Sorry, you can't take the bureaucrat out of me.

GSD=German Shepherd Dog.

DM - Degenerative Myelopathy. To put it in very simplistic (and not completely accurate terms), it's doggie MS. The dog gradually loses the use of his/her hind legs, has fecal incontinence, etc. I believe it eventually progresses to the point where they lose control of their bladder and front limbs. The dog simply cannot tell where his/her legs are because they lose feeling in them.

Apparently, they located a gene linked to it, so now breeders can test for that marker and work toward eliminating DM.