Spinocerebellar Ataxia

Signs of cerebellar disease include:

• An uncoordinated gait with stilted "toy soldier" leg movements (ataxia)
• Intention tremors where a stretched out limb or head shakes more and more violently as it approaches its target
• A swaying at rest, wherein the spine (and everything attached to it) moves back and forth in a struggle to maintain balance
• Rhythmic eye flicking (nystagmus) causing vision impairment.

Clinical signs of cerebellar dysfunction in affected dogs are typically observed when their normal littermates start to move in a coordinated fashion (at about three weeks 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. However, owners often opt for euthanasia due to poor quality of life.

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

Watch for early signs such as unsteady or stiff movements, head or limb tremors, or difficulty keeping balance, and contact your vet if you notice any of these.

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

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

Known as the "oldest" part of the brain (even reptiles and more ancient species have them!), the cerebellum fine-tunes motor signals from the brain to the muscles, allowing for balance and coordination. When the cerebellum does not function properly, dogs become uncoordinated and do not have the ability to perform fine motor skills.

Penetrance: Spinocerebellar ataxia is recessive, that is, a dog requires two copies of the variant to show signs of the disease from the variant.

Gene

SCN8A Exon 27

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Neurologic

Citations

1. Letko et al 2019

• Alpine Dachsbracke