Biochemical changes of a muscular dystrophy of mink

1. Clinical pathologic studies were performed on mink affected with a progressive form of muscular dystrophy. Serum levels of muscle enzymes, including creatine phosphokinase, aldolase, and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, of affected mink were markedly elevated. A significantly increased urinary creatine/creatinine ratio was a consistent finding in the affected mink, and this ratio was usually greater than two for affected mink as compared to a ratio of less than one for nonaffected mink. 2. Marked elevation of muscle enzymes in serum and an increase in the urinary creatine/creatinine excretion ratio are consistent clinical pathologic findings in human amyotonic forms of muscular dystrophy. On the basis of these clinical alterations, the muscular dystrophy of mink appears similar to the amyotonic forms of human muscular dystrophy.