Have you been noticing some symptoms in your dog and wondered if it could be degenerative myelopathy? Are you looking to breed your dog but want to know if they are a carrier for degenerative myelopathy? Degenerative myelopathy testing can provide you with information that can help you determine if your dog may develop the condition or can pass it along to their offspring.
Disclaimer: This post is meant to be informative and should not be taken as medical advice. Talk to your veterinarian regarding any health concerns you may have for your dog.
What Is Degenerative Myelopathy?
Degenerative Myelopathy is a progressive genetic disease that affects the spinal cord. It generally occurs in older dogs and causes a breakdown of the spinal cord, leading to hind leg weakness and eventually paralysis.
What Causes Degenerative Myelopathy?
Degenerative myelopathy is a genetic disease that is passed onto offspring.
It is caused by a mutation of the SOD1 gene.
Dogs get a set of genes from their mother and a set from their father.
They can have the mutation on one gene, resulting in them being a carrier for the disease, which they can then potentially pass on to their offspring.
Or, they can have the mutation on both genes and be at risk for developing the disease.
We say “at risk” because there have been cases of dogs having the mutation on both genes and not developing the disease. Having the mutation on both sets of genes strongly increases the possibility of developing it.
Are Some Breeds More Likely To Develop The Disease?
Early on, degenerative myelopathy was thought to be a German Shepard disease, but it has been found to occur in other breeds as well.
According to the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals, there is proof of “evidence of association between the genetic mutation and actual spinal cord evaluations” in the following breeds:
- American Eskimo Dogs.
- Bernese Mountain Dog.
- Borzoi.
- Boxers.
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
- Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.
- German Shepherd Dog.
- Golden Retriever Dog.
- Great Pyrenees.
- Kerry Blue Terriers.
- Pembroke Welsh Corgis.
- Poodle.
- Pug.
- Rhodesian Ridgeback.
- Shetland Sheepdog.
- Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers.
- Wire Fox Terrier.
What Are The Symptoms Of Degenerative Myelopathy?
Symptoms of degenerative myelopathy may include:
- Weakness in the hind legs.
- Wearing of the nails on the hind paws.
- Knuckling when walking.
- Dragging of the hind paws when walking.
- Difficulty getting up from a seated or lying down position.
- Wobbling of the hind legs.
- Instability when standing.
As the disease progresses, symptoms may include:
- Loss of urinary function.
- Loss of fecal function.
- Paralysis of the hind legs.
What Age Does Degenerative Myelopathy Start?
Degenerative myelopathy is generally seen in older dogs, usually between 8 and 14 years of age, but there have been cases of it in dogs as young as 4 years of age.
How Quickly Does Degenerative Myelopathy Progress?
Degenerative myelopathy can progress fairly quickly once your dog begins showing symptoms. A dog can lose full function of their hind legs within 1 year from onset of symptoms.
How Do You Test For Degenerative Myelopathy?
Since degenerative myelopathy is a genetic disease, you will need to do genetic testing to see if they are at risk for developing the disease.
This is usually done with a cheek swab that is sent to a lab for analysis.
Is There A Blood Test For Degenerative Myelopathy?
There is not a blood test available for degenerative myelopathy, but the cheek swab can be done easily, with accurate results.
Can An MRI Detect Degenerative Myelopathy?
An MRI cannot detect degenerative myelopathy in your dog.
Your veterinarian can use results of an MRI to rule out other conditions that may be responsible for your dog’s symptoms, like:
- Hip Dysplasia.
- Spinal Stenosis.
- Arthritis.
The only way to get a definitive diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy is through an autopsy after a dog passes.
Is Degenerative Myelopathy Painful?
Since degenerative myelopathy causes a breakdown of the spinal cord, it is not known to be painful for the dog that has the condition.
How Can You Tell The Difference Between Arthritis And Degenerative Myelopathy?
If your dog experiences pain when performing their daily activities, it is more likely from arthritis than from degenerative myelopathy, which is not a painful condition.
How Do You Treat A Dog With Degenerative Myelopathy?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for degenerative myelopathy.
The best course of treatment is to keep your dog as active as possible for as long as possible.
For this reason, physical therapy may be beneficial for a dog who has the disease.
Should You Walk A Dog With Degenerative Myelopathy?
Absolutely! As mentioned above, keeping your dog active for as long as possible is the best thing you can do for your dog and walking is a great way to do that.
Degenerative Myelopathy Testing
If you wish to have your dog genetically tested to see if they are at risk for developing degenerative myelopathy, there are a few options available to you.
- You can opt for a full panel of genetic testing to see if your dog is at risk for not only degenerative myelopathy, but other diseases as well. This would be your more expensive option.
- If you only want to know specifically if your dog is at risk for degenerative myelopathy, there are labs that will only test for that disease. This would be the cheaper option. Some labs will even offer you a discount if you need to perform the test on multiple dogs.
We have broken this list up into companies that offer full panel testing, and those that offer a specific test for degenerative myelopathy.
Each test offered will give you a result that will tell you if your dog is:
- CLEAR. This would mean your dog does not have the mutation on either gene.
- A CARRIER. Being a carrier means your dog has the mutation on one gene. Your dog will not be at risk for developing degenerative myelopathy, however, they can pass the mutation on to their offspring.
- AT RISK. This means your dog has the SOD1 mutation on both genes and will most likely develop the disease.
We have also included the cost of each test and how long it takes to get the results.
Full Genetic Panel Testing
Embark Breed + Health DNA Test
- $139 – $160 USD.
- Includes genetic health screening for 215 conditions.
- Tests for the SOD1A variant.
- Results available in 2-4 weeks.
Wisdom Panel Premium
- $120 – 160 USD.
- Includes genetic health screening for 210 conditions.
- Results in 2-3 weeks.
Degenerative Myelopathy Specific Testing
AffinityDNA
- $75 USD.
- Tests specifically for the SOD1A variant.
- Determines if your dog is CLEAR, a CARRIER, or AT RISK for developing the disease.
- Results take 7 business days.
GenSol Diagnostics
- $40 USD.
- Determines if your dog is CLEAR, a CARRIER, or AT RISK for developing the disease.
- Results available 24-48 hours after received by the lab.
- They also check for the SOD1B variant, which is only found in Bernese Mountain Dogs.
Orthopedic Foundation For Animals
- $65 USD.
- Partnered with the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine.
- Determines if your dog is NORMAL, a CARRIER, or AT RISK for developing the disease.
UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Genetics Laboratory
- $50 USD.
- Determines if your dog is NORMAL, a CARRIER, or AT RISK for developing the disease.
- Results available in 15 business days.
DNA Diagnostics Center
- $58 + shipping and handling.
- Determines if your dog is CLEAR, a CARRIER, or AFFECTED.
- Results in 5 business days after sample received.
Degenerative Myelopathy is a devastating disease. Speaking as someone whose dog went through this, it is very difficult and heartbreaking to watch your dog experience this disease. Degenerative myelopathy testing offers you a way to know if your dog may be at risk of developing the disease or provide you with answers when you see your dog experience symptoms.
Please check out our other posts on Health, Indoor, Outdoor, and Travel accessories for your dog, as well as Reviews of various products and travel destinations.