What Is Muscular Dystrophy? Muscular dystrophy or MD (pronounced mus-kyoo-lur dis-troh-fee) is a degenerative muscular disease where the muscles of the body get weaker and can stop working. For people who have MD, the proteins in the body are not made properly, and without these proteins, the muscles break down over time, so people with MD have problems with the way their bodies work. Erica has MD and she sometimes struggles with day-to-day problems, but she is learning how to manage her growing pains with the help of her new pet, Tripod the dog. It isn’t easy for Erica, as her new dog Tripod is a brand new challenge. Erica’s mom has brought home many pets over the years that needed homes. But this time it’s different, this dog has challenges of its own. Can Erica make friends with the new addition to the family?