Inflammatory Myopathy

Signs include weakness, gait changes, and muscle atrophy.

Signs first appear at 3-9 months of age.

Genetic testing, clinical signs, and muscle biopsy can be used to diagnose this disorder.

There is no treatment currently for this disorder. In the study affected dogs were euthanized by two years of age due to the profound muscle weakness.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s inflammatory myopathy result so you can plan appropriate care and monitoring.

Watch for signs such as stiffness, weakness, or reluctance to exercise, and contact your vet if you notice these changes.

Provide regular, gentle activity to help maintain mobility and prevent muscle loss.

A calm environment, good traction, and supportive care can help keep your dog comfortable day to day.

This mutation was first described in the Dutch Shepherd.

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

SLC25A12

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Muscular

Citations

1. Shelton et al 2019

• Dutch Shepherd