Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cerebellar cell loss causing ataxia in two Border Collie sisters
By Sandy, J R et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2002·School of Veterinary Science, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cerebellar abiotrophy in a family of Border Collie dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two female sibling Border Collies were found to have a serious brain condition called cerebellar abiotrophy, which affects their coordination and balance. This condition is caused by a genetic issue that leads to the loss of certain brain cells, but it seems to only affect these two pups in the litter. The exact cause of this form of cerebellar abiotrophy is still unclear, and other siblings did not show any signs of the disease. Unfortunately, there is no treatment mentioned that can reverse the effects of this condition, so affected dogs may require supportive care to manage their symptoms.
People also search for: Border Collie cerebellar abiotrophy symptoms · dog coordination problems · genetic disorders in puppies
Abstract
Cerebellar abiotrophies have a nonsex-linked, autosomal, recessively inherited basis in a number of species, and lesions typically reflect profound and progressive loss of Purkinje cells. In this report, an unusual form of abiotrophy is described for two sibling Border Collies. Extensive loss of the cerebellar granular cell layer was present with relative sparing of Purkinje cells of two female pups. The biochemical basis for this form of cerebellar abiotrophy is unknown, but the lack of disease in other siblings supports an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12450206/