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Developmental Myopathy

This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Note for Pet Owners:
This is a rare condition

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Description
This is a rare type of muscle disease that has been reported in a litter of German Shepherd puppies which had hip dysplasia. It has been suggested as one of many possible causes of hip dysplasia in young dogs.

Cause
The cause is unknown

Breed Occurrence
This condition has only been reported in young, dysplastic German Shepherd dogs

Signs
 These puppies showed signs typical of hip dysplasia and muscle weakness. The disease was found to be affecting the muscle fibres of the pectineus muscle. This muscle exerts  important biomechanical forces on the hip joint and so this report lead to speculation (not proved) that the myopathy may have been responsible for the development of hip dysplasia.

Diagnosis
The diagnosis in the reported case was confirmed by examining stained muscle biopsy samples and noting underdevelopment (called hypotrophy) of Type II muscle fibres

Treatment
There is no specific treatment for this condition

Prognosis
In myopathies of this type normal function is usually regained so long as the nerve innervation to the muscle is functioning normally. 

Long term problems
 Muscle weakness and poor ability to exercise. 

 

Updated January 2016