Juvenile Laryngeal Paralysis & Polyneuropathy (JLPP)

This disease is currently being seen in Amstaffs, however there is no Amstaff specific test available as yet.  Please read below from the Staffordshire Terrier Club of America regarding JLPP.

JLPP is a fatal hereditary degenerative neurological disease that affects puppies after weaning age,with symptoms usually appearing at about 3-4 months old.  It begins with difficulty breathing which causes choking, aspiration, and possible pneumonia.  It progresses to the hind limbs causing difficulty getting up, and wobbly gait and eventually spreads to the front limbs.  There are a few breeds affected with this disease and among them are the Black Russian Terrier and Rottweiler.  For these 2 breeds the trait is autosomal recessive and a test has been developed.

For a detailed description of the disease see this link on the Black Russian Terrier site: www.brtca.org/juvenile-laryngeal-paralysis-and-polyneurpathy.html, also visit the University of Missouri web page  www.caninegeneticdiseases.net

The Health Committee just recently received some disturbing news that some people in the breed have been experiencing this disease in their AmStaffs over the past few years.  We were contacted by a person who has had first hand experience with a few of her dogs affected with the disease.  Her investigation led her to find out that there were many other cases in the breed but it was not being discussed.  Finding out about the genetic test developed by the research team at the University of Missouri Veterinary School, she contacted them and submitted samples.  It was determined that the AmStaff mutation was different from that of the BRT and Rottweiler.  Through social media and word of mouth, she was able to discover that there were a good number of cases, most sharing similar lineage, both here in the US and overseas as well.

I am extremely grateful that we were given this information.  As it was a difficult beginning when we started the ataxia project, the membership came together and helped our researcher Dr. Olby develop a test.  We can do it again with everyone's help.

I have been in contact with Liz Hansen of the University of Missouri veterinary research team headed by Dr. Dennis O'Brien.  Dr. O'Brien was instrumental in working with Dr. Olby on our ataxia research.  Some of you may remember that he came to the National while the project was active and he gave a presentation on ataxia.  The above link on the Black Russian Terrier Club of America website will also take you to a very informative video presentation he gave to their club on JLLP.  I urge you to watch it and learn about the disease and research process.

Liz Hansen has agreed to work with us on a research project.  There are a few samples at their lab but they need many more.  We need your help with this.  All information including pedigree data will remain confidential.  Form and instruction sheet are attached below.  Liz will need DNA from affected dogs, clinical report from the veterinarian or neurologist who diagnosed, samples from normal siblings, parents, and grandparents if possible, brief history of clinical signs and disease progression, and necropsy report if available. Genetic technology has improved since our last research project and I am hoping this can have a successful outcome before we are faced with a major widespread problem in our breed. 

I have contacted  Antagene and Biovet Labs and am waiting to hear if they have any additional information.  I have also reached out to Dr. Olby to see if she can be of any assistance.  As for funding, I have spoken with AKC Canine Health Foundation and we will work with them and the funding process.  As we did with the ataxia project, the committee will help offset costs of necropsies associated with this research.

Contact information for Liz Hansen is ph#573-884-3712, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Her information and mailing address also appears on the attached sample handling page.

Please pass this information on to any AmStaff owner, member or non member, who may be able to help.
If you have any questions you can contact the health committee at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact me directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , tel#917-887-8760 

click here for DNA Sample Handling | click here for DNA Sample

The American Staffordshire Terrier Club of Holland posted on Facebook on the 22nd May 2018

(The translation is a little dodgy, apologies)

On 8 December 2017, the astch called on its members to participate in the investigation of laryngeal paralysis / Polyneuropathy (LP) also known on the name juvenile laryngeal paralysis / Polyneuropathy (Jlpp)

What is Juvenile Laryngeal Paralysis en juvenile Polyneuropathy (JLPP) ?
The free translation is paralyzed esophagus / larynx.
The result of this derogation is in most cases sleep around 7 months old, but sometimes dogs get older when they get food in special chairs.

The genetic form of this is a relatively newly discovered condition at the American Staffordshire Terrier, and thought relatively little to come.
There is no dna test available to test this, but scientists now assume that this disease, like cellebraire ataxia, is recessive vererft, in particular 2 dogs are very interested, namely: Sierra's little Abner and tippit's Andy.
In particular, the last one has incredibly many offspring in Europe, Northern Europe specifically (Tippit's was a dutch kennel of jos walstok in the 90 s).

We were already in contact with scientists from the university of Missouri, our sister organization in America, the stca and the genetic laboratory antagene in France.

Unfortunately, we were allowed to receive a letter last week from one of our members where it indicated that, after research by, among other things, the UV Ghent in merelbeke, they received this nasty disease.

They are now part of the study of the university of Missouri, and both the astch, the stca and the astcb (American Staffordshire Terrier Club Belgium) are fully informed and continue to be involved in the investigation.

We will post a medical article in the next magazine where explained what this condition is exactly content with other races, namely the Rottweiler and the black Russian terrier, and also we will publish the writing of our member.

If there are questions in the meantime, you can contact the astch health commission: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Below an information movie about jllp at a rottweiler pup:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=MsZKoE1jpYQ

And a link to a (English) article about jlpp at the Rottweiler:
https://www.amrottclub.org/sites/default/files/public/JLPP%20DNA%20Test_0.pdf

Current Research being done by the AKC Canine Health Foundation - http://www.akcchf.org/research/research-portfolio/02535-MOU.html