Canine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency (CLAD), is a genetic blood disorder causing abnormal blood clotting and immune system functions and may present with lameness, recurrent skin infections, bone infections, and gingivitis. Although some dogs can live for years with this condition, most affected dogs die early.
Mode of Inheritance: autosomal recessive
Canine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (CLAD) results in breed-specific mutations in genes that are integral to platelet and blood cell activity. Affected dogs have abnormal blood clotting and immune system functions. Affected German Shepherd Dogs may present with lameness, recurrent skin infections including pyoderma (pus filled skin infections), furunculosis (boils) and ulceration, osteomyelitis (bone infections) and gingivitis.
Although some dogs can live for years with this condition, most affected dogs die early from severe infection or bleeding from an accidental injury, or during a surgical procedure. Veterinarians should be informed of affected dogs prior to any surgical procedures.
CLAD-Type I (reported as CLADis) results from a single nucleotide change (c.107G>C) in the beta-2 integrin gene (ITGB2). The disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion, which means that males and females are equally affected and that two copies of the defective gene are needed to cause CLAD. Dogs with one normal and one affected gene (carriers) are normal and show no signs of disease.
