What is ILM?
Intestinal Lipid Malabsorption (ILM) is a hereditary condition that can occur in Australian Kelpies (particularly show/bench lines). Puppies with ILM are unable to properly absorb long-chain fatty acids from their food through the intestines.
Physical Characteristics (“Mini-pups”)
Affected puppies are commonly known in the breed as mini-pups. During their first few months of life, they stand out due to:
A smaller body size compared to their littermates
A somewhat duller, rougher coat
A noticeably rounded, pot-bellied abdomen
A rounder head with rounder-looking eyes
How is it Inherited?
ILM is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner:
Autosomal: It affects male and female puppies with equal frequency.
Recessief: A puppy must inherit the mutated gene from both parents to be affected. Parents carrying only one copy of the gene (carriers) are completely healthy themselves.
Prognosis and Recovery
Good news: between 4 and 6 months of age, the digestive tract matures, and puppies outgrow the condition. If the puppy receives the correct, highly digestible diet during these critical first few months, they will develop into a healthy adult dog that is visually indistinguishable from a Kelpie without ILM.
