Degenerative Myelopathy - Page 2

Hi

If you are in the UK and want this test done it is available for FREE.
Contact me and I will give you details.
 

Superdog.   Can you not just post the details on here for all to see please. Thanks.   Simon.

Hello Simon
I will lokk up the details and post back to you a.s.a.p.
Superdog

Marty,

I'm sorry to hear you are having trouble with your girl. Three weeks does seem to be much too short of time to be DM however I will say that over the years I have seen two different types of DM in GSDs.

One is early onset fast progression - onset can be from 5-7 years of age progresses rapidly usually within 6 month or so period to the point of no return.

Second is late onset (9 to 13 years of age) and slow progression. You generally can have several years of good quality life and the last dog I had that had this I used parts of Dr. Clemmon's protocol including the prescription meds from Westlab and felt that it managed to put a post mark in the disease for quite some time.

My understanding is that Dr. Clemmons protocol works much better on the late onset slow progression but Majorie is the expert on that and the research so listen to her. Also the protocol does not "cure" the disease it merely slows or temporarily stalls the progression of it.

I have not kept up on the research so I do not know if early onset / fast progression is in fact still considered to be the same disease or not. It is always possible that the assumption is made that it is DM because it looks like or mimics it and people do not want to burden the dog or perhaps worsen the condition with intrusive testing, so there does exist the possiblity that it is a different disease or different variant.

For those who can afford to support the research in this area I strongly suggest you give to Dr. Clemmon's research. He has the longest and best track record and has stuck with us through thick and thin. The johnny come lately's to the field are actually using his work to create paychecks for themselves. Plus as far as I know who is the ONLY one who while simultaneously was doing the hard science ALSO tried to alleviate the suffering of owner and dog by developing a protocol to help. For that we owe him a huge vote of thanks.

Marjorie, If you read this - do know if any work was ever done to look at the possibility that a slow virus might be part of the causation or if there is any relation to Kuru disease or scrapies sheep?  Also re the autoimmune component you might want to check out Polly Matzinger and her Danger theory re the autoimmune system. Her research suggest it is not the body fighting itself but in fact that there is minute damage caused to the body ( usually by bacteria or viruses) that is simply not recognized by the body at the time - that the defect is in the recognition system. Interesting stuff.

Superdog.   Have you forgotten to post the details of the UK test for DM ?, I assumed you would have the details to hand when you posted.      Simon.

I did not see where you where from , some people are mentioning the UK .

One thing that can be overlooked is Valley Fever, a fungus , causes simular symptoms. Typical only in the US Southern States like California, TX, AZ.

Also , once I sold an older 6 month old puppy whom was in need of a Rabies Vaccine. The Vet had the owner hold the wiggling wild puppy around her neck and hold her hed - which means he COULD NOT give the vaccine at the nape of the neck as normal- so he gave it further back- and the puppy within 8 hours was not walking at all. The owner perplexed went back to the same vet who said it was possibly DM. Crying she called me and I said most certianly not , and to see another Vet. New Vet did more tests etc and gave anti inflamitorys, sent her to a chiropractor, puppy ended up damaged for about a month where she was dragging her back toes , is now 2 years old and normal.

Good luck to you and your dog.

Whisper

On the General Topic some one posted that Canines in FL are getting ill and dying after eating iguana's that where killed by the great freeze overthere, apparently Clostridium botulinum also known as Botulism can cause the some familuar symptoms of nerve damage in dogs, including incordination to full out paraliysis and worse.

http://www.professorshouse.com/pets/dogs/botulism-and-dogs.aspx 
"In dogs, symptoms typically occur more quickly, usually only 12-36 hours after exposure to the toxin. Symptoms of botulism in dogs may include generalized weakness, paralysis that spreads from the hind limbs to the forelimbs, increased respiratory effort, facial nerve paralysis, and difficulty swallowing. As in humans, the unchecked the disease progresses to fatal respiratory failure." copied 02-09-2010

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_botulinum

Kimmelot.    It was Superdog that posted that there was a test in the UK for DM so I asked for the details to be posted on here for all to see but as yet Superdog has not posted any details.      Simon.