Puppy First, Health First
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The big picture
Great Danes typically live 7–10 years.
Most Danes whose hearts are checked for defects present from birth get normal results. Several of the breed's health problems can be screened for, and others have simple everyday steps that lower the risk.
A few everyday habits do a lot of the work.
This page brings together what the research shows about Great Dane health.
It covers the conditions the breed is known to be prone to, screening and DNA results, what to watch for and a care plan for each life stage.
Worth knowing
Each entry below is a condition Great Danes are known to be prone to, with what you might notice and what helps.
This list is not exhaustive or official. Keep asking your veterinarian as your puppy grows.
Bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), is when the stomach fills with gas and can twist.
It is a true emergency, so a Dane that might have bloat needs a vet right away.
Feed two or more smaller meals a day at set times, and slow down a fast eater. Let your Dane rest before and after meals. Ask your vet about a gastropexy, a preventive surgery that tacks the stomach in place and can be done at spay or neuter.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a disease of the heart muscle that runs in the breed.
It usually starts in adulthood, and many dogs show no signs for years.
Once your Dane is an adult, your vet can arrange a heart ultrasound (echocardiogram) with a heart specialist. A normal result does not rule out DCM later, so the check is repeated over the dog's life.
In Wobbler syndrome, malformed bones in the neck press on the spinal cord.
The first sign is often a wobbly, unsteady walk in a young Dane.
There is no screening test, so see your vet if your Dane's walk looks unsteady. A scan of the neck shows what is going on.
In hip dysplasia, the hip joint forms poorly as a puppy grows.
Limping in a growing Dane is always worth a vet check, and X-rays show how the hips formed.
Keep your puppy lean on a large-breed puppy food, with no calcium supplements. Hold off hard exercise and regular running until your Dane is fully grown.
Great Danes are more likely than most dogs to get bone cancer of the legs, called osteosarcoma.
It usually shows up in older dogs as leg pain or lameness.
Have any lameness or leg pain in an older Dane checked promptly. Book vet checks more often as your Dane gets older.
Danes can get cataracts, a clouding of the lens, and entropion, where the eyelid rolls inward and the lashes rub the eye.
Watch for squinting, a watery eye or a cloudy look to the lens.
Your vet checks the eyelids at routine visits. Once your Dane is grown, book a yearly exam with a veterinary eye specialist.
Less common
Some young Danes get growing pains (panosteitis), which cause limping and usually settle on their own.
Hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD) is a more serious bone problem of fast growth that causes painful, swollen legs.
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is often caused by the immune system attacking the gland, and a blood test finds it.
Ectropion, a lower eyelid that droops outward, is also seen in the breed.
Cherry eye, where a gland in the third eyelid slips out of place, is seen in Great Danes.
The merle gene, which harlequins also carry, is linked to deafness, and a hearing test (BAER) gives a clear answer.
Inherited myopathy of Great Danes (IMGD) is a muscle disease that causes weakness, and a DNA test can find it.
Great Dane-type ichthyosis is an inherited skin disease that leaves the skin dry and scaly, and a DNA test can find it.
DNA tests
A cheek swab can test for a few inherited conditions in Great Danes, such as the muscle disease IMGD and Great Dane-type ichthyosis.
Each result comes back as clear, carrier or at risk. Clear means the test found no copy of the gene change. A carrier has one copy and stays healthy. At risk means a higher chance of the condition, not a diagnosis, and an at-risk dog may never develop it or may develop it late. Color tests can also show which coat color genes a dog carries.
Checkups your dog will get
Care plan by life stage
Planning for Great Dane vet costs
These are typical published costs for treating what a Great Dane vet exam looks at and the conditions the breed is known to be prone to. Each range shows where it comes from and when, and your own vet's estimate will differ.
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist's first exam (consultation fee only) | $198–$350 | per visit | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee) | 2023–2026 |
| Eye tests before cataract surgery (ERG and eye ultrasound) | $500–$1,300 | per workup | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Missouri, Tennessee) | 2025–2026 |
| Cataract surgery, one eye | $3,800–$5,500 | per eye | at one US veterinary teaching hospital (Missouri) | 2023–2025 |
| Cataract surgery, both eyes under one anesthetic | $5,600–$6,700 | at one US veterinary teaching hospital (Missouri) | 2025 |
Planning for pet insurance
When you are ready to compare plans, here is one option for Pawrade buyers.
Only with Pawrade, you receive a pet insurance policy with no waiting period included for immediate accident or illness coverage, 1 month, with every puppy.† You activate it by calling MetLife; instructions arrive with your travel details. Continuing MetLife coverage after the first month is strongly recommended.
View the MetLife 30-day offer →†NH, NY, RI, SC and TN residents excluded. Activated by calling MetLife; coverage begins immediately following policy activation. See the offer for full terms.
Whichever plan you look at, read the policy before you buy. Check the waiting periods, how it defines a pre-existing condition, and its deductible, reimbursement percentage and annual limit.
A waiting period is how long after you buy a pet insurance policy before a claim counts.
| Policy | Accidents | Illness | Joints |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetLife policy included with your Pawrade puppy† | None | None | None |
| MetLife, bought directly | None | 14 days | Not listed |
| Industry standard | 0–14 days | 14–30 days | 6–12 months |
| Nationwide | 14 days | 14 days | Not listed |
| Trupanion | 5 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Embrace | 2 days | 14 days | 6 months |
| Figo | 1 day | 14 days | Not listed |
The breeder's licensed vet checks your puppy before it goes home. The vet follows PetPay's exam standards, and the results go in your puppy's Veterinary Health Report.
Focus
Heart
Heart murmur, and how loud it is (grade)
02
Breathing
How open the nostrils are · Coughing or congestion
03
Temperature, pulse and breathing rate
Temperature · Pulse · Breathing rate
04 Focus
Eyes
Discharge · Vision problems · Eyelash problems · Cherry eye
05 Focus
Ears and hearing
Debris or discharge · Ear mites · Signs of infection · Hearing
06
Mouth and bite
Teeth and jaw alignment · Bite (overbite or underbite)
07
Skin and coat
Fleas and ticks · Hair loss · Signs of infection
08
Kneecaps
Kneecaps that slip, and how much (grade)
09
Hips
Hip pain
10
Hernias
Belly-button (umbilical) hernia · Groin (inguinal) hernia
11
Soft spot on the skull
An open soft spot, and its size
12 Focus
Body condition and weight
Body condition score · Weight
13
Reproductive organs
Both testicles in place (males) · Extra skin folds around the vulva (females)
14
History of vomiting or diarrhea
Any history of vomiting or diarrhea (reported, not examined)
15
Stool test for parasites
Fecal flotation test, with any treatment given
16
Past surgery and notes
Any past surgery · The vet's explanation of anything abnormal
The vet listens to the heart for a murmur or an irregular rhythm.
Heart muscle disease (dilated cardiomyopathy) in Great Danes usually appears in adulthood, so this first listen is a starting point for later heart checks.
The vet checks both eyes, including for cherry eye, where a gland at the inner corner of the eye slips out of place.
Entropion, an eyelid that rolls inward, runs in the breed, so eyelids that roll in or droop outward are something to watch for as your puppy grows.
In harlequin and merle puppies, the vet checks how the puppy responds to sound.
The merle gene seen in harlequins is linked to deafness, and a BAER hearing test gives a definite answer.
The vet weighs the puppy and scores its body condition, because lean growth is the aim.
A lean puppy on a large-breed puppy food, with no extra calcium or other supplements, gives growing joints the best start. Take any limping to your vet. Wobbler syndrome has no screening test, so keep an eye on your young Dane's walk as it grows.
The vet listens to the heart for a murmur or an irregular rhythm.
Heart muscle disease (dilated cardiomyopathy) in Great Danes usually appears in adulthood, so this first listen is a starting point for later heart checks.
The vet checks both eyes, including for cherry eye, where a gland at the inner corner of the eye slips out of place.
Entropion, an eyelid that rolls inward, runs in the breed, so eyelids that roll in or droop outward are something to watch for as your puppy grows.
In harlequin and merle puppies, the vet checks how the puppy responds to sound.
The merle gene seen in harlequins is linked to deafness, and a BAER hearing test gives a definite answer.
The vet weighs the puppy and scores its body condition, because lean growth is the aim.
A lean puppy on a large-breed puppy food, with no extra calcium or other supplements, gives growing joints the best start. Take any limping to your vet. Wobbler syndrome has no screening test, so keep an eye on your young Dane's walk as it grows.
Puppies grow and change quickly, and their immune systems are still developing, so no exam can find everything. The Veterinary Health Report is a strong early look at your puppy and a written starting point that your own vet builds on.
Health guarantee
Every Pawrade puppy comes with a health guarantee administered by PetPay, independent of the seller. The terms are on the health guarantee page.
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Frequently asked questions
The conditions the breed is known to be prone to are bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), a heart muscle disease called dilated cardiomyopathy, Wobbler syndrome, hip dysplasia, bone cancer (osteosarcoma), cataract and entropion. Sensible feeding, lean growth and regular heart and eye checks help you stay ahead of them.
Great Danes are known to be prone to bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), an emergency in which the stomach fills with gas and can twist. In a US study that followed 11 large and giant breeds at high risk, Great Danes among them, about 6 in 100 dogs developed bloat. Several smaller meals a day, rest around mealtimes and slowing down a fast eater all help. Your vet can discuss a preventive gastropexy, which is often done at the same time as spay or neuter.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a disease of the heart muscle, is one of the conditions the breed is known to be prone to. In a UK study that screened 107 Great Danes, about 1 in 3 had DCM. It usually starts in adulthood, so a heart ultrasound (echocardiogram) by a cardiologist is repeated over the dog's life. Heart defects present from birth are uncommon in Danes checked by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
Wobbler syndrome is a malformation of the neck bones that presses on the spinal cord and makes the walk unsteady. There is no screening test, so watch your young Dane's gait and see your vet if it looks wobbly.
Some do, because entropion, an eyelid that rolls inward, is one of the conditions the breed is known to be prone to. Ectropion, a drooping lower eyelid, is also seen in the breed, and your vet can check the eyelids at routine visits.
They can, because the merle gene, which harlequins also carry, is linked to deafness. A hearing test called BAER gives a definite result for a merle or harlequin puppy.
Cheek-swab tests cover a muscle disease called inherited myopathy of Great Danes (IMGD), a skin disease called Great Dane-type ichthyosis, degenerative myelopathy and leukoencephalomyelopathy, plus coat color genes. No DNA test covers Wobbler syndrome, which has no screening test at all.
A carrier has one copy of the gene change and is healthy. An at-risk result means a higher chance, not a diagnosis, and an at-risk dog may never develop the condition, or may develop it late.
Great Danes typically live 7–10 years. Regular vet checks of the heart, legs and mobility become more important as a Dane gets older.
Have any limb pain or lameness checked promptly, because bone cancer (osteosarcoma) is more common in older Danes. Bloat risk also rises with age, so keep the routine of smaller meals with rest around them.
It is worth asking, because a gastropexy, a surgery that tacks the stomach in place, should prevent the life-threatening twist in bloat. Most forms can be done with keyhole surgery, and it can be done at the same time as spay or neuter.
That is a decision to make with your own vet, because it depends on things like your dog's sex and expected adult size. Ask about a gastropexy at the same time.
Keep your puppy lean on a large-breed puppy food, with no calcium or vitamin supplements. Limit stairs, jumping and rough play, and wait until your Dane is fully grown before regular running.
