The trend to stand out from the crowd and shine with more beautiful things does not stop at pet owners. In the case of blue-black shimmering Dobermans with tragic consequences.
Berlin (dpa / tmn) - They look beautiful as a puppy. The Doberman's fur shines wonderfully blue-black or the sweet Labrador shimmers silvery. Real animal lovers, however, better refrain from buying a dog that is equipped with such a coat color, advises the animal protection organization Aktion Tier.
Because these beauties often paid a high price for being different. You have a condition called Color Dilution Alopecia or Blue Dog Syndrome. The pigmentation of the hair in affected animals is disturbed, explains Dr. Tina Hölscher, veterinarian of the association. This changes the coat color. The individual hairs are weaker and break off faster. There is a loss of fur.
The mean thing about it: As a puppy, the animals look beautiful. The first bald spots usually appear during puberty. In addition, there may be increased dandruff formation and inflammation of the skin. Often these would have to be treated with antibiotics to keep them at bay. The clinical picture improves briefly with medication, but there is no real cure.
Responsible breeders would subject their breeding animals to a genetic test before mating. According to Hölscher, this could ensure that they only select parent animals whose offspring show no wrong colors.