Juvenile-Onset Polyneuropathy, Leonberger Polyneuropathy 2, LPN2

This can cause signs of weakness, laryngeal paralysis, and difficulty breathing. Dogs affected as young adults will often have more severe signs.

Development of signs is widely variable, from several months to 11 years of age.

Unless a genetic basis is suspected due to the age, breed, or history of the dog, diagnostics must be performed to rule out infectious, inflammatory, or neoplastic causes.

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

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

Watch for signs such as voice changes, noisy breathing, weakness, or difficulty swallowing, and contact your vet if you notice any of these.

Maintain your dog at a healthy weight and keep them in a calm environment. Avoid strenuous exercise or overheating, as these can worsen breathing problems.

As this condition can progress over time, supportive care and a safe, predictable routine can help keep your dog comfortable and engaged with their family.

This mutation was first described in the Leonberger.

Penetrance: This disease is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, meaning that only one copy of the mutation is necessary to show signs of the disease. However, this mutation has incomplete penetrance, meaning that not all dogs that carry the mutation will show signs of the disease.

Gene

GJA9

Inheritance type

dominant

Clinical category

Neurologic

Citations

1. Becker et al 2017

• Leonberger