Doberman Head Bobbing Syndrome

andi · Newby Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 5 Pictures: 0

Does anybody recognize this syndrome?

http://www.dpfa.org/HeadBobbing.html

Gabriel · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject:

Hi Andi

I had a male dobermann who suffered from this(up and down only). It didn't seem to bother him at all and the episodes only lasted for a few seconds and then only when he was lying down, relaxed.
Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with lymphoma when he was five years old and was sadly PTS just after his sixth birthday Crying or Very sad

He had nearly a year on chemotherapy drugs, so, as the head bobbing occured during this time I can't be sure if it would have still manifested itself if that hadn't been the case.

Angela

Lorna · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:00 pm Post subject:

I have an older female who occassionally has head tremors. I read that new research suggests the cause may be low blood sugar, but do not know if that is true. However, we tried rubbing some honey on her gums during these episodes with the effect of stopping it immediately. To test it, I also tried giving her a cookie during an episode. The cookie did not stop it, while the honey did. May just be coincidence, but it seems to really work.

~Lorna

andi · Newby Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 5 Pictures: 0

Thank you both for your answers.
My dog has this episodes about 5 times a day and even during his sleep. For a couple of months everything was fine, but now it is back and it's getting worse and worse.

devilstar · Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 5:06 pm Post subject:

My two years old female dobermann had it few times too, she had bobbing side to side, first two times it was only for some seconds, but once it lasted about two minutes, i started to worry and asked our vet about it, she said that there are nonthing serious and some dobies just have this syndrome. So i forget about it and it have never hapend again..

Sorry, my english is not so good

Ohtar · Novice Age: 36 Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 13 Pictures: 0

Hello to all.

One of our females had this sydrome first time just before she had a birth, she was 4,5 years old. She started moving her head left and right quickly and we were very afraid because we haven't seen this before. We called the vet and he told us to give her honey. We she ate the honey she stoped immediatly doing this. After that night she is doing this accasionaly, mostly at times that she is nervous about something. When we let her go for a walk or we give her something to eat, she stops.
The other female we have, also had this sydrome, the night just before she had a birth. We also gave her honey and it stoped in a couple of seconds. She had this edisodes again accassionaly while she was feeding her puppies. After this period, she never did that.
Does anyone know for sure what is exactly this head movement? Surely it is not epilypse because we have read a lot about this and there are not the same symptoms. Is there any case to affect dog's helth?
Please if anyone know something about this please share it!

BasKal · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:41 pm Post subject:

I have two dobs with this problem.One is a female, now 10 years old, and the other a male now 4,5 years old.They have the problem ocasionally - the female more often,every two to tree evenings, and almost always when they rest.The female had not the problem when she was delivering her puppies, (she had 3 litters).She had it once very strongly when she was running a fever from an infection.The problem passes when we make them jump for a treat.They are a daughter and a grandson of Baron Nike Renewal, with aditional royal bell lines and linebreeding, so, maybe is a genetic link, but all their pups (they had litters with other dogs not between them), are OK.The elder pups of the female are 8 years and OK.The elder pups of the male are 2,5 years.They had never had problems at work, when bitting, or at obedience training.They are healthy till now, and the female is very active and happy for a 10 year old.

Ohtar · Novice Age: 36 Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 13 Pictures: 0

Thanks very much for the reply.
Does anyone know for sure if there is any research for this and if it is proved that this is genetic link? Another thing that I've heard is that maybe it happens bacause of the low level of calsium, and another side says that it is because of the low level of sugar.
Which is the best possibility and which is the treatment (if there is any treatment!). Does this syndrome affects the dog's health generally?
Thanks!

Weinberge · Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 5:34 pm Post subject:

stein · Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:35 pm Post subject:

I´ve also had the same problem with a male borned 10 years ago! Noone knows why this appear, but from what I have seen, I think this is more psychological( under stress from work, being alone without the owner,...or something like this!)

Weinberge · Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:11 pm Post subject:

stein · Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 10:01 pm Post subject:

I´m posting from my handy and this is very bad! But I cannot stay without answer to Mr. V. : Mr... are you suffering from persecution mania? I haven´t written anything about old lines, your female, or something about this! Don´t count the ancestors because I wasn´t on mating with your female.This is your problem.I only sayed that I´ve had 10 years ago the same problem and that this is not genetic,it´s coming to this because of stress, or to much work, or...
And please, don´t count the ancestors because I was not the breeder!

Weinberge · Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:18 am Post subject:

Is not first time when you proceed in this mode with me , you insinuate few questions and then you retract . In future , WHO have something to say at adress of our old line, are free to say BUT CLEAR .

I do not suffer by nothing but i don't l'ike at infinite when somebody say black is white and white is black.

Returning, this illness is not soo grave but is one sign , is one WARNING and have genetically support.

stein · Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:14 am Post subject:

May I ask you where did you found that this illnes is genetical? I was also surching and I found some notes from USA, also some videos(this bobbing appear also by the boxer), but noone knows from what is coming .They also say that is not necessary to give the dog pills to calm him and it´s not a sign of a genetical illnes. If you know more, please tell me too.
And please, don´t think again that I have something with you, or your dogs. As I written here, it was only the fact that I´ve also seen this syndrom to one of my dogs and this bobbing has stopped when he was 2 years old!

Weinberge · Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:56 am Post subject:

http://www.dobermann.co.za/health/Genetic/Headbobbing%20Syndrome.html