Deafness with vestibular dysfunction (DINGS) is a neurological disorder resulting from incorrect inner ear development that prevents transmission of sounds from the ear to the brain. The disorder is also characterized by vertigo or dizziness with balance issues or issues with spatial orientation. Puppies affected with DINGS typically display head tilting and loss of balance and are typically described as “bobble-headed”. Symptoms which can vary from mild to severe can be seen in puppies with early onset in the first few weeks. A BAER hearing test from your veterinarian can provide more information as to the degree of deafness and disease impact. It is important to note that there are two mutations known as DINGS1 and DINGS2 that can result in similar symptoms with DINGS1 presenting as unilateral deafness and DINGS2 presenting as bilateral deafness.

• Doberman Pinscher

A (CLEAR/NORMAL): These dogs have two copies of the normal gene and will neither develop deafness with vestibular dysfunction nor pass this mutation to their offspring.

B (CARRIER/NOT AFFECTED): These dogs have one copy of the normal gene and one copy of the mutation associated with this disease. They will not develop deafness with vestibular dysfunction but will, if bred, pass the mutation to 50% of its offspring, on average.

C (AT RISK/AFFECTED): These dogs have two copies of the mutation associated with this disease and are susceptible to developing deafness with vestibular dysfunction.