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Polyneuropathy in the malamute is generally characterized by weakness and lack
of coordination in the dog's feet and legs. Affected dogs may have a labored
gait, appearing to "bunny hop." The rear legs work together in unison to prop
the dog up, rather than to propel him. The degree to which a given dog is
affected may vary from mild to severe. The dog may fall down, drag his toes, or
his gait may just look a little "off-kilter." Exercise intolerance, loss of
muscle mass, changes in voice due to an affected larynx and problems swallowing
and regurgitating also have been reported. First indications of the problem may
be subtle -a dog that no longer jumps up on his dog house, a dog that lies down
to eat, a dog that no longer leaps up and down at feeding time or shows a slight
tremor in his legs. It cannot be emphasized enough that symptoms may vary
considerably from dog to dog.
Age of onset appears to be between 10 to 18 months, though data is lacking.
Onset is reported to be quite sudden rather than gradual and progressive. The
symptoms may last for six to eight months then abruptly lessen, but they may not
go away completely. Symptoms may again appear as the dog ages. Test breedings
in Norway indicate that the disorder probably has an autosomal recessive mode of
inheritance.
Polyneuropathy does not appear to be common, but its bizarre and variable
symptoms create potential for the disorder to be misdiagnosed or to go
undiagnosed. The only way to get a positive diagnosis is from a school of
veterinary medicine or a veterinary neurologist, who can run tests that most
local veterinarians cannot do. Diagnostic tests may include nerve and muscle
biopsies, electromyography and nerve conduction velocities. If the results are
positive, these tests will show a deterioration of the myelin sheath of the
nerve and conductivity may be slower than normal. There has been no effective
treatment reported for malamute polyneuropathy, but some dogs do appear to "grow
out of it" if they are not so severely affected as to require euthanasia.
Source:
Edited from an article written by Vicky MacLean for
AMCA
and Kyle G. Braund,
et al., "Idiopathic
Polyneuropathy in Alaskan Malalmutes." |
