Charlie's Story
Eight years ago, Charlie, a six-month-old Corgi mix puppy was pulled from a cattle roundup where he had been roaming on his own. From the moment he entered our lives, our days of going anywhere alone--even if only to the bathroom--were over. But Charlie is kind and sweet, he picked us to be his best friends, and we are honored.
Last year, Charlie began having trouble getting up. The problem started just before a scheduled rabies vaccine appointment, so off to the vet we went with our concerns. Charlie was found to have a torn ACL, so we prepared for surgery. The surgery went well, and we followed up with the slow and difficult process of post-surgical medication and keeping a rather young dog still. He would cry because he couldn't follow us everywhere as he had before. It was heartbreaking, but we kept telling ourselves it was only for 8 weeks. Sadly, after that time period, his wobbling hindquarters were actually worse. He had healed from the surgery but it was clear something else was going on, so we were referred to a specialist. The specialist told us Charlie might have a condition called Degenerative Myelopathy--a progressive disease that destroys the white tissue of the spinal cord in the thoracic region of the back. Onset is typically at 8-14 years of age and progresses over a period of 6 months to 3 years. As paralysis begins, it is seen as wobbling and/or foot dragging and affects one or both hind legs. There is no cure.
DM is thought to target certain pure breeds over others, particularly the American Eskimo Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Borzoi, Boxer, Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Great Pyrenees, Poodle, Pug, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Shetland Sheepdog, and certain terriers such as the Kerry Blue, Soft Coated Wheaten, and Wire Fox Terrier. Still, the problem is not exclusive to these purebreds. Mixed breeds, like Charlie, can be affected, too.
While there is no cure, there is a simple and inexpensive DNA test that can detect the presence of DM. If you have a middle-aged dog with symptoms such as wobbly hindquarters or dragging a hind foot, we highly recommend you ask your veterinarian about this relatively new test. The results will give you a reliable diagnosis of this progressive disease. If your dog tests positive for DM, remember, Knowledge is Power. You can slow down the process and maximize the quality of your dog's life by avoiding stress whenever possible, including the stress from non-essential surgical procedures and anesthesia. Exercise (Physical Therapy) is extremely important to maintain the dog's ability to walk for as long as possible. General supportive care, including dietary supplements, may help slow down the disease as well. We have ordered holistic medications and, although their value is not clinically proven, we are willing to "go down swinging" for our best friend.
Charlie is still able to wag that tail of his. Even though his hind legs are failing, he is not in pain and we are grateful for that and every moment we have left together. There is a wealth of information on the subject of Degenerative Myelopathy available on the Web. Get a general overview of the disease at Wikipedia and helpful information on the care of dogs with this disease at Dogs with Disabilities.
Last year, Charlie began having trouble getting up. The problem started just before a scheduled rabies vaccine appointment, so off to the vet we went with our concerns. Charlie was found to have a torn ACL, so we prepared for surgery. The surgery went well, and we followed up with the slow and difficult process of post-surgical medication and keeping a rather young dog still. He would cry because he couldn't follow us everywhere as he had before. It was heartbreaking, but we kept telling ourselves it was only for 8 weeks. Sadly, after that time period, his wobbling hindquarters were actually worse. He had healed from the surgery but it was clear something else was going on, so we were referred to a specialist. The specialist told us Charlie might have a condition called Degenerative Myelopathy--a progressive disease that destroys the white tissue of the spinal cord in the thoracic region of the back. Onset is typically at 8-14 years of age and progresses over a period of 6 months to 3 years. As paralysis begins, it is seen as wobbling and/or foot dragging and affects one or both hind legs. There is no cure.
DM is thought to target certain pure breeds over others, particularly the American Eskimo Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Borzoi, Boxer, Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Great Pyrenees, Poodle, Pug, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Shetland Sheepdog, and certain terriers such as the Kerry Blue, Soft Coated Wheaten, and Wire Fox Terrier. Still, the problem is not exclusive to these purebreds. Mixed breeds, like Charlie, can be affected, too.
While there is no cure, there is a simple and inexpensive DNA test that can detect the presence of DM. If you have a middle-aged dog with symptoms such as wobbly hindquarters or dragging a hind foot, we highly recommend you ask your veterinarian about this relatively new test. The results will give you a reliable diagnosis of this progressive disease. If your dog tests positive for DM, remember, Knowledge is Power. You can slow down the process and maximize the quality of your dog's life by avoiding stress whenever possible, including the stress from non-essential surgical procedures and anesthesia. Exercise (Physical Therapy) is extremely important to maintain the dog's ability to walk for as long as possible. General supportive care, including dietary supplements, may help slow down the disease as well. We have ordered holistic medications and, although their value is not clinically proven, we are willing to "go down swinging" for our best friend.
Charlie is still able to wag that tail of his. Even though his hind legs are failing, he is not in pain and we are grateful for that and every moment we have left together. There is a wealth of information on the subject of Degenerative Myelopathy available on the Web. Get a general overview of the disease at Wikipedia and helpful information on the care of dogs with this disease at Dogs with Disabilities.
