Miniature Pinscher Diseases

This site is dedicated to the British Miniature Pinscher

Diseases

*Also see Health - Vaccinations

Addison's Disease (Hypoadrenocorticism)
The adrenal glands are situated in the body at the cranial edge of the kidneys. Adrenocortical insufficiency or hypoadrenocorticism results from deficient production of glucocorticoids, mineral corticoids, or both.

Mineral corticoids are responsible for the re-absorption of sodium and chloride. Decreased mineral corticoid secretion results in loss of sodium, which causes an increase of potassium in the blood. High blood levels of potassium can lead to life threatening heart problems.

Glucocorticoids have a multitude of functions and effects. They are involved in carbohydrate breakdown, they enhance glycogen storage and they suppress systemic immunity. Decreased glucocorticoid secretion can cause gastrointestinal signs such as loss of appetite, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Most cases of Addison disease are thought to be immune mediated. It is a relatively uncommon disease in dogs and extremely rare in cats. There may be a genetic predisposition in several breeds of dogs, including standard poodles, Labrador retrievers, and Portuguese water spaniels.

Signs:
A high index of suspicion is often needed to diagnose this uncommon disease. The trouble with diagnosis is the signs animals have with Addison's are similar to the signs of numerous other conditions. There is no one clinical sign that pinpoints one to diagnose Addison disease. Common clinical findings are depression, weakness, gastrointestinal upset and a slow heart rate.

Diagnosis:
The diagnosis of this disease relies on laboratory evaluation. Many dogs will have hyperkalemia (high blood potassium) and hyponatremia (low blood sodium). Definitive diagnosis requires more specific hormonal testing.

Treatment:
Acute adrenal failure is a medical emergency. Initial therapy includes intravenous fluids and replacement steroids. Once the patient is stabilized, lifelong supplementation of mineral corticoids and occasional glucocorticoids is needed. Periodic blood monitoring is required. Addison patients if properly treated and monitored can lead a full and happy life.

Leg Perthes Disease(LPD)
LPD is caused by a vascular necrosis of the femoral head. A vascular necrosis simply means death of bone in the head of the femur, which results in an interruption of the blood supply. The disease occurs most often in miniature and toy breed dogs between the ages of four months and one year. The Miniature Pinscher is one of the breeds at risk. A vascular necrosis occurs in both hips in about 20 percent of cases. Occasionally it is a result of a fall from a great height. Bearing weight causes the dead bone beneath the cartilage of the femoral head to collapse; this fractures the cartilage and causes the gradual destruction of the hip joint.

LPD is a result of interrupted blood supply to the femoral head resulting in a vascular necrosis. This is followed by revascularization whereby the femoral head is subject to collapse or remodel, creating an irregular fit in the hip socket and leading to stiffness and pain. The results are similar to those experienced by larger breeds with hip dysphasia.

Treatment: Medical therapy involves restricting activity and the administration of analgesics. Some dogs do improve, however surgery produces the best results.

Patella Luxation
The patella or kneecap is a small bone that protects the front of the stifle joint. The patella is anchored in place by ligaments and slides in a groove in the femur called the trochlea. When the patella is in its normal position, its cartilage surface glides smoothly and painlessly along the cartilage surface of the trochlear groove with little or no discomfort. If the grove is too shallow, the patella will slip out when the knee bends. When the patella slips out to the inside of the knee joint it's known as medial luxation. When the patella slips out to the outside it's known as lateral luxation. Luxating patella is usually an inherited defect; however it can also be the result of an injury.

Medial Luxation is more common and occurs in miniature, toy and large breeds and is apparent in some pups when they begin to walk. In others it appears later on in life. As the patella "pops out" of its groove these cartilage surfaces improperly rub each other. The dog may cry out and try to straighten the leg to "pop it back in" or may hold the limb up until muscle relaxation allows the kneecap to reposition itself. There is little or no discomfort until the cartilage is effectively "rubbed off" or eroded to a point where bone touches bone. From this point on, each time the patella "pops out" into its abnormal, luxated position it will cause pain.

Lateral Luxation occurs in larger and giant breeds.

For more information see Working Dogs Health Articles

Colour Mutant Alopecia is an inherited type of follicular dysplasia (hair loss) associated with blue (dilute black) or fawn (dilute brown) coat colours. It affects blue and fawn Miniature Pinschers as well as several other breeds. The condition can affect any dilute pigmented dog regardless of coat colour.

Signs:

Most dogs that develop this condition are born with (except for colour) normal appearing coats. Symptoms generally develop in dogs 4 months to 3 years of age. As they grow and mature, they develop brittle hair, followed by patchy hair loss sometimes referred to as a moth-eaten coat. Only the blue / fawn portions of the coat are affected. Other coloured areas remain normal. Secondary infection and inflammation of the hair follicles is also seen.

Initially, the dog will appear quite normal, but with a thin coat in the blue / fawn areas. As the condition advances, the skin also becomes involved and can become infected.

Diagnosis:

Is made by microscopic evaluation of hair (trichogram) which shows large melanin granules (macro-melanosomes) and bulges within the hair shafts, and dermatohistopathology, which reveals dilated, cystic keratin-filled hair follicles and melanin clumps in epidermal and follicular basal cells and hair shafts. Treatment is lifelong and similar to that of follicular dysplasia. Dogs with colour dilution alopecia should not be used for breeding.

Treatment:

The condition is incurable. Treatment, however, may help alleviate some of the symptoms. Medicated shampoos such as benzoyl peroxide may help reduce scaling and itching.

Colour-dilution alopecia in dogs - A PDF file from The Journal of Vetinary Science.

Infectious Diseases
There are certain infectious diseases you should protect your dog against. For puppies and dogs, vaccinations against parvovirus, distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and leptospirosis, are considered necessary see Health - Vaccinations

Distemper - a virus disease highly contagious with signs of severe gastro enteritis, respiratory disease and fatal seizures. Those surviving (less than 15%) suffer muscle spasms, seizures and deformed teeth.

Hepatitis - a virus disease as the name suggests causing fatal liver disease often within 24 - 48 hours. Signs are gastro enteritis, depression, dehydration and coma.

Leptospirosis - This is a bacterial disease spread by rat bites and rat urine. There are two forms - one causing severe jaundice and liver disease, the other causing slow but irreversible kidney failure. Both diseases are transmittable to humans when it is known as Weil's disease.

Parvovirus - a virus disease still very common in the southeast causing sudden onset of vomiting and haemorrhagic diarrhoea, dehydration and death.

Please Note: This is only a partial list of some of the health concerns that can be found in the Miniature Pinscher and should not be considered a complete list. This section is provided as a source of information only. It is not intended as a substitute for veterinarian care.