Hereditary ataxia in Jack Russell terriers in the UK

THE neurology and neurosurgery department at Dick White Referrals has recently diagnosed four cases of hereditary ataxia in Jack Russell terriers. This disease has been described in Jack Russell terriers in Germany (Wessmann and others 2004) but, to our knowledge, has never been reported in the UK. Hereditary ataxia in Jack Russell terriers is a rare, inherited disorder with onset of clinical signs occurring between two months and two years of age. Affected dogs exhibit a gait abnormality characterised by symmetrical generalised ataxia, …