Inheritance of pancreatic acinar atrophy in German Shepherd Dogs.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the heritability of pancreatic acinar atrophy (PAA) in German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) in the United States.

ANIMALS

135 GSDs belonging to 2 multigenerational pedigrees.

PROCEDURE

Two multigenerational pedigrees of GSDs with family members with PAA were identified. The clinical history of each GSD enrolled in the study was recorded, and serum samples for canine trypsin-like immunoreactivity (cTLI) analysis were collected from 102 dogs. Dogs with a serum cTLI concentration < or = 2.0 microg/L were considered to have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and were assumed to have PAA.

RESULTS

Pedigree I consisted of 59 dogs and pedigree II of 76 dogs. Serum cTLI concentrations were measured in 48 dogs from pedigree I and 54 dogs from pedigree II. A total of 19 dogs (14.1%) were determined to have EPI, 9 in pedigree I (15.3%) and 10 in pedigree II (13.6%). Of the 19 dogs with EPI, 8 were male and 11 were female.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Evaluation of data by complex segregation analysis is strongly suggestive of an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance for EPI in GSDs in the United States.