hey everyone. first time poster here.. i think.... well i will start out with my dog Marley. She is a little over 10. She had some trouble with her left leg yesterday. Was dragging her knuckle like the nerves were completely shot. after seeing the vet and doing some research i have come up with the symptoms being exactly what degenerative myelopathy. Basically a hereditary disease her parents must of had. There is no cure. the positives are that she's in no pain. The negatives are that its only going to get worse. Just don't know how long it will take. Anyone dealt with this? The neurologist wants 2500.00 for an MRI but i seems like i would be paying that to tell me what i know. She can still get around but drags her foot. I have bought her boots and a harness. My other issue is my wife and I have a one year anniversary trip overseas in 3 weeks. I would be heartbroken if something happened while i was gone. I am going to board her at the vet probably but she has never been boarded in her life. and lastly, my new job has me traveling overseas twice in the 3 times in the next 3 months. I'm so torn. Any advice? Im sorry for such a long post jut looking for some examples and advice. Ive never had to deal with an older dog and possibility of losing one. thanks in advance.
First, sorry you are dealing with this.
You need to rule out everything else first, injuries, arthritis, etc. Then you can do a quick and cheap swap test and see if she actually could have DM. I think OFA has them. Personally I wouldn't do the MRI, but that's just me.
I can tell you that DM doesn't usually happen quickly. It isn't normal for the symptoms to suddenly appear and usually the first thing owners notice is the sound of the dogs nails dragging or scuffing.
If it is DM, swimming is awesome and exercise is a must, diet becomes very important and proper weight must be maintained.
Stem cell treatments, IMO need a lot more research. Some have reported success, some haven't.
My vet told me ultimately it is a disease that comes down to how much you can take, not the dog. Some owners hang on to the bitter end with the dog completely immobile and in diapers. I couldn't and neither could my dog.
Although some dogs hang in there for a lengthy period of time, average time from onset of symptoms is 8-18 months.
Thanks for responding. Some positive things that you told me is that my dog has been getting stem cell once a year and still has cells left for her front elbow. Also I have a pool so that helps. Thank you again.
agreed , I wouldn't spend $2,500 for an MRI . This is a 10 year old dog, with a non-cure condition . So I would do everything in my might though to mitigate the situation , slow the decline as much as possible and give ex life extension with as much quality as possible.
give "good" source of protein , antioxidant , anti inflammatory , sources of choline , B12 , Foods That Improve Myelination | LIVESTRONG.COM bone broth, anything to help build collagen , selenium/magnesium .
Wobbler's which is associated with Doberman and Great Danes and GSD , is something which a friend of mine is experiencing with her young Dane . This is something I found for her New hope for treating wobblers syndrome
have no idea if it works but this video clip is very interesting.
essential fatty acids -- high omega 3 - helps with brain and nerve development and an oil (fish) that has a good dose of DHA which will help with myelination for nerve impulse MAY BE one of the ways to affect a preventive course against DM .
If this dog has never been boarded, is there anyway you can have someone live in your house and care for her while you are gone?! Someone who can also take the time to help her in and out? The stress and slick concrete surfaces may not be what is best for her right now.
Did the vet send in a test to University of Missouri for the DM gene? It is not that expensive. We went through some neurologic issues on a 9 year old and wound up with a different diagnosis, probably an extruded disc........but did not do the myelogram and MRI they offered but said, really? I was not going to do a very risky back surgery so we opted for conservative management. There are so many things that can cause these symptoms.
DM is very gradual in onset. They can have a spinal stroke (one sided/sudden onset), a disk injury, any number of things. Acupuncture and cold laser helped us and restored function over a period of about 6 months.
Dr. Clemmons at UF developed an antioxidant supplement for DM. He put my dog on it for Wobblers. You need a rx, but can buy it from West Lab pharmacy here in Gainesville, Fl, and they'll ship it.
Does she have anything else wrong besides the dragging? Lumbosacral problems are also common in the GSD.
I would include chlorella, spirulina, garlic, parsley, MSM , NAC , sulfur providing ingredients . Antioxidants, high levels natural vitamin C . B 12 . Selenium - . Magnesium from FOOD sources . Fish oil high in the DHA portion .
Also - often overlooked , make sure your dog's nails are trimmed properly . Long nails affect posture. An older dog with decline in muscle tone will experience a greater response .
ETA: Since knuckling-under can be so many other things, I think I'd ask for some radiographs of the spine and hips, and perhaps do several acupuncture sessions over a couple of weeks. Acupuncture isn't inexpensive, but you'll know right away if it helps. To me, it would be worth the experiment--when it helps dogs with nerve or spinal issues, it can be dramatic. If it's spinal pain or a nerve issue, you may well see improvement after a single session (though it won't necessarily last long after just one session).
I thought my dog had DM. She had all the symptoms but turns out she just has horrible hips. Did your vet do x-rays? I wouldn't spend the $2500 either. There is a test for abou $65 you can do to see if it is DM. Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
DM is neurological and the knuckling is the first test anyone does - horse or dog - to see if there are neuro deficits....the MRI is high priced overkill at this point with a 10 year old dog IMO
Carmen is the one on this board who is knowledgeable about the supplements....I also followed the protocals of Dr. Clemmons years ago with a DM dog....her progress was pretty slow, and I kept her going a long time with a sling to help her out to potty and walk...
Like others say - I would try for alternatives to boarding at a vets....very very stressful environment and the dogs do not get alot of attention while boarded, and they are exposed to every sickness that walks breathing in the door! Home visits 2 or 3 times a day would be better for her...there are bonded pet sitters in most decent sized cities...
She is 10 - she can go for a good while yet if managed carefully...the stem cell and swimming are definitely a good step towards managing this...it won't get better...but it can be slowed down...
Hello I_love_my_mikko, how long has your dog been taking that medicine you suggested from UF? My dog has DM and I live in Gainesville as well, so I'm hoping to find anything that may help. Thank you
Hello Magwart, did you try acupuncture on a dog with DM? If so how often would you take the dog to get the procedure done to keep the dog from dragging it's legs?
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