Coming to this page to search for insight and support.
My girl, Luna, is suspected to have NCL4A.
NCL4A is “a lysosomal storage disease that affects terriers of the Pit Bull and Staffordshire Terrier types. Affected individuals have an enzyme defect that blocks normal metabolism resulting in an accumulation of metabolic waste within cells. Nerve cells are particularly sensitive to this defect.”
For background: my dog is about 5 years old. She started exhibiting some hind leg weakness and incoordination. She began stumbling and falling very easy. We initially just wrote it off as her being a typical, goofy pit bull, but it persisted. At the neurologist, they spoke about her hind legs, her wide stance, weakness in all legs, slow motor response on her right side, and tremoring of her head when trying to focus on something. The neurologist, who is great, explained this degenerative disease is slowly progressive, affects the pit and staff terrier breeds, and typically see symptoms begin ages 3-5yr.
My desire here is to gain education, find support, and hear stories of any pups who may have this/had this disorder. I’m an icu nurse— I am aware that a neuro degenerative disease is fatal eventually. I’m just here to hear stories of fellow staffy parents who may have been affected by this.
Thank you