Great Dane Nutrition & Health
Nutrition
A normal human will take 18 to 20 years to reach their adult weight of 130 to 150 pounds. Can you imagine going from about one pound at birth to that same 130 to 150 pounds in just a little over a year? Well that is what your great dane puppy will do. Proper nutrition can not be stresed enough. Bone and joint diseases in giant breed dogs have been linked in part to feeding too much protein and fat while they are still growing. For smaller breeds a very high protein and fat level in their food is reccomended so they grow quickly but with danes and other giant breeds which triple and quadruple thier size, the quicker they grow the more problems there will be. Slow but steady growth is the goal. A protein level of 21% to 26% is perfect. Have no fear your puppy will still reach its genetic potential for height and weight but without the added risk of so much strain on growing joints, bones and ligements. Do not feed your puppy puppy food past 12 weeks of age not even large breed. Great danes are not large they are giants. Standard poodles are large and they are not even half the size of a great dane.
High quality food is extremly important. Meat should ALWAYS be listed as the first ingredient and the second if possible. Large breed adult formulas are good because they will have extra glucosamine in it which is to promote healthy joints. Never feed your pets table scrapes, for this can cause a condition know as pancreatitis, and this can be fatal for your pet. I'm not going to get into the raw or kibble controversy which ever is best for you I think is fine as long it is feed daily, well balenced, high quality, but not to high on the protein and fats.
Health Concerns
CARDIOMYOPATHY
Cardiomyopathy is a disease in which the heart chambers enlarge and the walls of the ventricles become thin. The heart muscle weakens and begins to fail. It is the most common cause of congestive heart failure in giant breed dogs. It can be inherated and sex-linked in the great dane breed. An echocardiogram of the heart will confirm the disease.
HIP DYSPLASIA
Hip dysplasia is the most common cause of rear leg lameness in large and giant breeds. It can also be inherated but like most things it dosen't always mean that it is. In a dysplastic hip the head of the femur fits loosley into a poorley devolped socket. Your dog may limp or just have poor conformation in the rear but it is very serious because in most cases it will eventualy criple your dog and can cause severe pain.
BLOAT
Bloat is something all dane owners should know about. It is the number one killer in great danes and great danes are the number one breed at risk to get it. For reasons not fully understood the stomach distends then rotates and cuts off the blood supply to various parts of the body and effectivly shuts down the digestive system. This condition is extremly painful and is a true emergency that is very life threatening. A dog with bloat will die in great pain in a matter of hours unless drastic steps are taken: surgery is usually the only option. It is reccomended not to let your dane eat or drink large amounts at one time, or do a lot of running or exrecise right after or just before eating or drinking anything.
HYPOTHYROIDISM
Hypothyroidism in danes is generally the result if a heritable disorder of the immune system. This condition results when the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormone to adequately maintain the dog's metabolism. Happliy it is easley treated with thyroid replacement pills. Dogs with confirmed abnormalites should not be breed.
CATARACTS
Cataracts although not common, cataracts has been known in the great dane and can cause blinding. Cataracts is a loss of normal transparency of the lens. Eyelid adnormalies are also heard of in the great dane breed.
CANCER
Great danes can suffer from a variety of cancers as do many other breeds of dogs as well as many mixed breed dogs. Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) and lymphoma appear to be the two forms of cancer most commonly seen in the great dane, along with heart disease and bloat cancer is the leading cause of death in the great dane. Research into both types of cancer is on going and treatment options are improving everyday.
WOBBLERS
Wobblers is a result of pressure on the spinal cord in the neck region and results in a drunken gait and increasing instability. It is thought to result from a combination of nutritional effects. Great danes are considered at high risk for wobblers and for Cervical Vertebral Instability, due to there size.
HOD and PANO
Hod and Pano are painful conditions of the bones that occur during the rapid growth peroid of puppyhood causing lameness and general inmobilazatuion. By far Hod is the more serious one and can be deadly. Pano is usally self-limiting and may not need treatment. Hod stands for Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy. Pano is short for Panodsteitis.
Should I spay/neuter my Great Dane?
It is our opinon that all dogs and cats should absolutley be spayed or neutered. The ONLY reason that they should be left intact is if they are going to be used for the betterment of that particular breed. There are so many people who let there pets run lose and they multiply like crazy and most of the puppies and kittens live a heartbreaking life. There are to many people wanting to breed who know nothing about what there doing and mixing all of these dogs and all it does is hurt the dogs and there breed. We strongly suggest to please have your pet spayed or neutered. Here are some links for more information about spaying/neutering/ your pet.
www.wonderpuppy.net/neuter.htm