Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The disease has an insidious onset typically between 8 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The affected dog will wobble when walking, knuckle over or drag the feet and the numbers that are seen would be in the order of between 2-5% of older GSD’s.

Degenerative myelopathy is a devastating disease causing progressive paralysis in a large number of dog breeds. New research has identified a gene that is associated with a major increase in risk of the disease. For this reason all Tèarmannair GSD breeding stock have undergone Orivet‘s Full Breed Profiles, which are breed specific genetic screens for diseases & traits including DM.

What causes degenerative myelopathy?

Degenerative myelopathy begins with white matter degeneration of the spinal cord in the thoracic region which affecting the myelin sheaths of the spinal cord. The degeneration of the myelin shealths transmit movement messages from the brain to limbs and vice versa and as the disease progresses these messages become slower and slower, until eventually the cease altogether.