DEGENERATIVE MYELOPATHY - A COMPARATIVE REVIEW

The condition of degenerative myelopathy and myeloencephalopathy occur s in Various progressive central nervous system disorders that affect animals and humans. Among the most common of these disorders in domest icated animals are bovine progressive degenerative myeloencephalopathy , degenerative myelopathy of German shepherds, and equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy. The clinical signs, laboratory findings, and pat hologic lesions associated with these three syndromes are remarkably s imilar and are presented in this article. In ail cases, definitive dia gnosis is made at necropsy by demonstrating axon and myelin degenerati on in spinal cord white matter (most prominently in the thoracic regio n). Causes of degenerative myelopathy and myeloencephalopathy that hav e been investigated in animals include vitamin E deficiency, Vitamin B -12 deficiency, copper deficiency, viral infection, and immune-mediate d disease. None of the causes has been consistently identified in any of the three syndromes, but there apparently is a familial predisposit ion. Treatment and control will depend on careful breeding programs an d further investigation to identify underlying causes.