MYASTHENIA-GRAVIS - LESSONS FROM THE PAST 10 YEARS

Over the past 10 years, significant advances have been made in our und erstanding of acquired myasthenia gravis (MG) in companion animals. Th e broad spectrum of presenting clinical signs has been defined and an accurate and sensitive diagnostic test is available. Even with these a dvances, the mortality rate in dogs with acquired MG remains unaccepta bly high. While an understanding of the genetic basis for susceptibili ty to autoimmune disease has started to be developed, the trigger for the initiation of this disease is not known and a mechanism for specif ic suppression of the aberrant immune response against the acetylcholi ne receptor remains a mystery.