Great Dane: dilated cardiomyopathy, heart screening and costs
The Great Dane is a giant with a fragile heart, and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the best documented inherited disease in the breed. A study by Stephenson and colleagues, published in 2012 in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, screened 107 Great Danes in the United Kingdom by echocardiography and measured a DCM prevalence of 35.6 % in that population, with autosomal dominant inheritance considered likely (study on Google Scholar). In other words, a sizeable share of apparently healthy dogs is already affected. Before buying a puppy, read our Great Dane breed page and plan a genuine cardiac follow-up programme.
A disease that stays silent for a long time
DCM combines dilation of the ventricles with a loss of contractile strength. In the Great Dane it usually appears in young to mature adults, although earlier cases occur. The occult phase can last months with no visible sign at all. The warning signs are reduced stamina, unusual breathlessness, coughing, a fast breathing rate at rest, a distended abdomen, loss of appetite and, above all, fainting episodes. In the British study, ventricular arrhythmias were common and affected more than half of the affected dogs, which explains the risk of sudden death even before any overt heart failure. Only a vet can make a diagnosis.
Screening: echo, Holter and a blood test
Two examinations complement each other. Echocardiography measures ventricular diameters and systolic function, while a 24-hour Holter recording counts the ventricular ectopic beats that a few minutes of auscultation would miss. Most cardiologists suggest an annual work-up from two or three years of age, repeated for life and always before breeding. A blood test can complete the picture: a study by El Sharkawy, Dukes-McEwan, Abdelrahman and Stephenson, published in 2023 in the Journal of Veterinary Cardiology, followed 124 screened Great Danes and showed that a raised cardiac troponin I is a negative prognostic indicator, associated with shorter survival times (study on Google Scholar).
The giant's other weak point: osteosarcoma
The heart is not the only concern. A study by Edmunds and colleagues, published in 2021 in Canine Medicine and Genetics, compared 1,756 osteosarcoma cases with more than 900,000 control dogs and places the Great Dane among the most at-risk breeds, with more than ten times the odds seen in crossbred dogs (study on Google Scholar). Any persistent lameness in one limb therefore deserves a radiograph without delay. Add the risk of gastric torsion, covered in another guide, and one of the shortest life expectancies of the species. Our routine care advice is gathered in the dog care and grooming section.
Follow-up costs and insurance
A full cardiology work-up, with specialist consultation, echocardiography and Holter, costs several hundred euros each year. Once the disease is established, lifelong medication and closer monitoring are added, and the drug doses needed by a 60 to 80 kg dog weigh heavily on the budget. The rule is simple: take out cover before the first sign appears, because a murmur or an arrhythmia already recorded in the file becomes a permanent exclusion. Compare annual limits and waiting periods on our Great Dane insurance page, then read our guide to pet insurance for dogs, cost and value.
Frequently asked questions
At what age should heart screening start?
A first work-up at around two or three years of age, then a yearly check, matches what cardiologists do in predisposed breeds. Your vet will adapt that rhythm to the results and to the dog's family history.
Is a puppy from tested parents safe?
No. Parental testing clearly lowers the risk but does not remove it, because DCM appears late: a breeding dog clear at three years old may be affected later. Screening the puppy itself remains essential.
Can an affected Great Dane still have a good life?
Often yes, for a variable period. Treatment started early in the occult phase, together with adapted exercise and regular monitoring, improves comfort. The prognosis stays guarded and depends on the stage at diagnosis.
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Dogs universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.