Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Two mixed breed dogs with nerve disease have Border Collie gene
By Amengual-Batle, Pablo et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2018·Small Animal Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Two mixed breed dogs with sensory neuropathy are homozygous for an inversion disrupting FAM134B previously identified in Border Collies.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two 8-month-old male mixed breed dogs were brought to the vet because they were having trouble walking, showing signs of ataxia (uncoordinated movement), knuckling (dragging their paws), and not feeling pain in their back legs. The vet suspected a genetic issue similar to one seen in Border Collies and tested for a mutation in the FAM134B gene, which was found in both dogs. This case highlights the importance of genetic testing for mixed breed dogs with similar symptoms, especially when their background is unclear.
People also search for: mixed breed dog ataxia · dog knuckling treatment · FAM134B mutation in dogs
Abstract
Two unrelated 8-month-old male mixed breed dogs were presented for evaluation of progressive ataxia, knuckling, and lack of pain perception in the distal limbs. Because of the similarity in age of onset, progression, and clinical findings with previously described sensory neuropathy in Border Collies, the affected dogs were screened for an FAM134B mutation and were determined to be homozygous for the mutation. Despite few phenotypic similarities with other breeds, genetic testing for specific diseases should be considered in mixed breed dogs with compatible clinical signs, especially if ancestry is unknown.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30307654/