-Acral Mutilation Syndrome ( AMS)-

Acral Mutilation Syndrome (AMS) is a rare but serious inherited neurological disorder that can affect English Cocker Spaniels.
What happens with AMS?
AMS causes affected dogs to lose pain sensation in their paws and sometimes other parts of their bodies. The first signs usually appear early, between three and twelve months of age, and include:

Excessive licking, chewing, or biting of the paws
Injuries that do not cause pain
In severe cases, self-mutilation leading to the loss of toes

Because the dog does not feel pain, it does not recognize injuries as harmful and may cause further damage to itself, often resulting in permanent harm. There is no cure; treatment focuses on symptom management such as paw protection and medication.
How is AMS inherited?

AMS follows an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, meaning:

A dog will only develop AMS if it inherits two copies of the defective gene, one from each parent.
Carriers, with only one defective gene, remain healthy but can pass the gene to their offspring.
Two carriers must never be bred together, as this carries a 25 percent risk that puppies will be affected.

Genotyp	meaning	Inheritance / Risk	Breeding Suitability
N/N (clear)	The dog is genetically clear.	No risk of disease and no chance of passing it on.	Fully suitable for breeding
N/AMS (carrier)	The dog is unaffected but is a carrier of one defective gene.	Has a 50% chance of passing on the defective gene	Mate only with a genetically clear (N/N) partner.
AMS/AMS (affected)	The dog is homozygous for the defective gene	Increased risk of becoming ill	Not recommended for breeding

Verpaarungstabellen – was entsteht bei welcher Kombination?

Vater	Mutter	Progeny
A (clear)	A (clear)	100 % clear
A (clear)	B (carrier)	50 % frei, 50 % carrier
A (clear)	C (affected)	100 % carrier
B (carrier)	B (carrier)	25 % clear, 50 % carrier, 25 % affected
B (carrier)	C (affected)	50 % carrier, 50 % affected
C (affected)	C (affected)	100 % affected

Thanks to genetic testing, the risk of AMS can be completely eliminated. Responsible breeders test their breeding dogs before the first mating to ensure that no puppies are born with AMS.
Key takeaway:
AMS is preventable through simple genetic screening, careful mating decisions, and responsible breeding practices.