agents are being used or stored. Cleaning agents have a variety of properties; some may only cause mild stomach upset, but others can cause severe burns of the tongue, mouth and stomach.

PESTICIDES
When using rat, mouse, snail or slug baits, or ant or roach traps, place the products in areas that are inaccessible to your companion animals. Most baits contain ingredients that can attract your pets. Make sure your pets do not go on lawns or in gardens treated with fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides until they have dried completely. Always store such products in areas that are inaccessible
to your companion animals.

MEDICATIONS
Never give your companion animals medication unless you are directed to do so by a veterinarian. Many medications that are safe for humans can be deadly for animals. TYLENOL is toxic to dogs! Keep all drugs out of your pets’ reach, preferably in closed cabinets. Pain killers, cold medicines, anti-cancer drugs, antidepressants, vitamins and diet pills are all examples of human medications that can be lethal to animals, even in small doses. For example, one 200mg ibuprofen tablet could cause stomach ulcers in a small dog, and as few as 6 could cause kidney failure.

HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS
Many common household items can be lethal to animals. Mothballs, potpourri oils, coffee grounds, homemade play dough, fabric softener sheets, dishwashing detergent, batteries, cigarettes, alcoholic drinks and hand and foot warmers are potentially toxic.

compiled by
Cathy Kendrick
DPCA Public Education Committee

Dog owners can treat minor injuries for their pets if they have the appropriate remedies, tools, and equipment available. The following items were included in a first aid kit that the Cincinnati Veterinary Medical Association gave to police dog handlers at a recent workshop. A home first aid kit needs many of the same items.
· Gauze sponges — 50 four-by-four inch sponges, two per envelope
· Triple antibiotic ointment
· Rubbing alcohol
· Ear syringe — two ounce capacity
· Ace self-adhering athletic bandage –three-inch width
· White petroleum jelly (Vaseline or similar)
· Eye wash
· Sterile, non-adherent pads
· Pepto Bismol tablets
· Generic Benadryl capsules — 25mg, for allergies
· Hydrocortisone Ointment – one percent
· Sterile stretch gauze bandage — three inches by four yards
· Buffered aspirin
· Dermicil hypoallergenic cloth tape one inch by 10 yards
· Hydrogen peroxide
· Kaopectate tablets maximum strength
· Bandage scissors
· Custom splints
· Vet Rap bandage

Other suggested items were:
· Blanket
· Tweezers
· Muzzle
· Hemostats
· Rectal thermometer
· Ziplock bags
· Paperwork, including the dog’s health record, medications, local and national poison control numbers, regular veterinary clinic hours and telephone numbers, and emergency clinic hours and telephone number.

What to do prior to rushing your pet to a vet:

· Bleeding: apply direct pressure with a
clean cloth.

· Heatstroke: move your pet into the shade
or indoors, and hose them down with cool water. Then place towels soaked with cold water over your pet, and ice packs in the armpits, along the belly, or between the
legs.

· Fractures: restrict movement, wrap or
splint the limb, and cover any open wounds with a clean cloth.

· Suspected poison ingestion: bring the container/label of the poison you suspect or know your pet ingested to your vet.

· Eye trauma: prevent further trauma by stopping your pet from
pawing at or rubbing a painful eye. If you have an E-collar, place it around your pet€™s neck. If the eye is
protruding from the socket, place a moist clean cloth over the eye.

· Shock: wrap your pet in a blanket to conserve body heat, loosen or remove any collar, and clear the mouth of any
fluid or food.

For all emergencies, always seek veterinary assistance immediately.
An emergency is easier to prevent than to treat; here are a few tips to help safeguard your Doberman.:

· Keep all dangerous substances in a pet-proof cupboard

· Pick up any pills or capsules that fall to the floor
· Be aware of your Doberman when opening an outside door and keep them on a leash when out of a fenced-in yard.

· Ask your local vet what plants are toxic in your local area, and be sure you have none in your house or yard.

· Always transport your Doberman in a kennel.

· If you know your animal has a storm phobia, keep them indoors if bad weather is likely.

· The benefit of annual check-ups with your vet to identify any major health problems early on before they
become life-threatening should not be underestimated.

compiled by
Cathy Kendrick
DPCA Public Education Committee

When faced with a pet emergency, stay calm and do not panic. Take your pet to your veterinarian or a 24 hour emergency animal hospital as quickly as possible. Whenever possible, call ahead to the vet so they can prepare for your arrival. Keep the phone number of your vet, or the nearest 24 hour emergency clinic near the phone so you can save time. When you call a veterinary clinic be as descriptive as possible when trying  to explain the symptoms displayed by your pet.
THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED TO SERVE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR DIRECT VETERINARY DIAGNOSIS AND CARE.

Vaccines in animals have come under attack recently with critics blaming adverse reactions and long-term health disorders on their wide-spread and frequent use.  Bacteria, viruses and  parasites are all organisms which constantly pose a threat to the canine body.

Like all species of organisms, the canine body is equipped with an elaborate system of defense, known as the immune system, designed to protect it from these infectious enemies.

Even in animals with normal immune function, invasion and damage can proceed at a rate faster than the immune system’s ability to destroy the invader.  The dog may succumb to the disease before the immune system can get rid of the infection, or in cases where the infection is eliminated, death may still occur as a result of damage to the body.
The immune system responds much more rapidly if it encounters an organism that it has already battled and defeated.  The theory that introducing just enough antigen into the body to produce an immune response without causing disease would protect the body from contracting the disease at a later time gave rise to the procedure of vaccinating. Therefore, “vaccination,” also known as “active immunization” refers to the procedure of administrating an antigen,  resulting in protective immunity to the disease associated with that antigen.

CANINE DISTEMPER
Canine distemper is a disease that attacks the nervous system of a dog. It usually causes death and can affect dogs of all ages. Since puppies are the most common victims of this dreadful disease, the vaccination program every three weeks is designed to help prevent distemper. Distemper is a virus that can develop in to pneumonia as secondary bacterial infection takes over the body. The distemper virus attacks the brain within a few weeks and death or euthanasia is generally the outcome. Vaccinations are very effective in preventing this disease.

CANINE HEPATITIS
Canine Hepatitis is a viral disease which affects the liver. Fortunately, Hepatitis is rarely seen today due to the effectiveness of vaccinations. Most all distemper vaccines are combined with hepatitis vaccine to control this disease.

LEPTOSPIROSIS
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that usually affects the kidneys and other organs of the body. If the kidneys are affected the puppy usually dies. Leptospirosis, like hepatitis, is not seen often. The bacteria is most often carried in the urine of rats. The disease was seen more often in farm dogs that could be exposed to rat urine.  Distemper vaccine does not always have leptospirosis vaccine included.

PARVOVIRUS
Parvovirus is an intestinal virus in dogs. The virus can remain in the area for months and can be transmitted on your shoes or other articles. Your dog does not have to be around a sick puppy to get parvo virus. The symptoms include depression, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. The treatment is aggressive supportive care with I.V. fluids and medicines for vomiting. Without proper veterinary care this disease is most often fatal. Vaccinations are generally very effective in preventing the disease. dogs over one year of age rarely will contract the disease, but vaccinations are recommended as an insurance that the disease will not strike your dog.

RABIES
Rabies is a scary disease that is spread mainly through the wild animal population in an area. The signs are foaming at the mouth and behavior uncommon to the animal. However, Rabies can be difficult to diagnose and any abnormal behavior in a dog should be viewed with suspicion. Vaccination for Rabies is a state law in all states.

PARASITES
Intestinal worm checks are tests done on a dog’s bowel movement to see if there are any worm eggs or parasites present in the  dogs’ body. A few common parasites are  hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, coccidia, tapeworms, and Giardia. Only two of the six worms can be seen without the aid of a microscope. Hookworms can be spread through a dog’s feces or can penetrate the dog’s skin, or travel through the milk to nursing puppies. They attach to a dog’s intestines to feed on the blood. Hookworms can cause major blood loss which is sometimes fatal to puppies. The baby stage of hookworms are called sandworms. These baby worms can penetrate the skin of people and migrate under the skin causing a human health hazard. Roundworms can be spread from mother to puppies or through soil that has eggs in it. They can cause bloated bellies and diarrhea and vomiting. Roundworms can be transmitted to people also and can cause some serious health problems relating to loss of sight. Whipworms can cause diarrhea, weight loss and dehydration. They are very hard to detect and also to eliminate. Whipworms do not lays eggs very often so they can be overlooked during the worm checks performed by a veterinarian. Coccidia are single celled organisms that infect the intestine. They are microscopic parasites detectable on routine fecal tests in the same way that worms are but coccidia are not worms and they are not visible to the naked eye. Coccidia infection causes a watery diarrhea which is sometimes bloody and can even be a life-threatening problem to an especially young or small pet.  The adult tapeworm lives in the small intestine of the dog or cat. It is hooked onto the intestinal wall by a structure called a rostellum which is sort of like a hat with hooks on it. The tapeworm also has six rows of teeth to grab on with. Most people are confused about the size of a tapeworm because they only see its segments which are small; the entire tapeworm is usually 6 inches or more.  The tapeworm absorbs nutrients through its skin as the food being digested by the host flows past it. Older segments are pushed toward the tip of the tail as new segments are produced by the neckpiece. By the time a segment has reached the end of the tail, only the reproductive tract is left. When the segment drops off, it is basically just a sac of tapeworm eggs.  Giardia are parasitic protozoans (single celled organisms) found in the intestines of many animals.  Clinical signs range from mild recurring diarrhea consisting of soft, light-colored stools, to acute explosive diarrhea in severe cases. Other signs associated with giardiasis are weight loss, listlessness, mucus in the stool, and anorexia.

FLEAS AND TICKS
These tiny pests can hop onto your dog unobserved to feed on its blood and lay eggs, producing yet another generation. Fleas can make life miserable for people and dogs alike, disrupting your household with a nasty cycle of biting and scratching and in some pets causing flea allergy dermatitis or anemia. The flea life cycle can be as short as a few weeks or can last several months – plenty of time to be mighty irritating to you and your dog.  Dogs infested with fleas may become unusually nervous and agitated and will scratch excessively.  Ticks attach to dogs to feed. You might not even notice these minute pests on your dog until the ticks have fed so much that they’ve become engorged. Worse yet, ticks may transmit diseases that can cause potentially serious dog-health problems.  Talk to your veterinarian about the best way  to remove ticks you find on your dog. You’ll also want to discuss how to protect your dog from ticks that may transmit potentially serious diseases.

HEARTWORM AND PREVENTION
Prevention of heartworm disease is very simple. Heartworm preventative for dogs is usually started between 2-3 months of age and the preventative is given once each month for life (a daily heartworm preventative is also available) Since heartworms are spread by mosquitoes which are prevalent in warm climates all year long, the preventative must be given all year in many southern climates. In some other areas of the United States the preventative only needs to be given 6-9 months of each year. Heartworms are the most life threatening parasite dogs can have. The microfilia (baby heartworms) are deposited in the dog’s body by a mosquito bite. These baby worms grow and move to the heart where the damage to your pet’s health is done. Symptoms of heartworms do not show up sometimes for years. but early tests performed by your veterinarian will diagnose the disease before much damage is done. Your dog should be on the medication for life with once yearly testing to make sure the preventative is doing it’s job.

For more information on vaccinations, parasites and infectious diseases, go to:

Canine Infectious Diseases

compiled by
Cathy Kendrick

Chronic Active Hepatitus (CAH) is suspected in the presence of persistently elevated ALT values, definitively diagnosed by liver biopsy.

The incidence of occurence tends to be high in Doberman Pinschers, but it is also found in other breeds, most notably, Bedlington Terriers, and Golden Retrievers.

It is viewed as being a progressive inflammatory state that causes the liver to degenerate to the point of liver failure and death. We do not have a standard treatment, nor do we know the definitive cause. There are no studies that prove CAH is heritable. .Low fat, low protein diets can help, and some have used steroids with a degree of success. The steroids were originally given when researchers thought this was an autoimmue disease, because humans do have a form of autoimmune CAH, with similar histology results on biopsy. However, leading researchers in the field no longer view CAH as an autoimmune disease in the canine.

According to current research, there is usually a elevated level of copper found early on in the liver, but this seems to be a result of the disease, and not the cause.   Removal of the copper does not cure CAH, but in the early stages copper chelation therapy may slow the progress of CAH.

During CAH, as the liver cells die, and they release a protein that causes the elevated ALT values.   Scar tissue then replaces the dead liver cells.   This effects the blood vessels that exit the liver.   This is important because the liver is a major filtering organ for the body.

Symptoms usually show when at least half of the liver has been destroyed.   The dog is usually sick by that point in time, and demonstrating the following clinical signs of CAH: vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice (yellow tinge to skin and whites of eyes), weight loss, and fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites).Genetic

For more info on Chronic Active Hepatitis and liver disease in Dobermans, go to:

Portosystemic Shunts in Dogs

submitted by
Suzanne McDonald
DPCA Public Education Committee

The term “Wobblers Syndrome” is descriptive of the gait exhibited by dogs affected by CVI. However, an unstable or “wobbling” gait can be caused by a slipped disc,  a misshapen or misaligned vertabrae, instability of the vertabrae,  narrowing of the spinal canal, and other causes. All of these medical conditions affect the Dobermans ability to stand, move properly and to be pain free.  The compression of the spinal cord then produces the awkward wobbling movement that gives this disease its call name. The primary disease condition lies in the bony structures that surround and normally guard & support the spinal cord.
In Doberman Pinschers, the majority of cases involve C5, C6, or C7. These are cervical or neck vertabrae.   The front or the hind quarters of the dog can be affected, as can be the raising or lowering of the neck, or basically any part of the body.   Dogs can “knuckle over” on their rear feet. Some have no neck pain, some exhibit neck pain upon manipulation.

Treatment usually starts with doses of corticosteroids and rest. Surgery is frequently prescribed for these dogs. Newer, less invasive, controversial therapies that have been used in some cases with some success, includes gold bead implantation, a special neck wrap, and accupuncture.

Diagnosis is usually via a procedure called a myelogram. The myelogram is a fairly invasive procedure, so one would be cautious and have it administered by *experienced* professionals, as the adverse effects of some myelogram can be as devastating, and in some cases worse than the original disease. An alternative, less invasive, imaging therapy is the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is now available through most large specialty veterinary practices.

The more severe the case, the less chance for the dog to recover. Once the dog has lost deep pain reflex, the chances of recovery are basically nil.   Recovery from the various surgeries can take 3 to 10 months of crate rest, walking on leash, and feeding from an elevated source.

No one can say definitively what causes C.V.I.    Conformation of the neck-shoulder tie in has been looked at, as has nutrition and dog foods, injuries, as well as heritability. There have been nutritional studies that show bone, and the spinal support system is bone, can be affected by adverse, inadequate, or
improper nutritional supplementation.   However, Veterinarians usually see more of this disease in certain breeds, so this leads us to believe there must be some type of hereditary basis to this, perhaps with an environmental component.

Most DPCA Breeders will look backwards thru pedigrees with an eye to trying to reduce the risk of C.V.I. in future animals.   This studying of the pedigrees, with an in depth knowledge of dogs present AND long past, is one reason why you want to go to a DPCA breeder for your Doberman Pinscher.

Gold bead implant therapy

Collection of information about wobblers syndrome

submitted by
Suzanne McDonald
DPCA Public Education Committee

edited by
Helayne Silver
DPCA Public Education Committee