Deafness and Vestibular Syndrome of Dobermans, DVDob, DINGS

Affected puppies exhibit signs of vestibular disease such as mild head tilt and poor balance; these signs can often progress with age.

Signs begin developing in puppies and worsen with age.

Genetic testing, clinical signs, and BAER testing may all be used to diagnose this condition.

There is no treatment for this disorder.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s DINGS result so you can plan appropriate monitoring and care.

Teach your dog visual or hand signal commands early to help you communicate effectively if hearing loss develops.

Keep your dog’s environment calm and predictable. Avoid sudden movements or loud vibrations that could startle them once hearing declines.

If you notice balance problems or head tilting, provide non-slip surfaces and help your dog move slowly and safely around the home.

DINGS is characterized by bilateral deafness and vestibular disease and is known to occur somewhat frequently in the Doberman Pinscher.

Penetrance: This disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning that affected dogs must have two copies of the mutation to show clinical signs.

Gene

MYO7A

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Other Systems

Citations

1. Webb et al 2018

• Doberman Pinscher