Neurodegenerative vacuolar storage disease, also known as cerebellar ataxia, is a genetic disorder caused by the accumulation of non-eliminated substances in the lysosomes of nerve cells.
Affected dogs show symptoms such as progressive loss of movement coordination (ataxia), abnormal eye movements, and behavioral disorders (agitation, depression, aggression). Although reflexes may appear normal, neurological examinations often reveal atrophy of the cerebellum.
The disease is autosomal recessive, meaning that only dogs carrying two copies of the mutated gene show symptoms, usually around 23 months of age, but onset can vary.
