Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB) is an autosomal recessive inherited disease in the Schipperke caused by a recessive mutation in a single gene.
Clinical signs are related to brain disease and appear between 2 to 4 years of age.
Symptoms include difficulty in balancing, walking and negotiating stairs.
The disease is progressive and most dogs are put to sleep within 2 years of the onset of clinical signs.
A DNA test for the presence or absence of the mutated gene in an individual dog is available.
It is recommended that all potential breeding stock are tested before they are bred from.