Quick, vet-reviewed answers to common questions about genetic conditions in dogs
Dogs affected by Hemophilia often bruise easily and have prolonged bleeding following injuries or surgical procedures. Affected puppies might bleed excessively when losing their baby teeth. Frequent nosebleeds are common, and dogs may show...
Signs of the disease usually appear between 1 and 5 months of age. Affected puppies show uncoordinated movements, tremors, and loss of normal muscle reflexes. As the condition progresses, blindness and paralysis develop. The GALC gene...
Symptoms usually appear early in life. Affected puppies often have difficulty walking due to weakness in their hind legs and may show a distinctive “bunny hopping” gait, where both rear legs move together. Other signs can include abnormal...
RCD1 symptoms begin early in a puppy's life, with the first signs typically appearing between 6 to 8 weeks of age. The initial symptom is night blindness, as rod cells responsible for low-light vision degenerate first. Affected puppies may...
The pattern you're describing — progressive weakness, especially in the back legs, in a young Malamute — is consistent with Alaskan Malamute Polyneuropathy (AMPN). It's caused by a mutation in the NDRG1 gene and typically shows up within...
Dogs with NCL8 often show early behavioural changes such as increased sensitivity to sound, loss of housetraining, or a decline in responsiveness to commands. Over time, symptoms worsen and may include mental dullness, compulsive...
Pale gums and lethargy in a young Basenji are red flags for pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD). Symptoms typically appear between 4 months and 2 years. The condition destroys red blood cells, causing chronic anemia. Signs include pale gums,...
Retinal detachment caused by canine multifocal retinopathy 3 can cause fluid buildup in the eye. This typically appears as gray, tan, orange, or pink spots in the back of the eye that look like blisters. This fluid buildup can lead to...
Those signs at that age in an Australian Shepherd are concerning for NCL6, a rare lysosomal storage disorder caused by a CLN6 gene mutation. Signs typically appear around 18 months and include vision loss, behavioral changes, difficulty...
Signs of cerebellar hypoplasia usually become noticeable when puppies first start to walk. Affected dogs often display an uncoordinated, high-stepping gait, slower reflexes, and involuntary movements. Despite these motor challenges, the...
