Masticatory Muscle Myositis (MMM) Research
Masticatory muscle myositis (MMM) is an immune system disorder in which a dog’s immune system attacks the muscles dogs use to chew, the masticatory muscles. MMM causes these muscles to become swollen and painful. Dogs with MMM often cannot open their mouths without pain. In severe cases, they cannot eat, chew, or pick up their toys. While early diagnosis and treatment can help some dogs, identifying the contribution of genetics to this disease could help in preventing cases in the future.
DNA is being collected for a potential study on masticatory muscle myositis (MMM). Owners with affected dogs are encouraged to submit DNA. To submit DNA directly to the research team, you can download the form to submit DNA from MMM affected Golden Retrievers here.
As with any Golden Retriever, submission of DNA to the CHIC repository https://www.ofa.org/about/dna-repository is also strongly encouraged as that resource can be used by any researcher with an approved peer-reviewed study.