Double dapples and genetic problems

[2DogsLong]

My new girl, Gabby, is a double dapple. Her AKC registration says she is a piebald and the "daughter" of a piebald and a double dapple but I don't think the miller has a clue or care about patterns, genetics, or dogs.


Gabby is at least 90% blind and 95% deaf. She is 5.5 years old. Her eyes are buggy, low, and far apart and she looks very similar to a DRNA rescue that has encephalitis. Her eyes are partially blue.

My question... if a double dapple is going to have problems with their eyes and ears, does it usually show up at birth, or could Gabby have been in ok shape when born and gradually declined to how she is now? I thought a common result of breeding double dapples was small or no eyes, but do big buggy weird eyes happen, too?

She is house trained which leads me to believe that at one time she could see or hear since today you can't get anywhere near her without her running away in terror. I can't imagine teaching her anything in the state she is in. It's not just that she is nervous about living with a stranger, she is terrified of all people and animals. She cringes when she hears a loud sound and hides in her bed under her blankets whenever she can. She won't sit unless it is in her bed and spins and spins when nervous. I've had scared, confused, and nervous dogs in my house but they are nothing like her.

If she had water on the brain from birth, could this cause a gradual degeneration of her sight and hearing? Could she live 5.5 years with this? She is the most poorly-bred dachshund I've ever seen. Poor thing.

She is having an exam tomorrow morning and I hope to find out more. I have her old vet records but don't want to call the vets myself because the former owners don't really know that I have her. They gave her to another family with no mention of her health or personality problems. They contacted rescue because they did not want her to go back to the original family because the woman who gave her up said that she hated the dog. Long story.

Any insight into double dapple danger and genetic diseases is appreciated. Also if there are any tests I should make sure the vet does, please let me know.

Sue

[wireweiners]

My experience with Catahoulas has been that they are born deaf. I don't know about the sight, it may deteriorate over time. Not all double dapples have hearing or sight problems, just those that are predominately white, especially with all white heads.
I know this is hard but with all the problems Gabby has it might be kinder to put her down. Living with a dog that is blind and deaf and has temperment problems on top of that is very difficult. You have to consider the quality of life that Gabby has. If she is afraid of everything, then she doesn't have very much quality of life. She could be a danger to herself and to other dogs or people. It is a difficult situation.
:(

[2DogsLong]

My first thought when I realized Gabby's problems was that she should be put to sleep but this girl has some attitude and a huge will to live. I had decided to give her 6 months to adjust before making the decision as long as she wasn't in pain or constant fear. She has improved SO much in the 3 weeks that she has been here. She goes outside on her own and knows the number of stairs to the front and back yards. She lets me pet her in her bed without trying to hide and even licks me. She no longer spins when inside the house and walks with her head high on our evening walks. She even sleeps with her head outside of her blankets now.

My vet told me he expected to tell me to put her to sleep based on a short visit he had with her and my description of her behaviour but after the exam he said that he thinks she has the potential to have good quality of life if she keeps improving as she has been. She has neurological problems but not as severe as he expected. He would not hesitate to recommend that a dog be put to sleep if he felt it was best.

The vet says her eyes are malformed so she has never had proper sight. He didn't take blood or give her her shots because he doesn't want to set her back if she is starting to trust me. He called her last vet and she had a double muzzle on her when she visited them for her yearly checkup. Hard to believe when I look at the 7 lb fragile dog. She actually let me pick her up without too much fuss at the vet office and didn't release her bladder even though it was full.

I'm pretty sure that this doggy now has a better life than she has ever had and her fear is not as bad as it used to be last week and last week was better than the previous. This past week has been amazing. She is a smart little cookie and though I don't think she'll ever be "normal", I think she'll be content and happy. I've never met such a strong-spirited dog.

And I thought that my life was full with 2 slightly neurotic dachsie boys.

Sue

[dutchman]

Hi Sue,

I just want to take a minute and thank you for taking on a special needs little girl. It sounds lkie you are giving her the chance she needs to lead a happy life. Perhaps you are the first person she has ever rally felt she could trust.

Thanks again for taking her in.

Tom and the boys (Frank, Tanner and Dexter)

[wiporwil]

Even though she cannot see or hear you she must be able to sense that you are not going to harm her. Maybe she needed the time to learn to trust you. She is fortunate to be with you. Good luck with her i hope that everything will work out for both of you.
Denise & Willie

[Cindi]

I hate stupid breeders. I'll bet that her one parent was NOT a piebald (or wasn't only a piebald) because she couldn't be a double dapple if it was....takes two dapple genes to get a double dapple :)
I have had more people send me pictures recently WANTING to register their dapple puppies as piebalds because they had a single white spot and we know the reason why.....they can charge more because the buying public will pay more for the unusual word 'piebald' right now.
So sorry your new 'child' has so many problems; so glad she has found someone that will take care of her and IF it becomes necessary will send her to the bridge in her best interests!

Cindi

[2DogsLong]

Gabby's AKC registration is full of piebalds and dapples. She is listed as a blue and tan piebald. There are no dapple to dapple pairs in the chart but there are odd things like Sunspots' T-Wizz Pie-Babe who is registered as a silver dapple. I don't know that I'd name my breeding dapple Pie-babe.

There is also a 'black and silver' colouring. Isn't black and silver a dapple? There are black and silver dapples in there, too... as well as black and tan dapples - wouldn't these be the same thing?

How about a black and tan and a chocolate and tan dapple creating a white and tan piebald? There is one piebald down the line another generation. The dogs just seem to be bred at random.

Regardless of the strange colour and pattern combos, Gabby is roach-backed, tiny and frail, and is full of genetic problems.

I'll get a picture of her and post it for a 'professional' opinion of her pattern/colour.

[Cindi]

Yes, most often if it is labeled black and silver it should have been a black and tan dapple.
Probably the piebald gene, since it can be carried recessively, cropped up occasionally along with the double dapple gene and they just picked whichever they wanted which is sad. Personally, since the dapple gene is the lethal gene I feel it should always be the color pattern listed (AKC will eventually, in my mind, have to change the thinking and allow more than one pattern BUT right now they only allow one pattern to be chosen) if there is more than one pattern in a dog. I do not see why these indiscriminate breeders are opting to breed multiple patterns together.
Oops, yes I do...silly me...because they have a girl and a boy dog.