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Please click on
the tabs above
for all the
latest
information.
There have been
recent
veterinary
developments and
there is now a
DNA collection
scheme.
see also
http://vizslamyositis.blogspot.com/
2012 -
January - (
site under
construction)
There is a newly
recognised
disease in the
Hungarian
Vizsla. It is a
breed associated
presentation of
Polymyositis.
The principal
clinical signs
are swallowing
problems,
excessive foamy
drooling and
muscle wasting
(especially
around the head)
See
Vet Info
tab above.
We need to hear
from any vizsla
owner that has
had experience
of this disease.
Radio before
Polymyositis
Radio after
Polymyositis
^
Please look at
the video clips
in the sidebar
to see typical
swallowing
problems - these
are usually at
the level of the
pharynx. The
tongue muscles
too are often
involved.
Picking up food
can be difficult
and normal
lapping and
licking can be
compromised.
.
Jasper before
Polymyositis
Jasper after
Polymyositis
Polymyositis in
the young vizsla
often presents
with an acute
episode of
retching,
gagging,
choking,
dysphagia and
hypersalivation.
Sometimes in the
case of older
individuals the
onset is more
insidious with
just inefficient
and messy eating
and drinking
being previously
noted.
Frequently there
is an initial
diagnosis of
megaoesophagus.
Fatigue,
significantly
elevated CK
levels, an
absence of a gag
reflex, voice
change,
aspiration
pneumonia,
lameness/stiffness/peculiarity
of gait are
other common
findings. Muscle
wasting in the
temporal and
masseter areas
usually follows.
Where cases have
been fully
investigated,
infectious
causes of muscle
inflammation
(such as
neosporosis or
toxoplasmosis)
are invariably
ruled out. So
too are two
similar diseases
- Myasthenia
Gravis and
Masticatory
Muscle Myositis.
Here
is an important
document
prepared by G.
Diane Shelton
DVM, PhD, DACVIM
to help
veterinarians
correctly
distinguish and
diagnose muscle
disease in the
vizsla.
Here
is a
presentation on
her website
Mika drool
Spice drool
Polymyositis in
the vizsla has
been especially
noted in the UK
but has now been
reported in
other parts of
Europe and also
US, Canada,
Australia and
New Zealand.
This is Hunter -
from Canada - he
was a case study
submitted by
Susan Cochrane
to
ACVIM.
Two years after
diagnosis and
treatment he is
doing very well.
Hunter
Hunter
PM in the Vizsla
is believed to
be immune
mediated and on
the basis of
several very
close family
relationships
(siblings for
example)
considered to be
genetic ie
inheritable.
Please visit the
pedigrees
tab above to see
an open registry
of affected UK
individuals
With prompt
diagnosis and
treatment
polymyositis can
usually be well
controlled with
combined immune
suppressive
protocols -
typically
Prednisone +
Imuran
(azathioprine) +
gastroprotectants
- these
medications to
be only very
gradually
tapered.
Recently some
specialists have
also introduced
Cyclosporine/Atopica
(another immune
suppressant)
Careful
monitoring of
these regimes is
vital. Here is a
well referenced
protocol that
gives excellent
advice on the
benefits of
taking things
slowly and
staying
receptive to a
need to respond
to any
resurgence of
clinical signs.
Once remission
has been
achieved many UK
PM vizslas have
benefitted from
long term
"maintenance"
doses of
steroids - at
just anti
inflammatory
levels. There
are lots of
happy success
stories - and
this website
will be updated
shortly to
describe them. |
