Your Trusted Expert in Breeding and Maintaining Healthy Doberman Pinschers

The mission of Kokopelli Assisted Reproductive Services at Kokopelli Veterinary Center is to fully support responsible breeders in creating the healthiest puppies possible. Part of that mission is advising breeders in health testing and advising potential puppy buyers in what they should be considering when looking at adopting a puppy.

• Thyroid OFA: Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the hormone thyroxine. This has negative effects on the metabolism and dogs tend to gain weight, even if food intake does not increase. They may also suffer from hair loss and skin conditions. The condition is easy to diagnose with a blood panel and is easily treated with thyroid supplements. The condition usually manifests later in life, but can start at any time. General recommendations are to test annually until 4 years of age, and then every 2 years after that. At Kokopelli Veterinary Center, for medical cases, we generally recommend screening for free T4 hormone first. If that is low, then we recommend a full thyroid panel sent to Michigan State University. For the thyroid OFA certification, a full panel must be submitted to MSU.

• Cardiac OFA evaluation: This exam must be performed on dogs at least 12 months of age by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist. Using doppler ultrasound, the cardiologist thoroughly evaluates the anatomy and function of the heart. Two basic tiers of heart disease clearance are evaluated: congenital and adult-onset diseases. Congenital disorders are present at birth and are detectable anytime the dog is examined. Once a dog has been cleared for congenital disorders, that clearance is good forever. In addition to the echocardiogram performed with ultrasound by a cardiologist, it is also recommended that Dobermans have a Holter monitor evaluation, which is a device that they wear for 24 hours which monitors the heart via electrocardiogram (ECG). The DPCA strongly recommends all breeding dogs have cardiac health clearances. Cardiac OFA examinations are performed at Kokopelli Veterinary Center a few times every year. Please contact our front desk to make an appointment for your dog.
• Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER): Eye diseases are often progressive and some are not detectable until a dog ages. It is recommended that breeding dogs have annual CAER examinations, which must be performed by a board-certified ophthalmologist. The DPCA recommends eye clearances for breeding Dobermans. Eye disease OFA clinics are held a few times a year at Kokopelli Veterinary Center. Please call our front desk to schedule your dogs for our next clinic.
• Working Aptitude Evaluation (WAE): It may seem strange to include this in “health testing,” but having the right temperament is absolutely essential from a mental health perspective for a Doberman Pinscher. The DPCA has a temperament test for Dobermans with defined parameters and elements. It is essentially an obstacle course that includes walking on a strange substrate (plastic tarp) and passing “scary” obstacles including a rapidly opening umbrella, someone shooting blanks from a pistol into the air, a friendly stranger approaching, and a threatening/weird stranger. The dog must exhibit confidence and courage consistent with the traits quoted in the breed standard in the face of these challenges to pass the exam and be certified with a Working Aptitude Certificate (WAC). It may seem strange to recommend this for breeding animals, since genetics only partially contributes to temperament. The learned component of confidence, however, is hugely influenced by the first 4 months of life in puppyhood. Breeders are responsible for BOTH nature (genetics) and (early) nurture; dogs exhibiting fear and lack of confidence are a reflection on the kennel, since the temperament of an adult dog is the product of genetics, early socialization, and subsequent training. Doberman owners interested in WAE should contact their local Doberman club for more information on upcoming certification events.

• Hip dysplasia is an orthopedic condition that can be debilitating for dogs by making every step they take painful and difficult. The conditions are caused because the bones of the hip or elbow joints are not formed and seated appropriately. Eventually they wear away at the cartilage and bone will rub on bone, which is painful. Signs that a dog will eventually become dysplastic can be detected early in life through radiographs (x-rays). Two testing options exist for hip dysplasia for Dobermans: Hip dysplasia OFA and PennHIP, both of which are available by appointment at Kokopelli Veterinary Center. Since the predilection for hip dysplasia is genetic, breeding affected dogs together increases the risk that the resultant puppies will have bad hips, often necessitating expensive and difficult surgical corrections at some point in their lives. It is recommended that dogs with poor conformation not be bred and dogs with moderate changes be bred to dogs with excellent joints. OFA testing for hips can be done in dogs that are 24 months of age. PennHip can be performed in dogs as young as 16 weeks. Sedation is strongly recommended for all OFA testing and required for PennHIP. The DPCA recommends all breeding dogs have hip health clearances. Please call our front desk to schedule an appointment.

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