Re: [PyrNet-L] Degenerative Myelopathy

[JGentzel@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/4/00 1:36:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
shirliad@yahoo.com writes:

<< 
 Degenerative myelopathy is when a dog's own immune system attacks his
 central nervous system.  I think this mainly happens in their lower spine. >>

Not so sure about the immune system, as it classically appears in family 
groups, even though it will skip generations and individuals.  It does affect 
the forequarters as well, but is not noticed as quickly.  Not sure that it is 
diagnosed with any lab values as opposed to clinical observations and 
symptoms.  This is the problem with it being misdiagnosed or missed often.  
Many older dogs have a small degree of it that is simply put down as old age, 
but is a mild form of the disease.  Most dogs I have seen with it have a very 
slow course of decline and we have had dogs that lived until almost 14 year 
old who had it somewhere about 8 years old.  As they get older they are a 
challenge to keep going as nothing seems to be better for them than exercise. 
 Any interruption in their activity can exacerbate the symptoms markedly and 
they must be back up on their feet walking.  I have seen dogs who literally 
walked on their fronts using their almost flaccid rears as a "rudder and 
stabilizing point" of reference.  You can notice the symptoms of a rhymatical 
flexing of the front toes as a sign that the condition has reached the 
advanced stages of involvement.  They also will have loss of spincter control 
of the anus thus you will see them pooping as they walk and the poop 
literally falls out of them as they walk.  They also cannot hunker down in 
the conventual manner to poop.  You will notice the poop has fallen out of 
them as they sleep.  All signs that the condition has advanced.  

Again if necessary force them up their feet and make them walk.  It will 
inhibit the pathological flexing reflexes and help them immensely.  We have 
noticed that holding the tail up seems to stimulate the extension mechanism 
they need for walking and help them start the cross reflexes they have used 
their whole life in gait.  In people this is a bipedal set of alternating 
inhibition and habitans of muscle groups.  In dogs this is of course 
quadruped and involves alternate quadruped locomotion groups.  In other words 
the left front, then right rear, the right front and left rear.  This might 
not be the exact sequence, but for explanation purposes serves the purpose.  
Being on their feet stimulates the extension forcing them to move makes the 
automatic muscle group activity work.  Not so sure there is much of a sensor 
component, but logically there must be some as in MS in people.

Hope this helps.

Joe