Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy is a disease in which a mutation in an important structural protein causes abnormal muscle development.
Affected dogs usually show symptoms by 2-4 months of age, including muscle wasting, a stiff and stilted gait, an enlarged tongue and drooling, difficulty swallowing, and frequent vomiting. Affected pups are usually euthanized by 8-10 months of age.
Inheritance Information: Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) is autosomal recessive, meaning that animals with two copies of this allele will be affected. Animals with one copy of the gene will be clinically-normal carriers.