Deafness with Vestibular Dysfunction (DVD) / DINGS 1 and DINGS 2
Doberman Pinschers can suffer from a neurological disorder known as DINGS, which can cause deafness and balance / coordination problems. This disorder is associated with variants in two different genes. One gene variant results in deafness in one ear, while the other causes deafness in both ears.
This DNA test checks for two variants:
- DINGS1: mutation in the PTPRQ gene, which is responsible for the unilateral form of deafness and vestibular response, and
- DINGS2 : mutation in the MYO7A gene which is associated with the bilateral form of deafness and vestibular response.
DINGS is an inherited syndrome affecting the Doberman breed causing hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction. In Doberman, affected puppies exhibit symptoms of vestibular disease which include head tilt, circling and ataxia. Pathological findings in the inner ear included a progressive neuroepithelial type of cochlear degeneration characterized by a loss of the auditory sensory cells. Findings in the vestibular system included abnormal or absent otoconia in some of the affected dogs without sensory cell loss.
Trait of inheritance
both DINGS variants have autosomal recessive trait of inheritance. For each variant, two copies must be inherited (one from each parent) for the disease to occur, and both sexes are affected equally.
