Muscular Dystrophy (MD) is a spontaneous, X-linked, progressively fatal disease of dogs. Affected dogs show raised creatine kinase levels, muscle atrophy with contractures, hyaline myofiber degeneration with mineralization, endomysial and perimysial fibrosis with fatty infiltration, and cardiomyopathy.
Muscular Dystrophy (MD) is transmitted as an X-chromosomal recessive trait. This means that a dog can be genetically clear, heterozygous (carries one copy of the defective gene) or affected (carries two copies of the defective gene) concerning MD. Heterozygous male dogs and homozygous female dogs will get symptoms of this disease. Reliable information of dogs that do not carry disease genes (particularly female dogs) is the key to control this disease.