Muscular dystrophy in pups

Authors: Mason RW
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 22, Issue 9, pp 170-172, Sep 1974
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Companion animal, Dog
Subject Terms: Locomotor, Muscle/myology, Disease/defect, Trace elements, Selenium, Nutritional disease/disorder
Article class: Clinical Communication

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Abstract: Muscular dystrophies (white muscle disease) do not appear to be commonly encountered in the dog. Elvehjem et al ( 1944) described the occurrence of a vitamin E-responsive muscular dystrophy in pups born to bitches fed evaporated milk fortified with iron, copper, manganese and cold liver oil. In New Zealand Money et al (1971) recorded an, advanced cardiac myopathy in a 2-week-old pup from a litter of three all of which had died after exhibiting signs of respiratory distress. Response to vitamin E treatment in a subsequently similar clinical disorder suggests that the pathological condition was probably due to a vitamin E deficiency. Manktelow ( 1963), however, suggested that the disorders he had seen were possibly selenium-responsive myopathies since they occurred in an area where ovine selenium-responsive disorders also occurred. His cases included an adult wolrking dog that had lost the use of its hindquarters and two litters of young pups in which myocardial necrosis was the main lesion. This note is to record the occurrence of muscular dystronhy in a litter of four crossbred pups born to a bitch with a previously good breeding history.

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