Affects: Dogs
Samoyed hereditary glomerulopathy (SHG) is a hereditary, X-linked, noninflammatory disease of the renal glomeruli, occurring in the Samoyed breed of dog. The disease has been shown to be a model for Alport syndrome in humans in that the disease resembles that of the human disease. Because of this, it is sometimes referred to by the name given to the disease in humans when referring to the conditions in Samoyed dogs. Alternatively, it may also be known as X-linked hereditary nephritis. Genetically, the trait is inherited as a sex-linked, genetically dominant disease, and thus affects male dogs to a greater degree than female dogs, since males only have one X chromosome.
Diagnosis: Affected male and carrier female dogs generally begin to show signs of the disease at two to three months of age, with proteinuria. By three to four months of age, symptoms include for affected male dogs: bodily wasting and loss of weight, proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia. Past nine months of age, hypercholesterolemia may be seen. In the final stages of the disease, at around 15 months of age for affected males, symptoms are reported as being kidney failure, hearing loss and death. Since the condition is genetically dominant, diagnosis would also include analysis of the health of the sire and dam of the suspected affected progeny if available.
Treatment: The disease can be treated only to slow down the development, by use of cyclosporine A and ACE inhibitors, but not stopped or cured.