Genetic Test Now Available for Burmese Hypokalemic Periodic Polymyopathy (also known as Feline Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis)

A polymyopathy associated with episodic hypokalemia has been recognized in young Burmese kittens since the early 1990s. Clinical cases have been identified in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands and other parts of Europe, but have been notably absent from the Burmese population in the USA. Clinical signs in affected cats include episodic or continual muscle weakness, weakness of the head and neck muscles(expressed clinically as ventral flexion of the neck as shown in the image below), head bobbing, and dorsal protrusion of the scapulae. A stiff-stilted gait, a crouching gait, and muscle tremors may become obvious.

A mutation was identified in the gene WNK4 in a genome wide case-controlled DNA microarray analysis and results of these studies published by Gandolfi and others (Open Access journal PLoS ONE 7(12): e53173. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0053173). A DNA based diagnostic test is currently available through the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the University of California Davis (http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/cat/) and Langford Veterinary Services (http://www.langfordvets.co.uk/diagnostic_laboratories.htm). Availability of this genetic test should help to eradicate this mutation in the breeding population.