Mielopatía Degenerativa canina: signos clínicos, diagnóstico y terapéutica (Canine degenerative myelopathy: clinical signs, diagnosis and therapy)

Summary Canine degenerative myelopathy is a progressive neurological autoimmune disease that primarily affects large size adult dogs and no sex predilection. Although the pathogenesis is unknown, is suspected to be an immune-mediated disorder. Major clinical signs are weakness and paraparesis that causes slowly progressive ataxia, proprioceptive deficits, mioatrofia of hind limbs and pelvic region, culminating in paralysis and death of the animal. The diagnosis is based on history, clinical signs, evidence of lymphocyte proliferation and steroid response. Treatment is symptomatic. In this paper we describe the clinical signs, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment methods, and