Dealing
with Degenerative Myelopathy By
PEGGY JOHNSON
The
following was sent to me by Cindy Eckard in the hope
that it might benefit others whose dogs may also be
afflicted with DM (degenerative myelopathy), and who
are trying to cope with this debilitating disease.
Reading
this, you will marvel at the care and love Cindy gave
to Sara, her beloved white
German shepherd, whose obituary appeared in this column
not long ago. Yes, that beautiful dog with the smile!
1)
Carpet their world. This was the first thing our
fabulous Dr. Coale told us, and he was right. Buy
indoor/outdoor carpet (some are just green plastic)
and put it everywhere the dog walks to provide traction,
including decks, kennels and basements.
Eliminate all staircases, wood floors and tile floors
for your dog. Period.
2)
Regular exercise is important. It helps keep the muscles
strong mechanically, even when the body is having
trouble communicating with the legs. We did a few
laps around the house at a good, even pace twice a
day. We found that a good walk was better than a run
for maintaining Sara's strength and flexibility. She
benefited from the way our yard slopes, too, because
she had a bit of an uphill climb, and a downward one
on the way back, which worked a variety of her muscles.
Keep the dog on a leash at all times, to help support
her and to regulate activity. When they feel good,
the dogs will run around a lot, and hurt themselves,
which will make regular exercise the next day more
difficult. We learned, much later in Sara's journey,
that a second leash slipped under the hips would help
relieve some of the stress on her legs, and enable
her to continue exercise.
Conversely,
learn the signs of fatigue or muscle stress, and let
your dog rest a day when needed. Sometimes a day of
rest (no exercise) could turn Sara's whole world around.
3)
Part of this syndrome is that occasionally your dog
will lose control of the bowels. Ignore any indoor
accidents completely and just clean up. Don't scold
or show disapproval. Always greet your dog happily
and comfort her.
These
dogs are upset with themselves, baffled by what's
happening with their bodies, and sometimes frightened.
(How would you feel if your legs suddenly didn't work?)
They are watching your reactions carefully, so always
be glad to see them and tell them they are great.
Emotional support, believe it or not, plays a big
role in keeping them healthy.
4)
Monitor their behaviors (energy level, bowel movements,
moods, eating habits, levels of muscular control,etc.)
to see if there are patterns. We kept a daily log,
and it helped us a good deal. Learn to work within
those patterns to your dog's advantage, adjusting
exercise, vitamins, and medications as needed. Anticipating
patterns will help reduce stress on you, too. Sara
could have pretty dramatic shifts in her overall well-being:
increased trouble walking or standing, or a dip in
appetite. It was comforting to know that she would
swing out of a bad spell in a few days.
5) Prevent the dog from learning how to walk on
its knuckles. If she got too excited, Sara would run
like mad and start to knuckle. We would stop her,
make her rest a moment, and touch a paw that she had
started to drag, reminding her to "place that
foot."
6)
She learned quickly what that meant, and in time she
would regulate her own speed so that she could concentrate
on walking properly. Remember, these are smart, sensitive,
acutely aware German shepherds!
If
they've learned how to walk on those knuckles, you've
lost an important part of your battle - keeping the
hind leg muscles working for you. The dog has to be
able to lift that leg high enough to place the whole
foot.
Consistent
knuckling means the leg has given up before that action
has been completed. Once the dog learns that he or
she can get around this way, they will stop trying
to use the leg muscles to their fullest extent, and
real exercise will soon become impossible.
Muscles
are just machines that don't work if you don't use
them. Since the brain isn't talking to the muscles
anymore in dogs with DM, it's up to you to mechanically
get those muscles to keep operating.
Yes,
some people will opt for carts. I understand too well
how they feel. Here you have this beautiful, healthy,
playful dog. Only problem is the legs don't work.
Okay, let's give them new legs in the form of wheels.
I respect any owner who chooses a cart for their dog.
I just hope they give the dog all the exercise and
care possible, to keep them on their own four legs,
first. These are proud and elegant animals.
7)
Keep more rambunctious dogs and small kids away from
the dog as much as possible, to avoid your dog getting
knocked over and injured.
8)
Teach them to lie down when they eat. It lessens the
daily wear and tear on their muscles. Especially if
you have exercised your dog before giving her a meal.
Let her take a load off of her legs when she is done.
9) Ask your vet about Dr. Roger Clemmons' protocol
(you can find it online). Devote yourself to the medicine
schedule. Altering it can really affect your dog.
Give her a few minutes to have the medicine "kick
in" before exercising. It makes a big difference.
We
adjusted the aminocaproic acid that the Clemmons'
protocol recommends upwards as the months went by,
since Sara seemed to do better with a little more,
then a little more a few months later.
The
key to Sara, though, was the Vitamin B complex being
adjusted upward at the same time. There is something
about the combination that worked really well. I
read in a magazine that some dogs with DM have a
vitamin B deficiency. That night I doubled Sara's
dose. She improved dramatically. Dr.
Clemmons recommends a different heartworm medication
than the one we had been giving Sara. The one he
recommended, I believe, has less of an impact on
the nervous system. Check with your vet.
10)
"Never give up on your dog" - I read this
on a Web site early on in my research, and it gave
me a lot of inspiration. Sara
amazed us with her strength, courage and tenacity.
Just when we would prepare ourselves for the worst,
she would spring back, laughing and full of energy.
Watch
for signs, adjust vitamins, medication and exercise
as needed, and believe in good things. Your dog is
strong, brave and sensitive, and will respond to your
love and care.
Cindy,
what a wonderful dissertation! Inspirational. Sara
was so lucky to have someone like you to care for
her - and you were so lucky to have a dog like Sara.
I am sure she is "smiling" at you from the
Rainbow Bridge. Thanks for sharing this with us, and
I hope it will be beneficial to others going through
the same thing. I know that is what you hope, too.
Next week I will comment on another case of DM. Other
breeds are also affected by DM, so readers should
be aware.
Questions
about dogs may be sent to Peggy Johnson -"Dog's
World," c/o The Capital, P.O. Box 911, Annapolis,
MD 21404 or emailed to dogsworld@hometownannapolis.com.
Readers with questions can also submit photos of their
pets to run with the online column.
Published
08/21/2002 Copyright © 2002 The Capital, Annapolis,
Md. hometownannapolis.com
All
information provided at CyberCanine.com is for educational
purposes only. This information is not intended as
medical advice and can never replace medical care
and treatments.
