Dancing Doberman Disease (DDD)

Dancing Doberman disease as the name suggests is a condition that affects Dobermans. The condition is also known as distal polyneuropathy and is a neurological disorder that negatively impacts a dog's gastrocnemius muscles which is the muscle that’s found on the back of a dog’s lower hind legs. Why some Dobermans develop dancing Doberman disease and not others, remains a bit of a mystery and as such more research into the disorder is needed to establish why this is so.

How the Condition Presents Itself

The symptoms of there being something wrong with a Doberman first present themselves when dogs are as young as six months, but can also appear when they are much older too which too. The first signs of there being a problem are when dogs start flexing a hind limb when they are standing still. The symptoms get progressively worse as time passes and as both back legs are affected. It results in a dog appearing to dance"", hence the name for the disorder. Dogs with the condition seldom show signs of being lame, but do often show a reluctance to walk or move around. As symptoms get gradually worse, a dog's gastrocnemius muscles start to waste away and they become atrophied which causes weakness in their hindquarters.

The Causes

As previously mentioned, why some Dobermans develop the disorder and not others remains a bit of a mystery. However, there are those who believe that genetics may play a key role in why this is so because Dancing Doberman Disease (DDD) presents similar symptoms to hereditary autonomic and sensory neuropathies seen in people. It is thought that dogs may experience a burning sensation when they place any weight on their feet which causes them to lift them up suddenly for no apparent reason.

In a lot of cases, a dog’s back feet start to knuckle over with some dogs preferring not to stand up at all. With this said, the disorder does not prevent a dog from running around freely and there is no pain or discomfort associated with the condition.

Diagnosing the Problem

Diagnosing the problem often proves challenging and vets tend to rule out other reasons why a dog might present any symptoms. The sort of tests a vet would typically recommend carrying out which would eliminate other disorders and which would help confirm a diagnosis could include the following:

• X-rays of a dog's hindquarters
• Muscle biopsies
• Electromyography
• Myelograms

All these tests would help eliminate other conditions which could be causing the problems which includes establishing whether a dog has developed the following disorders:

• Myasthenia gravis
• Wobbler syndrome
• Polyneuropathies
• Hip dysplasia
• Osteoathritis
• Lumbrosacral disc disease
• Cervical vertebral instability also known as CVI
• Spinal arthritis
• Cauda equina syndrome
• Spinal tumours

Treatment Options

Unfortunately, there are no treatment options available for Dobermans when they develop the condition, but the good news is that dogs typically can go on to lead a good quality of life even when they suffer from Dancing Doberman Disease. However, dogs suffering from the disorder often have a stiff gait when they walk and as time progresses, their muscles become atrophied.

The Importance of Careful Breeding

Dobermans with DDD often move strangely which is referred to as having proprioceptive deficits and although in the past this odd movement went unnoticed, more breeders are now aware of the problem and as such try to avoid using a Doberman with the condition for breeding purposes with an end goal being to reduce the risk of Dancing Doberman Disease being passed on to their offspring.

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