Guide for Doberman DNA Health Testing

Dobies are more prone to suffer from different genetic disorders and Dilated cardiomyopathy. Therefore, it is essential to do a DNA test before adopting and getting a Doberman puppy. It is also possible that your Doberman might have a genetic mutation linked to this or any other health disorder that you would never know unless you do a DNA health test.

Now you know that a DNA test is essential, but you must be wondering how to do a DNA test, why it is so important, what is the best DNA Health kit for your Doberman, and what can the DNA test tell. Scroll down to get an overall idea about Doberman DNA Health Testing.

What is the Modern DNA Test can tell?

Modern DNA Test Kit has developed drastically in recent years. It provides a lot of information about your Doberman’s make-up and background. Additionally, they can give an impressive list of data related to your dog, such as

Whether your Doberman has any genetic disorder or not.
Any health problem that your Dobie is more likely to have in his/her lifetime.
Details about the different breeds used in your dog’s breed. It can provide you with information related last three generations of a Doberman
The modern DNA test can measure the amount of inbreeding in your dog’s genetic make-up. It can also give you information about the lifespan of your Doberman.
It can also tell you the possibility of what color of Doberman your pet is capable of producing in their offspring.
If your Dobie carries a gene of oculocutaneous albinism, then you can identify this through this DNA Test.
You can also get information about other canines with whom your Dobie has genetic similarities.
It also identifies other genes that will affect your Dobie’s physical characteristics, such as coat texture and length, muzzle and tail length, eye color, size, tolerance, appetite, muscle mass, and so on.

Important Health Tests For Dobermans

Several DNA Health test kits on the market propagate the long list of disorders they test for, but most of these tests are not required for your Doberman. Hence, before picking a health test kit, you should check for the appropriate health concerns for your Doberman breed. And also, make sure that the individual test available in the kit works for your Dobie. Here is a list of tests that you should check that the DNA health test kit must have:

DCM1- This test is required to deter the mutation in the PDK4 gene that is responsible for developing DCM in Dobermans. DCM is chronic heart disease and has the potential to take the life of your Dobie within six months after being diagnosed. Dobermans are more prone to this disease, and it is believed that it has affected up to 58% of all Dobermans at some time in their life.
DCM2- This test is required to check the mutation in the TTN gene, which is also responsible for developing DCM among Dobermans
Degenerative Myelopathy- This test checks for mutation in the SOD1-A, as this helps develop Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) in many breeds. Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is a form of spinal cord degeneration that can lead to gradual lameness and paralysis of your Dobie.
Von Willebrand disease- This test looks for whether there is any defect in the VWF gene. This particular gene is responsible for the development of vWD among Dobermans. Von Willebrand disease is a blood clotting disorder, and Dobermans are more prone to suffer from this disease than other breeds.
Doberman Vestibular Deafness- Dobermans suffering from this disease will face problems related to hearing and balance. It is a progressive disease through which a Doberman can lose his hearing ability completely.

Several other tests available on the market are essential for Dobermans. But the test mentioned above is the major ones that are highly necessary for Dobermans.

Best DNA Health Kit for Dobermans

As mentioned above, many DNA testing kits are available on the market, making the owner wonder what the best DNA health kit for Doberman is. Don’t worry; we are here to help you with that. The best health test kit for Doberman is the test and health DNA test kit from Embark. It provides a lot of information related to Dobermans, such as:

It has more than 175 health tests, including all the serious conditions that may affect the Doberman.
It can analyze over 200,000 genetic markers, and it provides the most accurate results of the tests.
It has the world’s only dog relative finder, which finds the genetics that matches your Doberman.
Provides breed identification information and details about its last three generations. It will identify any influences in your dog’s DNA make-up. It will also tell whether your Doberman is a pure-bred Doberman or not.
It has a larger database of DNA records than any other DNA test available on the market. It has data on around 98% of dogs in America. Hence it is easier for them to identify the exact genetic influence of your Dobie and their history more accurately.
It also has tests to identify the Doberman’s color, genetics, size, and lifespan. It also includes albinoid testing and genetic sensitivity to medication.
The test results are helpful for both European and American Doberman owners.
This test kit is easy and simple to use and provides relatively fast test results.

All the factors mentioned above are responsible for declaring the Embark health test kit is best for the Dobermans health test.

How to Health Test Your Dobermans

As we have mentioned above, Embark is the best health testing kit for a Doberman, so below, we have given instructions on how to use the health test kit on your Doberman. Be aware that every kit has different methods, and the below-mentioned methods may not work on other health testing kits.

Get the required DNA test kit.

Embark is considered the best health testing kit for Dobermans, and you can order this online. Go to their official website and place the order. Once you place your order, it will take a few days to deliver.

Activate your kit

Next, after getting the required health testing kit, you will see a small barcode outside the box. You can activate your health testing by using this code. Go to embarkvet.com/activate. You will land directly at the login page and click the sign-up option. After that, you must create a profile for your dog, answer the questions, and click on the ‘continue’ option. Next, a review page will appear. Here you can add information about different dogs. If all the data you have given are correct, press the “yes, we are done” option.

After that, a new screen will appear where you will get the option to select the dog and press the ‘continue’ button. Further, enter the number printed on your box. A few more questions will appear on your screen about how you would like to be notified when the result is ready. And finally, a summary of data you have entered about your dog will appear on your screen.

After completing all these processes, if you see “Activated. Swab activated on date, awaiting return,” written on the screen, then your account is set and activated.

If you are collecting and testing too many swabs of Dobermans, then do not forget to mention their names on the cheek swab packaging.

Swab your Dog

As your profile is active, it’s time to collect the swab of your Doberman. It is very easy to do. Start by removing the swab from its packaging and place a spongy q-tip-looking end into one of the lower pouches of your Doberman’s cheek. These pouches are located between the gums of their rear molar and cheeks. If you go down towards the bottom jaw, you will see a pouch where the drools are stored. Here place the swab and slowly move it around to soak it thoroughly. Let it be there for 30 to 60 seconds, and ensure the whole sponge is soaked with the dog’s saliva.

Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind while collecting the swab:

Make sure not to collect the swabs immediately after eating or drinking.
Don’t let your Doberman bite or chew the swab
You can collect a swab from any side of their cheeks

After collecting the dog’s saliva:

Unscrew the plastic cap, and turn the swab upside down.
Place it on the jar, and close it tightly.
Shake the vile at least ten times. This will help soak the spongy part of the swab nicely and stabilize the DNA for transport.

Send the swab back

After collecting the swab in a vile, please place it in a clear plastic bag that is already given inside the kit. Then place this package in a padded envelope and seal it properly. It is prepaid postage, so you don’t need to pay anything. You only need to drop it in any US postal service mailbox.

Review Result

Next, when the results are ready, you will receive an email with a link with the subject line ‘Health bread results are ready.’ Click on the given link, and it will take you to the login page of Embark. Once you have entered the email id and password, you will get the test result of your Dobie. At the top, you will see options like health, breed, traits, and relatives. Under each option, you will get different information related to your Dobie.

After getting the results, you will be able to understand whether your Doberman is a pure-bred dog or not. Or whether they are suffering from any diseases or not, or what is their lifespan, age, size, color, and other details.

Send the results to the research.

After getting the results, you can donate them to the Doberman Diversity project. It is an association that works to reduce the occurrence of inheritable diseases among Dobermans. It is free, easy, and quick to do. This way, you allow the DDP to use your dog’s profile in their research.

To do so:

Log in to your embark account, and go to your dog’s profile.
Go to the ‘print or download result’ option.
Click on the Raw Data option and download the result.
Go to the official website of DDP and fill in basic information about your Doberman and attach the result file to it.
Provide data about your current health status of your Dobie and submit the form.

Bottom Lines

DNA health tests are highly essential for every Doberman. Because based on the test result, you will have a clear picture of your Doberman’s DNA make-up. And this will also help the veterinarian to take the necessary steps to irradicate the underlying genetic disorder from the life of a Doberman. And along with DNA tests, do not forget to send the test result to DDP to stop the further spread of these genetic disorders among Dobermans.

FAQs

How do you check the purity of a Doberman?

To check the purity of your Doberman, consider using a DNA test. DNA testing will confirm whether your Dobie is a pure-bred Doberman or not.

How much is a DCM Test for Doberman?

The Doberman DCM Genetics Testing & NCSU Holter package costs around $150.00. This is available for breeders, owners & veterinarians. It can be used for four dogs at a time. And the price for each additional dog is around $130, but you must submit separate request forms for each dog.

Which DNA test is most accurate for dogs?

Embark is considered to be the most accurate comprehensive dog DNA Test.

Do all Dobermans get DCM?

Both male and female Dobermans are prone to have DCM. However, the age and risk of sudden death vary from each dog to another.