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What YOU NEED To Know About Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)

​WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DCM TESTING BEFORE BUYING A DOBERMAN!

Science is self-correcting – which is what makes it work! There is no “dogma” which cannot be corrected. Because of this, new knowledge can build on old knowledge, always leading to more and better results. There is no room for “ego” – only correction and improvement. 

Dilated Cardio Myopathy (DCM) is a terribly complex disease which kills approximately 60 to 76% of all Dobermans worldwide. Some think the breed will go extinct. Others keep working with available science to make the healthiest breedings possible while waiting for more advances.

THE BAD NEWS:
Some years ago a Dr. Kate Meurs and colleagues at North Carolina State identified mutations in two independent genes that they felt were associated with dilated cardiomyopathy, leading them to believe they had found a way to predict DCM. They developed two tests, DCM 1 and DCM 2 for Doberman owners. They stated that “for DCM1 the risk of developing cardiac disease is 7-fold for animals with one or two copies of this variant. The relative risk for DCM2 has not been determined. Dogs with both DCM1 and DCM2 have been reported to be at the highest risk for developing disease.”

But as time passed, subsequent European studies discovered that these tests did not have correlation with Dobermans of European ancestry. As well, no European Universities could replicate Dr. Meurs’ results.

Today we know that DCM 1 and 2 testing has been of no use to breeders of European Dobermans. Today, in 2024, there is no reason to test for DCM 1 and 2 in European Dobermans – the results mean nothing. However, no breeder should ever regret supporting ANY research that might prove helpful in the fight against DCM. While it ultimately proved to be of no use within the European population of Dobermans, it did show good faith on the part of breeders who supported the research and helped, ultimately, to prove that it was not conclusive. That’s how science works. 

THE GOOD NEWS!
Happily, several European Universities have been sharing results on new tests – called DCM 3 and DCM 4 - and the results are promising. Published (2023), the Dobermann DCM study represents the culmination of 20 years of scientific research on Dobermanns. Over 540 Dobermanns were included in the study. Genome-wide SNP array genotyping was performed identifying a statistically significant association between DCM and two regions on canine chromosome 5. Importantly, this finding replicates a previous study of DCM in Dobermanns in Germany and the UK, adding credibility and confidence to the chromosome 5 association. 

While the European DCM 3 and 4 tests ARE NOT CONCLUSIVE (due to the complexity of the disease) they offer THE BEST PREDICTIVE test available to Doberman owners today. IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT THAT ANY ETHICAL EUROPEAN DOBERMAN BREEDER screen their Dobermans at this time. 

The tests are available from Wisdom Panel DNA and cost around $130. The results are not as simple as “clear” or “mutated”. Explanation follows:

DCM3 is associated with less overall risk, but follows a dominant inheritance pattern, with increased risk associated with one or two copies of the risk variant. This means that the best test result is 0 mutations while the worst is 2 mutations. However, dogs with just 1 mutation are still at risk due to it being a “dominant” gene and NOT needing 2 mutations to cause the disease.

DCM4 is associated with greater risk of DCM development, but follows a recessive inheritance pattern, in which increased risk is associated only with dogs carrying two copies of the risk variant in the absence of DCM3. The VERY best test result is 0 mutations for DCM 4 while also having 0 mutations for DCM 3. The next best would be 1 DMC 4 mutation with 0 DCM 3 mutations. Highest risk is 2 mutations on DCM 4 as well as 1 or 2 mutations on DCM 3.  

In the words of the Finnish University team which developed these tests, “while not completely predictive, our results illustrate the significant risk genotypes and could after thorough validation, be utilized for excluding dogs at the highest risk from the breeding pool, resulting in significantly improved animal health and welfare.”


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​The beautiful 
Lady Liberty, a mixture of European show line and pure European working line dogs. This combination is used to improve the health of the show line dogs while keeping the stunning beauty of the show line dogs. 
Please note I no longer list DCM 1 or DCM 2 genetic results due to their having to relevance with Dobermans of current European genetics.  It is still unclear if DCM 1 or DCM 2 tests are relevant for American bred Dobermans. 

I now test my Dobermans for DCM 3 and DCM 4.  If you are buying a European Doberman - BE SURE THE BREEDER YOU ARE BUYING FROM TESTS FOR DCM 3 and
 DCM 4!