Inherited nervous system disorders

• Cerebellar abiotrophy(ataxia)
• Degenerative myelopathy
• Globoid cell leukodystrophy (galactocerebrosidosis)
• Hypo-/dysmyelinogenesis ("shaking pup")
• Laryngeal paralysis
• Scotty cramp

Many nervous system disorders affect both dogs and people. For this reason there tends be more information available about these diseases, than about some of the other, more common, inherited disorders in dogs.
There is some overlap with disorders of the musculoskeletal system. These diseases may also be called metabolic disorders

• Cerebellar hypoplasia
• Chiari-like malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM)
• Deafness
• Hydrocephalus
• Idiopathic epilepsy
• Intervertebral disk disease
• Leukodystrophies
• Lissencephaly
• Lysosomal storage diseases
• Meningitis
• Myasthenia gravis
• Myelodysplasia (spinal dysraphism)
• Neuroaxonal dystrophy
• Peripheral neuropathies
• Shaker dog syndrome
• Spina bifida
• Spinal muscular atrophy/motor neuron diseases
• Vertebral stenosis (associated with cauda equina syndrome)

Disorders of the musculoskeletal system are among the most studied conditions in veterinary medicine, since many dogs are prone to develop inherited problems of bones and joints. Registries are maintained to evaluate and record such problems in dogs, so that breeders may choose dogs free of these conditions (as much as possible) for breeding programmes. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals (GDC) maintain registries and information databases on orthopedic and other conditions known to be inherited in certain breeds. More information is available at www.offa.org and www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/gdc/gdc.html

Note: In August, 2002, GDC will merge its database with OFA, and will close all its registries except the Eye and Tumor Registries. GDC will continue to provide information and resources to help breeders use shared health information to make good breeding decisions. Article on the GDC/OFA merge

Listed below are the most important musculoskeletal conditions that are believed to have an inherited component.

• Cervical vertebral instability (Wobbler syndrome)