Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a slowly progressive, non-inflammatory degeneration of axons and myelin in the spinal cord white matter of older dogs. It begins as painless pelvic limb ataxia and weakness and ends, if the dog lives long enough, in flaccid paralysis of all four limbs. There is no antemortem test that proves it, so the diagnosis rests on ruling out look-alike diseases, which is exactly the reasoning the NAVLE rewards.
Key facts
Degenerative myelopathy at a glance- Species and system: dog; nervous system, spinal cord white matter.
- Cause: strongly associated with homozygosity for a SOD1 gene mutation (c.118G>A); autosomal recessive with incomplete penetrance. Considered a naturally occurring model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
- Classic dog: German Shepherd Dog (also Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Boxer, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Chesapeake Bay Retriever) aged 8 years or more.
- Classic presentation: insidious, non-painful, often asymmetric pelvic limb proprioceptive ataxia and upper motor neuron (UMN) paresis.
- Diagnosis: presumptive, by exclusion: normal imaging for compression, normal CSF, at-risk SOD1 genotype. Definitive only on post-mortem histopathology.
- Treatment: none proven to alter the course; supportive care and physiotherapy.
- Not zoonotic and not reportable.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 2 figures, 3 self-test questions and 15 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.