May-Hegglin Anomaly

General Information: May-Hegglin Anomaly (MHA) is an inherited condition identified through blood analysis, where affected dogs display thrombocytopenia (a reduced number of platelets), unusually large platelets (macrothrombocytes), and neutrophils with inclusion bodies. While this condition generally does not cause overt clinical signs in dogs, it is crucial for diagnostic accuracy, as macrothrombocytosis can lead to misdiagnoses on some blood analyzers that may confuse large platelets for red blood cells. Although typically asymptomatic, related human conditions suggest potential for mild bleeding disorders. However, the reported case in a Pug did not show increased bleeding tendencies or abnormal clotting times, indicating variability in symptom expression.

How to Read Your Dog's Test Results for this Genetic Variant:

Two Variants Detected: Dog Likely Affected

One Variant Detected: Dog Possibly Affected

No Variants Detected: No Effect

Gene / Testing Information: Genetic testing for May-Hegglin Anomaly (MHA) in dogs focuses on the MYH9 gene to determine carrier status. MHA follows an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, where the presence of a single mutated gene from either parent can lead to the disease. Consequently, each offspring of an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting MHA, and if both parents carry the mutation, the likelihood that the offspring will inherit the condition increases significantly. As symptoms can be subtle or nonexistent and the disease does not usually impact overall health severely, genetic testing before breeding is crucial to prevent the propagation of this mutation. Breeding affected dogs is generally discouraged to ensure the health of future generations. Non-carriers do not have an increased risk of producing affected offspring.