A neurologic syndrome in Golden Retrievers presenting as a sensory ataxic neuropathy.

BACKGROUND

A sensory ataxic neuropathy has been observed in Swedish Golden Retrievers recently.

ANIMALS: Twenty-one affected Golden Retrievers.

METHODS

Clinical and neurologic status, electrophysiologic, and pathologic status as well as pedigree analyses were evaluated.

RESULTS

Clinical signs had an insidious onset between 2 and 8 months of age and a slowly progressive course. Affected dogs were ataxic and dysmetric. They had abnormal postural reactions and decreased spinal reflexes but no apparent muscle atrophy. Clinical pathology, radiography, and electrophysiology of motor systems were all within reference values. Sensory nerve conduction results of affected dogs were significantly different from those of a group of control dogs. Necropsy revealed a chronic progressive central and peripheral sensorimotor axonopathy; the proprioceptive pathways were most severely affected.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL

IMPORTANCE

This disease in these Golden Retrievers is distinct from other canine breed-related neurodegenerative diseases or hereditary neurodegenerative diseases described in humans. Pedigree analyses indicated a hereditary background, but the mode of inheritance could not be established.