| Benfelds Boxers |
Degenerative Myelopathy
Degenerative Myelopathy is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in dogs. The disease has an insidious onset typically between 5 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The affected dog will wobble when walking, knuckle over or drag the feet. This can first occur in one hind limb and then affect the other. As the disease progresses, the limbs become weak and the dog begins to buckle and has difficulty standing.
The weakness gets progressively worse until the dog is unable to walk. If signs progress for a longer period of time, loss of urinary and fecal continence may occur and eventually weakness will develop in the front limbs. This disease is progressive and chronic.
The University of Missouri have identified a DNA mutation and we are able to test our dogs for this, the OFA offers this testing. The results show if the dogs is clear (2 normal genes), carriers (1 normal gene and 1 mutated gene) or at risk (2 copies of the mutated gene).
The weakness gets progressively worse until the dog is unable to walk. If signs progress for a longer period of time, loss of urinary and fecal continence may occur and eventually weakness will develop in the front limbs. This disease is progressive and chronic.
The University of Missouri have identified a DNA mutation and we are able to test our dogs for this, the OFA offers this testing. The results show if the dogs is clear (2 normal genes), carriers (1 normal gene and 1 mutated gene) or at risk (2 copies of the mutated gene).
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