Myostatin Deficiency, Bully Whippet Syndrome

The double muscling is obvious when comparing an affected dog to a typical Whippet. Muscle cramping has been reported.

Signs develop in juvenile dogs.

Genetic testing and clinical signs can be used to diagnose this condition.

There is no treatment necessary for this condition.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s myostatin deficiency result so they can note it in your dog’s record.

Most dogs with this result are healthy, but a few may have reduced flexibility due to extra muscle mass.

Provide regular, moderate exercise to keep your dog fit and comfortable.

If you’re considering breeding your Whippet, discuss this result with your vet to make informed choices.

This mutation was first described in the Whippet.

Penetrance: Dogs carrying two copies of the MSTN mutation are heavily muscled and, due to breed standards, are precluded from whippet races. However, carriers for the MSTN mutation are less heavily muscled and are known as "bully whippets." They meet breed standards and are often eligible to race, and can be argued to have a significant athletic advantage against their normally muscled competitors.

Gene

MSTN

Inheritance type

codominant

Clinical category

Muscular

Citations

1. Mosher et al 2007

• Whippet