For many years,
the common genetic disease called intervertebral disc disease was a mystery to
veterinarians. This diseased caused many smaller dogs with short legs to have
back pain and paralysis in their back legs making it difficult to walk. Researchers at
the University of California have discovered the mutation to a disease called
chondrodystropy which is a skeletal disorder. Dogs with this disease tend to
have shorter legs and their intervertebral disc tend to be abnormal compared to
others. This genetic mutation was very similar to the mutation in dogs who suffered
from intervertebral disc disease. The geneticist, Danika Brannasch, has
discovered an abnormality on chromosome 12 in dogs with intervertebral disc
disease which was later linked to abnormal bone growth.
The research team
were also able to look at the DNA in dogs with this genetic mutation and found
that a particular region was implicated. Several other dogs were studied and
found to have the same implicated DNA. It was discovered by Emily Brown that
there was a FGR4 retrogene insertion in the gene that caused this disease. This
is said to play an important role in development, dogs and humans. When the
FGR4 is mutated, it leads to this intervertebral disc disease in dogs and can
lead to dwarfism in humans.
This is an
interesting discovery and can be used to help breeders and veterinarians manage
the risk of this disease in dogs. The pain caused by this disease in smaller
dogs can be better managed since veterinarians know the location of the
mutation and can develop new methods to help these dogs with the pain they
endure from this disease. Reducing the pain will allow these dogs to live a
better life and maybe with the right therapy, gain some mobility in their back legs.
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