Alaskan Husky Encephalopathy, Subacute Necrotizing Encephalomyelopathy

Symptoms include seizures, weakness, difficulty chewing or swallowing, and partial or complete vision loss. Signs usually begin suddenly and can persist through the life of the dog; in some affected dogs, the disease comes and goes in episodes and dogs have periods of time where they are neurologically normal.

This is a disease that first presents in the puppy or young adult age groups.

It is important to note that many other neurological diseases have a similar patient presentation and diagnostic results. AHE is diagnosed based on patient history, pedigree information, brain imaging, and other diagnostic tests.

There is no treatment for this disorder. Certain medications may be prescribed to control symptoms.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s Alaskan husky encephalopathy result so you can plan ongoing care and monitoring.

Watch for signs such as loss of coordination, vision problems, unusual behavior, or seizures, and contact your vet if you notice any of these. If a seizure occurs, make sure your dog is in a safe area away from objects they could hit, and avoid handling them until it passes.

Keep your dog’s environment calm and consistent. Use rugs or mats to prevent slipping and help your dog move safely around the home.

Encourage gentle, food-based activities such as treat searches or puzzle toys to keep your dog mentally engaged without overexertion.

This mutation was first described in Alaskan Huskies.

Penetrance: This disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning that affected dogs must have two copies of the mutation to show clinical signs.

Gene

SLC19A3 (Exon 2)

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Neurologic

Citations

1. Vernau et al 2013

• Alaskan-type Husky