SN - Sensory Neuropathy
The Disease
Sensory Neuropathy (SN) is an inherited neurological disease affecting the Border Collie breed. The disease is characterised by degeneration of sensory and motor nerve cells. Symptoms begin between the age of 2 and 7 months and include: knuckling of the feet, wounds caused by self chewing or licking of the limbs due to lack of feeling, progressive loss of coordination (ataxia), progressive loss of sensation occurs in all limbs, urinary incontinence and regurgitation can occur in the later stages of the disease. Affected dogs are usually euthanized around the age of 2 years.
Trait of Inheritance
SN follows an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance.
Clear
Genotype: N / N [ Homozygous normal ]
The dog is noncarrier of the mutant gene.
It is very unlikely that the dog will develop Sensory Neuropathy ( SN ). The dog will never pass the mutation to its offspring, and therefore it can be bred to any other dog.
Carrier
Genotype: N / SN [ Heterozygous ]
The dog carries one copy of the mutant gene and one copy of the normal gene.
It is very unlikely that the dog will develop Sensory Neuropathy ( SN ) but since it carries the mutant gene, it can pass it on to its offspring with the probability of 50%.
Carriers should only be bred to clear dogs.
Avoid breeding carrier to carrier because 25% of their offspring is expected to be affected (see table above)
Affected
Genotype: SN / SN [ Homozygous mutant ]
The dog carries two copies of the mutant gene and therefore it will pass the mutant gene to its entire offspring.
The dog is likely to develop Sensory Neuropathy ( SN ) and will pass the mutant gene to its entire offspring.
Sensory Neuropathy, Laboklin, accessed 11 January 2019, <www.laboklin.co.uk/laboklin/showGeneticTest.jsp?testID=8596>
Laboklin and Animal DNA Diagnostics offers members of the Society a process for submitting DNA tests, and DNA is extracted from a sample. See their individual websites for further information of how to order a test.
Laboklin - www.laboklin.co.uk
Animal DNA Diagnostics - www.animaldnadiagnostics.co.uk
