Degenerative Myelopathy in Dogs

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Күн бұрын

Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a slowly progressive neurological disease of the spine in dogs. Degeneration means deterioration. Myelopathy is any problem with the spinal cord. So, degenerative myelopathy means deterioration of the spinal cord.
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#DegenerativeMyelopathy
00:00 Introduction
00:37 Causes
01:01 Clinical Signs
01:57 Diagnosis
03:14 Treatment

Пікірлер: 55

@idaho38 3 ай бұрын

I had a boxer that suffered an accident, started showing signs 4 months later, I had a chiropractor coming to my house to adjust her spine every month, put her down a year later, hardest thing ever, she was 11 years old...I cried a river. I will always miss my Dora.

@standforhumanitariancauses4756 Ай бұрын

I'm very Sorry for your loss. What type of accident did she have?

@frvnxes 8 ай бұрын

i had a corgi who passed away last year who had this. and i have another corgi who is getting put down soon due to DM as well. i’m 20 years old and i’ve had these dogs since i was 6 and 8. i consider them my childhood dogs. it’s incredibly hard to say goodbye. i know i gave them everything i could though.

@SEVNeurology 8 ай бұрын

We know how difficult it is to lose a four-legged member of the family. They'll always hold a special place in your heart. Sending you lots of strength during this difficult time. ❤️

@mattt2581 9 ай бұрын

Our boxer dealt with this. It was very difficult to watch and deal with. Luckily some wheels were donated for her, to extend her life. She was the sweetest girl and my wife and I still miss her dearly. She'll be gone 6 years this December.

@ProfRoofs Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the presentation. My prayers for those facing this condition in their fur baby. I wonder if there are any studies looking at monoclonal antibodies in treatment or slowing down disease progression.

@sandraruhmann6074 6 ай бұрын

My Airedale just passed with this disease. Our young regular veterinarian did not diagnose this. But our Veterinarian who moved away nailed it over the phone. I only wish we could have done more. Thank you for this article.

@ericschmidt1987 6 ай бұрын

what more can you do more when its a degenerative disorder that progresses? Not being a jerk. My 9 yr old just got diagnosed and Im super sad. Genuinely curious.

@catoe06 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this. My pup was just diagnosed yesterday and I am devastated - but knowing what to expect is helping a little.

@SEVNeurology Жыл бұрын

Sorry to hear that. Glad you found the information useful. ❤️

@cherylmillard2067 Жыл бұрын

There's a helpful group on Facebook that is so helpful. It's called "Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) awareness group". My dog Mimi has it, she's a Boxer/Lab mix, we are almost at the end of the road. How old is your dog?

@catoe06 Жыл бұрын

@@cherylmillard2067 thank you so much! I will go join :) my dog is 9.5 - he’s a pit/Boston terrier mix. We are near the beginning of his journey

@cherylmillard2067 Жыл бұрын

@@catoe06 You can say I sent you, I have a different profile picture, I have red hair. We are at the end of ours, it started in 2021. Spend your money on bucket list quality of life things.

@samjj8942 11 ай бұрын

My beautiful German Shepherd was diagnosed with this when he was 12 , we got him doggy wheels but we lost him a year later. I've never been able to get another GS.

@grayc636 3 ай бұрын

I feel you man but the need our help we cant let them down there anothe rone scared and alone when youre ready

@samjj8942 3 ай бұрын

@@grayc636 I've two Shihtzus now and one gets anxious around bigger dogs , but maybe when I'm blessed to move to a bigger Home I'll be Blessed to have another if my anxious girl will accept 🙏

@szatkown 5 ай бұрын

Breeders are now reputably breeding german shepherds (and other breeds who are known for this disease) without the DM gene. As our neurologist advised, the only way this disease can be defeated is by NOT allowing the breeding of dogs who have the DM gene(s). There are responsible breeders out there who are breeding responsibly. Seek them out. I personally don’t know of any but they do exist and are out there.

@SuddenlyIndebt 2 ай бұрын

Thanks to this video I was finally able to figure out exactly what my dog has. Our regular vet was never able to figure out a diagnosis. I'm not sure what stage my dog is at. Last year he was still able to walk slightly but would walk almost drunkenly and fall over. This year he's completely lost mobility in his backlegs and having difficulties pooping/pushing. We got him a wheelchair and that has actually been helping him walk with the strength of his front legs but lately it seems like he doesn't want to be in that wheelchair for long anymore. His head hunches down when we walk him with the wheelchair and his backlegs are permanently crossed. Sometimes he spends every waking moment yelping and barking uncontrollably and we aren't able to figure out if it's from pain or anything else. I don't know what else I can for my 11 year old furry friend. I don't even know if I'm supposed to put him down or if I should let him stay with us longer. Do you happen to have any advice for this?

@user-yg3ir9if7z 2 ай бұрын

Hey there! First of all, I am so sorry your beloved dog and you as his owner have to go through this. Speaking from experience I know how difficult it can become over time. Often it's hard to watch, knowing you can't stop the disease and there's no cure. My German Sheperd was diagnosed with Degenerative Myelopathy around two years ago and lived until the end stage of it. Every owner and its dog have different circumstances. If you aren't financially capable to invest in expensive treatments or don't have the possibility to consult a specialist, that's totally fine! For my dog we had the privilege to see a specialist and receive a proper diagnosis early on. We were extremely lucky to have a very compassionate and experienced veterinarian by our side until the very end. It's extremely important to realize if you're dog is clearly in pain or not. Degenerative Myelopathy does not cause any direct pain, but other issues might arise such as incontinence. As soon as our dog was unable to control her bladder, we used every option out there to keep her and her bed clean. Luckily, we were able to afford a proper wheelchair/walking aid and keep her happy and active with walks, playing in the water etc. No pain, no visible suffering, she didn't mind not being able to stand up or walk on her own. She learned quickly that she can rely on us and is allowed to urinate by accident! We only had to make sure to replace her sheets regularly, it took a lot of effort and patience for sure... When we got to the point where it was extremely difficult to keep her hygienic and our veterinarian didn't have any solutions left, we all agreed on putting her down before she has to live in very poor conditions. Our only wish was to let her go with dignity. Not long after the disappointing news the vet gave to us, our dog stopped eating and drinking water completely. We knew that we can't postpone it any longer not even for one more week. We eventually put her to sleep after spending our last weekend with her...🕊️ Your goal is to be able to give your dog a joyful life as long as you can. But under your given circumstances and possibilities! Deep down you know if your dog is still enjoying life or not, it's hard to let go but we have the privilege to give our pet a peaceful and painless goodbye by deciding to put them down. When the bad days overweigh the good days and solutions run out, it's time. I hope my experiences might help you on your journey with your dog, I'm sure your dog knows how much you care about them and that you're giving your utmost best!

@riflemanm16a2 7 ай бұрын

I’m not sure if my rotty mix has this. Several months ago, she had surgery to remove a malignant melanoma from her *front* leg, and the day we picked her up from the vet, she had extreme hind leg weakness that she’d never shown before. It got much better as she recovered from the surgery, but she never fully recovered her hind leg strength. She started knuckling one paw when squatting to pee (and occasionally when walking too fast would scrape that foot) and having trouble standing up on tile floors, eventually falling into a sitting position until someone could pick her up and criss crossing her legs until she got her bearings again. I always suspected either a spinal injury during her surgery (when she was being moved to/from the operating table) or possibly a spread of the cancer to the spine, but then I read about DM and wondered it if just presented itself coincidentally with her surgery. She suddenly went downhill last week, only being able to walk with heavy assistance. Now she won’t even help me sit her up or stand her up and refuses food. She went from just having trouble on tile floors to bedridden in just one week. Maybe it’s multiple things converging at once.

@jennmerrill3432 4 ай бұрын

My husky boxer is almost 4 and came from the shelter with questionable walking patterns. We took him to many vets and eventually a specialist. He was diagnosed with DM 1.5 years ago. He comes to work at a farm with me and tries his hardest to keep up with playing with the other dogs. This is so sad to watch. So slow and so debilitating 😢

@lollypop0401 Жыл бұрын

My beloved Boxer, Ali, was diagnosed with DM in November 2022. It is a very sad condition, no cure, no medicine to stop the progression. Aminocaprocic acid and Vitamin E may slow the DM down. These medications have not worked for my Ali. Taking it day by day.

@lenaparker7602 Жыл бұрын

What did they do to diagnose your boxer? I have a 9 years old boxer with weaken hind legs. Did you see a neurologist?

@CharlottesCouture 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for this video. Going through it right now with my boxer. Back legs don’t work at all. Bought a wheelchair on Amazon and rigged it up to be perfect.

@SEVNeurology 3 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing your experience! We're glad to hear that the video has been helpful for you and your boxer.

@lizmusgrove8095 Ай бұрын

What wheels did you get for your boxer? Ours is struggling to walk at times with this condition and would like to try wheels for him

@CharlottesCouture Ай бұрын

@@lizmusgrove8095 the wheelchair has given her a sense of independence and has added years to her life hopefully. Been using it in snow, rain, all different types of terrain and she LOVES IT. I can send you videos of her using it and how to put it on if you like

@kevinjackson6568 10 ай бұрын

My Dog had this disease she lived about 16 months. I wish it was a cure i really miss her😢

@GhostbustersFan77 2 ай бұрын

My nephew has a former champion greyhound that is 12 years of age. He started showing weakness in his legs about three years ago, but the last four months it has gotten worst. He drags his hind paws when he goes for walks and he has trouble breathing. He also has had instances where he'll stand up and just start peeing which occurs mostly when I try to take him out for his morning walk. He has an appointment on the 18 of May and I feel the diagnosis will be Degenerative Myelopathy.

@TmHudsonArt 6 ай бұрын

I think one of my elderly Border collies has this or something that causes the same symptoms. Knuckling (Mostly on one leg than the other), rear end weakness...can appear like she's a bit drunk. She is also incontinent now too. She is 15 years and 10 months mind so she has lived longer than a lot of dogs out there. She still enjoys some things in life but she struggles more and more. I know her time is coming close....:(

@TinaCatron 20 күн бұрын

My greyhound has this :( We are heart broken.

@lilianazayas5759 Жыл бұрын

Question, dogs that have DM early stages where their back legs are weakening, this can affect them being able to pee/poop? How can dog owners help with them being able to do their necessities? 😢

@sylvesterstallonegalaxy Жыл бұрын

My pet parson jack Russell is suffering thru it. We have rubber booties for traction but very hard for him to climb the stairs, looses balance when pooing and wobbles to urinate on posts. He is a fighter but we dread to see the progression. He is going to be 12 in Oct 2023. 😊

@SEVNeurology Жыл бұрын

Hello, We are so sorry to hear your pet is going through this. It sounds like you're doing everything you can for him and he is lucky to have you :)

@sylvesterstallonegalaxy Жыл бұрын

@@SEVNeurology we have recently been giving him special vitamin chewy to strengthen his hips and hind legs. Will wait and see for improvements .Praise God he is not in any pain 🙏

@freshfireoganic879 6 ай бұрын

I have a Rhodesian Ridgback mix. He's only 50lbs however. Just yesterday he showed symptoms and this morning he can't walk at all. We got him a toy for Christmas that he loved but he chewed it to shreds so I threw it out. Is it possible he has something stuck in his gut that has the same symptoms? I don't have any money to go to the vet....

@jamie123b Жыл бұрын

My 16 year old Poppy has this and can barely get up. Last days now

@SEVNeurology Жыл бұрын

Sending all our love.

@jamie123b Жыл бұрын

@@SEVNeurology thank you. She went to doggy heaven yesterday.

@jamie123b 11 ай бұрын

@@Nowhere_Man_1953 thank you. Sorry that your Shepherd is going through the same, I’m sure he is being loved just as much as poppy, take comfort knowing they will be loved and cared for right to the end

@xuniandlisa1760 11 ай бұрын

One day our dog's back legs went a little bit weak then we applied some tick medicine because she had lot of ticks . The treatments that we did before weren't worked as much as we wanted then the day after that day she had a difficult with her breathing and while we waited for the vet she died. Can you explain it a little bit.??Please tell me a reason for that because she was only 2 years old?????please reply.....

@lizzy-wx4rx 10 ай бұрын

You should ask your vet. There are a lot of things it could have been, including Heartworm, which is going up, especially in the South and Midwest.

@connor7048 11 ай бұрын

My dog is an 11 year old English Golden Retriever and me and my family suspect that she may have DM as she exhibits extremely similar symptoms. The only difference is that she seems to also have pain accompanied with the DM symptoms. Does that rule out DM or could she also be suffering from something else at the same time?

@jacquiej5330 10 ай бұрын

My dachshund has symptoms of dm and he never seemed to be in pain. Recently he was whining and moaning, so the vet gave him arthritis med. After several months I discovered that he had a middle ear infection ! The vets didn’t catch it because it was in the ear tube and blocked by a thick waxy buildup . I noticed it after cleaning the wax out of his ears. After antibiotics, anti fungal med and ear drops he’s finally doing better-but still has symptoms of DM

@kevintan3795 5 ай бұрын

Four weeks ago, we went to the vet for with my dog's chronic ear infection. We hardly noticed any issue with his back legs but the vet noticed them to be slightly weak. Today my dog can no longer lift himself up from sitting position and could hardly stand. He has become incontinent with no control over his urination. The deterioration happened so abruptly, we still could not believe it. Is it normal for this to progress from zero to 100 in four weeks?

@SEVNeurology 5 ай бұрын

Degenerative myelopathy is usually slowly progressive over months. There are other conditions that can come on rapidly. What kind of dog (age, breed) do you have? Is he/she painful? If possible, you should see a vet neurologist. Did your vet prescribe medication?

@Drpaw-gd7nu Жыл бұрын

Hello is there a way international vet students can intern at your referral centre?

@SEVNeurology Жыл бұрын

Hello there. Yes, please reach out to Mayra at MayraH@sevneurology.com for more information.

@Drpaw-gd7nu Жыл бұрын

@@SEVNeurology thanks

@mrcoz1764 4 ай бұрын

Are these animals suffering ??? have a pain ????? Can they feel their legs or tail ??? I have a sitzu/ poodle mix who has this now She appears to be bloating I dont want her suffering she is about 14-15 yrs old,,,Anyone have any answers ???

@cherylmillard2067 Жыл бұрын

Degenerative Myelopathy is a presumptive diagnosis.

@SEVNeurology Жыл бұрын

Definitive diagnosis requires evaluation of spinal cord tissue (eg, post mortem). So yes, many times it’s presumptive. But it can confidently be diagnosed with appropriate signalment (age, breed), history (slowly progressive, insidious onset), exam (non-painful rear limb weakness) and testing (normal MRI, CSF and a genetic test demonstrating the mutation).

@connor7048 11 ай бұрын

@@SEVNeurology Are there cases where dogs have DM and have pain in their rear limbs? My dog exhibits very similar symptoms to DM but she also seems to have pain. Could we be mistaking pain for weakness?

@SEVNeurology 11 ай бұрын

@@connor7048 Typically DM is not a painful condition. If your dog is whimpering, crying, doesn’t want to be touched, holding up a limb, etc then I would be worried about a cause other than DM. Your best bet is to see a veterinary neurologist who can examine your pup and make specific recommendations.

@connor7048 11 ай бұрын

@@SEVNeurology Ok thank you for the reply!