Sarcoglycan Deficient Muscular Dystrophy (SDMD) is a form of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy associated with a mutation in a muscle sarcoglycan gene and has been identified in young miniature Dachshunds from Australia, South Africa and the US.
Clinical signs, first noted at approximately 6 months of age were variable and included exercise intolerance, stiff gait, myoglobinuria and dysphagia. The serum CK activity was markedly and persistently elevated. Histopathology of muscle biopsies showed a dystrophic phenotype and immunofluorescent stainings showed all sarcoglycan proteins were markedly decreased or absent.
It is recommended that all miniature Dachshunds should be tested for SDMD before being used for breeding.
A SDMD DNA test is available from Orivet Australia.