KKG

Kycgeja-Kycyja-Gjytkeoduja (colpire-colore-prosciugare), also known as KKG, is a cancerous disease that strips the colour from one's pelt and may cause death if not properly treated.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this condition are (in chronological order of observation):

• Sore patches of skin on extremeties, later skin becoming very tender all over the body;
• Blotchy discolouration of fur or balding areas;
• Excessive or abnormal shedding of fur;
• Feeling itchy but seemingly unable to locate the source;
• Sudden and rapid loss of fur (can be removed in clumps);
• Immediate replacement of old fur with a different pigment
• Rapid production of natural oils and perceptively brighter appearance
• Obscure feeling of being "comfortable" and "warm".
• Some describe feeling as being "as though their fur is as good as new" and "it's like being wrapped in a warm duvet".

Description

In patients who are of mostly plain colouration, KKG can bring about a shift towards an extreme opposite or towards plain white. This condition temporarily affects the C gene codes for the enzyme tyrosinase, which is the first step in the production of fur pigmentation (usually taking place during gestation or embryological development). It is more common for the Pendragon species to suffer from KKG, but Khellin and Feydragons have been known to suffer the symptoms as well.

Two Anubi are recorded to have begun showing symptoms but one did not experience a shift in their pigmentation. The other suffered a rare shift to white.

This shift to white is more common among Pendragons than any other subspecies, due to the genotype cbcs and the W gene being adversely affected. The W gene prevents the replication of normal pigment cells during maturation from embryo. Those whose cbcs genotype and W gene affected and suffering from the KKG cancer are in themselves rare, but will shed whatever colour they were born with and be replaced with a completely white pelt. This will also depigment the iris of one or both eyes to become blue. However, the strength of this depigmentation is dependant upon the strength of their germ cells, and it is likely that there could be hardly any notable change in iris colour at all (in patients' eyes whose colour has been the same throughout their family line on both sides of the family, they are the best cases where eye colour is not affected by the KKG cancer).

In the event a patient's eyes are already blue, KKG can seemingly drain the iris of one or both eyes of colour completely, leaving the appearance of white. In actuality, there is a strain of blue remaining, which gives the patient's eye(s) a bright silver appearance. This can lead to blindness in later life.

KKG, in patients whose W gene and cbcs genotype are affected, and whose fur colour moves to white and whose eyes are depigmented, are extremely likely to develop other (potentially debilitating (and rarely life threatening)) cancers, as their natural genetic make-up has faltered, and "genetic loop-holes" are created. Such cancers can take the form of Osteomyelitis, in which bacteria weakens the bones, and can be treated with antibiotics and/or surgery. Additionally, although again rare, a form of Paget's Disease can form if treatments of a type of Osteomyelitis are not undertaken and results are seen early on. This strain of Paget's Disease causes abnormal enlargement and excessive weakening of bones in the hips, cranium, arms, legs and tail bone(s) (if Lukuo are affected). Grafts are usually necessary, but once at this stage of development then treatment is usually sonics. Failing that, the disease is terminal and life expectancy becomes horrifyingly short.

Causes

There have been various explanations given for the cause of KKG, but it appears that it is a form of recessive cancer. At this stage, the cancer does not pose an immediate threat to the patient by itself, but patients can request sonic treatments to destroy the cancer altogether.

Prevention and Treatment

Antibiotics, surgery, sonics.