The Sorrow of DM and other inheritable diseases - Page 3

Very hard to lose any dog. I lost 3 working dogs to DM over a 4 years period. the youngest was 5 the oldest 7. I now test all my dogs prior to breeding or placing them into training
so sorry to all that have had to deal with the devestation of this disease

Abby, I'd love to see your dogs. Posting the photos for others to see is such a beautiful way to honor their memory. Of course, I also know that scanning and posting the photos can be a bit of challenge. I haven't posted pictures in a very long time and posting them today took me...well, let's just say a lot longer than it should've!

K9sar, Do you have any photos of your dogs? I can't imagine losing three dogs in 4 years, and to a disease like DM. I am so sorry.

K9Sar how heartbreaking....I am still learning to cope with the loss of Loki and I have his cousin that I am watching everytime he trips or drags his back foot.  I have become a little overprotective.  I found these pictures of Loki, the first when he was swimming in the last week and a visit to the vet for acupuncture.  He loved the vet and his treatments, he would hobble over to the blanket and lay down then start chirping at the vet while eye-balling the electrophoresis machine (it was hooked up to various needles to maximize the effects). 

After this very heartbreaking thread, why are some here still offering advice to newbies to buy dogs from breeders who are NOT testing for DM? If this thread doesn't open eyes here, I'm not sure what will.

Beautiful dogs.  Sad stories.  My sympathy to everyone who had/has a dog with this condition.

I do want to thank the posters who have shared their sorrow and their heart dogs' pictures on this thread. I'm hoping it will continue, because that is the point of this thread. I continue to find my monitor tends to get blurry reading other people's stories besides my own, but in the end I find myself smiling through the haze, feeling such love for all "our" stricken dogs.

"He insisted on taking his frisbee with him every time he went out because he was certain he'd somehow be able to play again. He tried so hard, but just couldn't do it. "  Diane, Oh gosh, that statement broke my heart and I've not been able to get it out of my head. I also haven't been able to get the photos of him out of my mind, sitting there with his frisbee, ready to play... I'm so sorry. What happened to your beloved dog, and all the dogs with DM, is just so unfair.

Mindhunt, I love the photo of your boy at the vet's office. It is just amazing how these dogs just make the best out of every situation.

Starrchar, you said you would like more info on AF.  I to lost Keira to DM at 12 and abit but she also had AF for the last 5 and a bit years.  Keira started with little fissures at the side of her anus.  When she was having a bad time with the AF there were pits at the sides of her anus about 1/2 a centimetre deep.  It's like the tissues melt round the anus.  We could not treat Keira with the usual conventional medications as her immune system was already under attack form her other problems.  I have a fantastic Homoeopathic vet and we managed it.  Kee had her tail shaved was washed and creamed twice a day normally depending on how the AF was behaving.  We couldn't operate because of where it was.  I think Cyclosporin  (spelling might be wrong) is one medications and there are more.  Some dogs recover, some have op's, some have good and bad times I hear quite allot loose there battle with this inherited horrific condition.  

shepherdhope

www.genoscoper.com  Info about Anal Furunculosis.