Canine Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is a devastating degenerative disease of the spinal cord that can progress rapidly and cause weakness in the hind limbs and eventually paraplegia among genotypically affected dogs.
This test, which uses the SOD1-A marker, can be carried out on all breeds. Initially, this inherited recessive disorder was thought to only affect German Shepherd Dogs; however, degenerative myelopathy has been recently diagnosed in several other dog breeds.
Please note: We do not test for the SOD1-B marker found in Bernese Mountain Dogs.
The DNA test is an accurate, convenient, and affordable tool to help breeders avoid producing DM at risk offspring and significantly reduce the gene frequency in future generations.
The results confirm 1 of the 3 possible genotypes for the tested dog:
CLEAR (those having 2 copies of the normal allele and appear to be normal).
CARRIER (those having 1 copy of the normal allele and 1 copy of the mutation and most appear to be normal).
AT RISK (those having 2 copies of the mutation and will likely show clinical signs).