(Translation into English by Patrick Marchal from the text «La santé du Dogue Allemand» - Source:CBDA)

Introduction

The young Great Dane has, in comparison with many other breeds, a growth that is as fast as important. Indeed, he crosses from a birth weight of about 500 grams to a adult weight of about 80 kg for a male.

With regard to his height and the length of his bones, the Great Dane reaches his height about 13 months, when the long bones are almost ossified at this moment. Then the Great Dane is expanding and still takes mass until he is 2,5 years old. The growth of the skeleton becomes through the maturation and the ossification of the cartilaginous cells. It seems that this growth happens somewhat by fits and starts.

The height, the mass and the speed of the growth make of the Great Dane what he is: a giant. Actually, these characteristic may bring many health problems and more if the life circumstances (nutrition, care and exercise) are not adequate.

In the next chapter, I will explain you briefly how it is possible to favor a well-balanced growth avoiding as many problems as possible so you can live as pleasantly as possible with him. We will consider many aspects of the dog's life, starting with the purchase of the puppy at the breeder where he lives in siblings at about 6 weeks. Crossing the adult age, we will get to the «seniors».

The age when the puppy leaves the kennel is in our case about 10 weeks: this is later than with many other breeds and increases as much the reponsibility of the breeder concerning the health, the growth and the behavior of the puppy. A good relationship and trade with the breeder in symbiosis with our veterinarian is therefore very important in the case of questions or health problems.

A larger approach brings us to consider that the role of associations (C.B.D.A. or S.R.S.H. in Belgium), that promote the breed, is essential. To list, to analyze specific health problems and to assure their monitoring through advises or regulations are tasks that will be more and more important in the next years.

Information remains the keyword.

The growth stage: from the puppy to the adult

Every Great Dane lover, who acquires one, begins with the most complicated stage of the dog's life: the growth. It is at this moment that the character, the behavior, the physical aspect and the health establish the base of their development. Although a series of elements is genetically determined, we can practice an unmistakable influence trough care, nutrition and exercise.

We have to be conscious of the fact that the physical and behavioral characteristics may be inherited to varying degrees.

For example, the color of the Great Dane is mainly determined by genetic elements. We can change much trough care.

On the other hand, concerning the hip dysplasia, we are of the opinion that the genetic determination is responsible for only 30%: it has to exist to appear but many promoting agents depend of the environment.

An optimal growth assumes a regular and adjusted nutrition besides cares and a good lifestyle. However, it is not evident to describe exactly these different factors. Nevertheless, I will try it.

The food

An optimal nutrition signs in a normal growth schema without excessive or low weight, with a good health where all the vital functions can best practice.

The food has to be appetizing: there is nothing nastier than a dog that sulks his meal. The digestibility has to be such that a good formed and normal evacuation happens once or twice a day. We cannot force a dog to many daily little evacuations.

We have to care about many facets in the food composition:

• During the growth, the needs are (a little bit) more important for most ingredients.
• The energetic needs determine the quantity needed by the Great Dane.
• The «dry» food quantity depends of the food type: for granular it is about 90%, for a tin about 25%, for meat (paunch) about 30%.
• Many little meals are better than a great quantity of food that is lying around, both for hygienic questions and the check that the dog is really eating.

The exercise

A normal evolution that takes the age of the puppy into account will enable him to gradually run longer or more often.

It is also possible to let the puppy live his life in his own environment (house or garden) and find by himself his own rhythm. If it is necessary to walk, then we have to do it first at the leash; later we can let him run in the wood or on the beach but always staying careful: the games with adults are sometime wild and often the cause of wounds.

To go upstairs and downstairs are motions that every young or less young dog must be able to do but of course more quietly with a young Great Dane. Its young skeleton is fragile and very sensitive strain.

As from 9 months, we may let him follow a bicycle at a trot on short distances.

The care

In this chapter, I will stick to the essential cares under the health and the prevention of diseases.

The following things are important:

• A regular deworming: from his coming as a puppy until the age of 6 months, we advise to deworm every month. Next, we will do it every 6 months. There exists pasta or tablets that are effective against may kinds of worms and their larva. You can easily deworm your dog self.

• The vaccinations: we vaccinate dogs in order to protect them against many series of viral of bacterial diseases. The classic vaccination schema is the following:

•   6 weeks: 1st  vaccination (Distemper & Parvovirus)
•   9 weeks: 2nd vaccination (Parvo & Leptospirosis)
• 12 weeks: 3rd  vaccination (Cocktail : Parvo/Lepto/Distemper/Cough)
• 16 weeks: 4th  vaccination (Eventually recall Parvo/Lepto. In case of a journey to foreign countries: Rabies)

The vaccinations have always to be performed by your veterinarian.

• The health check: At the 6 weeks vaccination, the veterinarian checks a series of points that are noticed in the vaccination report. A second check will be done at 12 weeks, when the puppy lives with his new owner. Some genetical or inborn disorders may then highlighted and permit to ask questions correctly about the puppy's health.

• The external cares: Contrary to popular belief, we may wash regularly a dog without problems. However, we advise to use a shampoo specific for dogs. The claws may be cut when they are not worn out in a natural way. Normally, they may not reach the floor when the dog stands resting. It is recommended to maintain the dentition of the young dog by giving him something to bite off, by cleaning or doing the cleaning by the veterinarian. By the dog, the mouth is also a source of chronic infections and has in this way an influence on the life's longevity.

• The prevention of parasites of the skin and coat (fleas – lices – ticks or scabies) is typically done every 4 weeks by the use of special shampoos, drops or sprays, by the ingestion of tablets (especially against fleas) or powder. The results of the flea collar at a dog with the size of the Great Dane are random.

Points of special attention:

• The ears: a regular maintain with a specific rinse aid is recommended. The use of cotton swabs has to be proscribed, they only push away the impurities into the ear.

• The eyes: dry and take away the secretions or the tear's traces round the eye if needed. At some Great Danes, to loose eyelids produce an irritation that causes an excessive lachrymal secretion which itself maintains the irritation...

• The anal glands: the dog has two anal glands located under the anus with which he leaves his mark on excrements. These glands may be clogged and cause an irritation and a pruritus at the base of the tail. We can try to empty these glands by pressure or ask the veterinarian to solve the problem.

• The sheath of the male: The flow of a drop from time to time is normal. If you find it inconvenient, or when the secretion is too abundant, you can wash the penis and the sheath with a suitable product.

Some health problems and their treatment

A complete overview of all the possible diseases and disorders at the Great Dane would exceed the goal of this paper. So I will try to approach the most common, using a language that is understandable for everybody. You will also find a treatment advise, but, ultimately, it is for your own veterinarian to determine the appropriate therapeutic. I have classified the disorders according to the anatomical parts involved:

Musculoskeletal system (Orthopedic):

Growth troubles that affect joints and bones appear frequently at the young dog, more often at the male than at the female. Many joints can be damaged (dissectible osteochondrosis of the shoulder, elbow, knee / elbow dysplasia, small pieces of bone within the joint travel / hip dysplasia (HD), malformation of the hip joint).

Sometime, only the growth joints, places of bone growth, are hit (Hypertrophic osteodystrophy reaching hindquarters and forequarters).

• The hip dysplasia can cause some problems from an early age: having trouble getting up, the puppy is much (too) coated / short stiffly or limping / short to "bunny hop" (the 2 hindquarters together) / rear hand pain / etc ... In most cases, the musculature of the hindquarters weakens. It is a hereditary based disorder, which can be confirmed by radiographic examination.

• Osteochondrosis Dissecans as elbow dysplasia are aggravating problems that also have a hereditary basis. The quality of cartilage here will deteriorate and may even become detached in pieces, which, moving in the joint, cause stiffness and lameness. Again, a definitive diagnosis can be established by radiography.

• In the long bones themselves (both front and rear) enostosis may appear, affecting the calcification in particular points during growth and causing pain.

The treatment in this case consist in a first stage to slow growth by, among others, a strict diet (lower amounts and ensure perfect balance rations). We must also avoid excessive: not overweight and exercise limited and appropriate. We give painkillers and anti-inflammatory. We even consider surgery.

The most frequent hurts of the spine are:

• The Cervical vertebral instability (C.V.I.) or Wobbler syndrome, where the instability and malformation of cervical vertebrae is pressing on the spinal cord. This will cause nerve damage such as the control of skeletal muscles is reduced. This can range from a simple slip of the hindquarters to ataxic walking, falling or the shaking of the hind limb. The neck is painful and the dog can get to paralysis.

The treatment relieves pressure on nerves by drugs or physiotherapy. Surgery is possible in some cases. It is a disorder with a certain hereditary background.

• Spondylosis is a growth where the vertebrae are welded together. It is a disease of old age, that reaches every dog when he becomes old enough. Each subject will suffer more or less. He will present a simple morning stiffness or a back pain with (more rarely) nervous consequences. Sometimes a painful and brutal escalation occurs. Indeed, the rigid backs cannot more assure some efforts to ensure the required flexibility.

The treatment will consist of painkillers and drugs delaying osteoarthritis, reduced activity and weight control.

• «Hooked» tail: hardly marked or important, the corner can be located both near the tip of the tail at its base. It is a congenital and hereditary malformation, which does not directly bring on health problems for the affected dog.

Heart problems

The best known is the congestive cardiomyopathy, which affects the heart muscle. This leads to cardiac arrhythmia and poor blood circulation. The dog will lose weight, eat poorly, estimated found in poor condition, feeling oppressed and swelling (big belly) may occur. In this case we can also suspect a hereditary origin. An electrocardiogram and an echography of the heart will confirm the diagnosis.

The treatment will consist in the administration of cardio tonics, hypotensives and diuretics, which will allow for improvement and extension of the life expectancy without acting on the causes.

The problems of the digestive tract

• Bloat (editor's note: or Gastric Dilation-volvulus) is an acute life-threatening situation in which the stomach under the effect of gas accumulation moves and overturns in the abdomen. The dog is first anxious, then shocked and can die (editor's note: see Journal No. 2 / 97 page 47). Immediately go to the veterinarian if there is swellings accompanied by an intense salivation and regurgitation attempts wich get worse. Many reasons are advanced (food, anatomy, race, movements, etc. ...), but, in fact, here too there is a hereditary disposition to such disease.

It is ESSENTIAL TO RESPOND IMMEDIATELY! Intubate, puncture or operate according to the severity and time elapsed since the problem started. The prognosis depends greatly on these factors.

• The dilation of the esophagus (megaoesophagus) is a disease that affects puppies from which the reflexes of progression of food in the esophagus are damaged. This renders impossible the normal flow of food from the throat to the stomach and causes dilation of the esophagus. Then the food returns to the mouth with a high risk of strangulation and suffocation.

There is no treatment in this matter. It is a case of euthanasia.

Skin problems

• Infectious skin attacks such as scabies, ringworm, or bacterial infections occur mainly at young dogs. A culture based on a smear allows a reliable diagnosis. The external symptoms are very diverse.

The treatment will depend on the infectious agent. The prognosis is good in most cases.

• The Great Dane may also have allergies. In dogs, like humans, the skin is a special place for the allergic events. The clinical picture is highly variable and the cause can be determined only by extensive examinations and tests.

The treatment can then be either desensitization to the identified allergens or only the elimination of the symptoms.

Ocular diseases

• Entropion (curl upper eyelids and / or lower) and ectropion (loose eyelids and pending) are two diseases of hereditary origin that may lead to damages of the eyeball, pain in the blink, a too abundant tear flow, etc. ...

The treatment will be based on ointments or surgically.

• The reversal of the cartilage of the third eyelid: the dog has a third eyelid in the inner corner of eye. The rigidity of this one finds its basis in a small disk of cartilage. This can sometimes overturn and makes the third eyelid much more apparent.
• The overgrowth of the gland of the third eyelid appears in essentially the same way as the above case.

The treatment is surgical. You can temporarily apply an ointment to protect the eye.

Infectious diseases

• The Parvovirus vomiting and diarrhea, sometimes bloody, especially at young dogs. It can be fatal. We practice vaccination in puppies but knowing it is not 100% effective. The dogs are slaughtered and amorphous, may have high fevers, droppings are liquid, vomit may be frothy and bloody, great weight loss and total loss of appetite are observed.

The treatment will be done by infusion to support vital functions. It will add a drug treatment and intensive care.

• Many viral or bacterial agents can cause the kennel cough. We discuss it in a general way. In most cases, symptoms are cough, lymph, purulent nasal discharge, loss of appetite, depression. If this is not a fatal disease, it can still be very disruptive and annoying to the dog. There are excellent vaccines.

The treatment addresses the symptoms: to ease the breathing (bronchodilators) and to dilute the oral fluid. Eventually we will add antibiotics.

Tumors & swelling

• Osteosarcoma is one of the most aggressive and malignant tumors. It is a disease of the long bones of the members, wich occurs mainly after the age of 3 years. When it is discovered, it is usually "metastasized". The evolution is very painful due to ulceration of the skin.

The treatment will alleviate the pain and excise the malignant cells. We will conduct a last resort to amputation.

• Several tumors of non-osseous parts are observed at the Great Dane. The largest group is that of the skin tumors. Their malignancy is highly variable and can be determined only by further analysis.

The treatment is surgical in most cases.

Nerve disorders

• The Epilepsy or periodic appearance of "short circuit" in nerve transmissions is also among the Great Dane. Symptoms range from a simple muscle tremor to events known as the "Grand Mal" where the dog has an array of violent spasms that can last for some time.

The treatment, in severe cases, requires the daily administration of drugs that prevent or, in any case, space crises.

• Aggression, anxiety and other behavioral problems: the behavior is typical of the combination of genetic based elements and their orientation (modulation) depending on the environment. This makes the huge variation in behavior of Great Danes. A Great Dane needs to be balanced, honest and obedient.

The treatment of potential problems depends fundamentally on the type of deviance. It will however always long and sometimes impossible.