Degenerative Myelopathy

We have found that this common progressive paralysis of older dogs is caused by the same gene responsible for ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) in people and are offering DNA testing to identify dogs at risk for degenerative myleopathy. We are further exploring the role of genetics and environmental risks in the development of the disease. We hope to soon investigate therapies in our canine patients that could later be applied to people suffering from the disease.

Canine Multiple System Degeneration

Dogs affected with this hereditary movement disorder develop signs similar to Parkinson's disease of humans such as the abnormal posture shown by the dog in the picture. The same cells in the brain, stained red in this brain section, degenerate in the dog disease and Parkinson's disease. We are currently working on identifying the gene responsible and better characterizing the cell loss that occurs.

Epilepsy

We mapped the gene responsible for a neonatal seizure syndrome in standard poodles. We are currently offering DNA testing to eliminate the disease from the breed so that no pups need suffer these seizures like the one shown here. We are performing genome-wide association mapping to identify the genes responsible for the more common forms of epilepsy in other breeds.

Developmental Disorders

We are also investigating other disorders that affect the normal development and function of the brain. These include inborn errors of metabolism such as lysosomal storage diseases and organic acidurias. In these diseases, a deficient enzyme dysrupts normal brain chemistry leading to an accumulation of byproducts either in the nerve cells or the urine. Other disorders are characterized structural malformations of the brain such as polymicrogyria pictured here. The normal brain has large wrinkles (green arrow) while the malformed brain has much more numerous, small wrinkles (red arrow)