Neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) in Rottweiler dogs is a degenerative neurological disease. Signs are first apparent in young adults as uncoordinated movement (ataxia) and overstepping/high-stepping an intended location (hypermetria). Additional signs may include tremors and involuntary eye movements (nystagmus).
The disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion, which means that males and females are equally affected and that two copies of the defective gene are needed to cause NAD. Dogs with one normal and one affected gene (carriers) are normal and show no signs of the disease.