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What
is degenerative myelopathy?
http://www.upei.ca/cidd
related terms: chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy, German
shepherd dog myelopathy |
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This
disorder affects dogs 5 years of age
or older. There is a slowly progressive loss of coordination in the
hind limbs, with increasing weakness. This occurs because of
deterioration of structures in the spinal cord that are responsible for
conduction of nerve impulses (specifically the loss of myelin and
degeneration of axons in the white matter). Although the changes may be
found anywhere in the spinal
cord, they are most severe in the lower back (thoracolumbar)
region. The cause of these changes is not known. There is
evidence that an inappropriate immune response (to a neural antigen)
may be involved.
How is degenerative myelopathy inherited?
The mode of inheritance is not known.
What breeds are affected by degenerative myelopathy?
This condition is seen most often in the German shepherd and German
shepherd crosses. Degenerative myelopathy has also been reported in
other large and medium breeds, including the Kerry blue terrier,
collie, Siberian husky, Belgian shepherd, old English sheepdog,
Labrador retriever and Chesapeake Bay retriever. For many breeds and
many disorders, the studies to determine the mode of inheritance or the
frequency in the breed have not been carried out, or are inconclusive.
We have listed breeds for which there is a consensus among those
investigating in this field and among veterinary practitioners, that
the condition is significant in this breed.
What does degenerative myelopathy mean to your dog & you?
The condition is seen in dogs 5 years of age or older. The changes
develop slowly and may initially be blamed on hip dysplasia. The first
signs are weakness and lack of coordination in the hind limbs, which
are more apparent when the dog is walking on a smooth surface. One side
may be more severely affected than the other. The condition does not
appear to be painful, and dogs retain the ability to control urination
and defecation, although as they become progressively weaker they
will be unable to move to an appropriate spot or assume the necessary
posture.
These signs gradually worsen until the dog is unable to walk, usually
several months to a year after the neurologic problems are first
noticed.
How is degenerative myelopathy diagnosed?
There are several conditions that can cause this kind of weakness in
the hind end, in middle-aged medium to large breed dogs. Your
veterinarian will do a thorough neurologic exam on your dog
and x-rays, to rule out other causes.
For the veterinarian:
Rule-outs include diskospondylitis, myelitis, intervertebral disc
protrusion, and spinal neoplasia. Abnormalities on neurologic
examination are consistent with an upper motor neuron lesion in the
T3-L3 region, and include decreased proprioception and placing
reactions in the hind limbs, normal to exaggerated patellar and
hind limb withdrawal reflexes, normal anal sphincter tone,
and sometimes crossed extensor reflexes in the pelvic limbs.
Occasionally patellar reflexes are depressed or absent in one or
even both legs, but this is an afferent rather than an
LMN lesion.
How is degenerative myelopathy treated?
Although there is no specific treatment for this condition, supportive
care can generally be provided for several months.Your veterinarian
will suggest ways to help you adjust to your dog's gradually increasing
limitations, and to recognize the point at which euthanasia becomes the
best option. This is usually within a year of the initial diagnosis,
when your dog is no longer able to walk. Some believe that treatment
with a combination of increased exercise, vitamin supplementation and
aminocaproic acid can slow the progression of this disease (see
Clemmons below), but controlled studies have not been carried out that
demonstrate this.
Breeding advice
Because clinical signs don't develop until well after sexual maturity,
it is safest to avoid breeding any dogs from families where
degenerative myelopathy has been diagnosed.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DISORDER, PLEASE
SEE YOUR VETERINARIAN.
Resources
LeCouteur, R.A., Child, G. Diseases of the Spinal Cord. In S.J.
Ettinger and E.C. Feldman (eds) Textbook of Veterinary Internal
Medicine, pp.650-652. W.B. Saunders Co., Toronto.
Clemmons, R.M. 1992 Degenerative myelopathy. Vet Clin North Am
22(4):965-971
Copyright © 1998 Canine Inherited Disorders Database. All rights
reserved. Revised: October 30, 2001.
This database is a joint initiative of the Sir James Dunn Animal
Welfare Centre at
the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island,
and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.
reprinted
with kind permission from:-
Alice
Crook, DVM,Coordinator, Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre, Atlantic
Veterinary College,University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University
Ave.Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3
http://www.upei.ca/cidd
********************************
Living with CDRM.
In January of 1996 I had
three GSD's. Prince almost eleven, Sabre, who was Prince's son, then
coming up for nine, and Lady a spayed rescued bitch aged three and a
half. Both prince and Sabre were strong and incredibly healthy dogs.
During a regular walk on Wimbledon Common I noticed that Prince and
Lady were, as usual, jumping over fallen trees, Sabre was walking
around them. This was not normal behavior for lunatic Sabre and it
caused me to look more closely. He was limping very slightly on his
left leg. 'Probably trodden on something' I thought while making a
mental note to take him to the vets if he was still limping in a couple
of days. He was, so I took him.
The initials CDRM meant nothing to me. "Could be a degenerative
condition, untreatable if it is". I rejected this as being impossible.
Not my Sabre, not this huge, fit wonderful dog. They had got it wrong,
there was a simple explanation. A couple of referrals later, a long
telephone call with a friend in GSD Welfare and I realised that it was
CDRM and the prognosis was not good. A matter of months most said.
A cart had been suggested for when he could no longer use his back
legs. I had immediately rejected this "It wouldn't be fair for him"
"How do you know what he would consider fair?" Half accepting this, I
filed the idea away. If this was a degenerative condition affecting the
nerves how about a spinal injuries unit? I telephoned one. The nurse I
spoke to suggested physiotherapy. ACPAT found me one in Hemel
Hampstead. Though never having treat a CDRM patient she spoke with the
vet and worked out a series of simple exercises.
We arrived for our first session early. As I walked towards a nearby
piece of grass with him he staggered every few steps, tripped and fell.
The look of puzzlement was agonising. As he attempted to squat he would
suddenly fall backwards. It tore me apart watching him. He needed to
improve his base of support. There was a tendency to stand with both
paws together as
though balancing on the tip of a triangle. He had lost the
feeling in his left leg and along with it awareness of where
that leg was. His muscles needed strengthening. She said I should do
the exercises 5 to 6 times a day for him. He staggered off.
On our return the following week he walked all the way to the green and
back without falling over once. Over the weeks he got better and better
until she said she no longer needed to see us but to continue with the
exercises.
A friend's wife telephoned to say that, although she told very few
people, she was a faith healer. Though terrified of dogs, GSD's in
particular, would I like her to try to help Sabre? I would have
accepted help from any quarter and said yes. Sabres first few visits to
her were not a success. Though friendly and loving of a fuss her touch
clearly disturbed him. (I now realise this to be a good sign) and he
would move away from her after just a minute. Try as she did he allowed
her a
minute or so before moving away. Over the weeks though, the
periods grew until he would go over and lie at her feet. As she placed
her hands above him he would let out a great sigh of contentment and go
into a deep sleep for exactly 20
minutes.
Though he could walk it was an odd gait that twisted the left rear paw
and caused it to bleed. He was in fact creating almost his own pad on
the side of the foot. All types of doggie boot were tried without
success. In the end it was down to begging friends for old socks ,
neighbours scoured charity shops. My sock pile
grew. Prince had been suffering with arthritis for a couple of years
and was on PLT. In September of 1996 the vet examined Prince and said
"I am sorry to have to say this but I think Prince also has CDRM.
The arthritis symptoms have masked the onset of it". Having arthritis
there was no way we could manipulate the joints with physiotherapy as
we had Sabre's. Prince began to slowly decline. We still took them out
daily but the walks were now shorter. I ordered a cart and when it
arrived took the other two out of the room and simply put Prince into
it. He stood for a few minutes and then howled. "There, I knew
it wouldn't work". I said, taking him out. It was put up in the
loft. The company said it would take about a fortnight of
perseverance to get him to accept it. I felt he never would.
We found a hydrotherapy pool at Stokechurch and took them all to it.
Sabre hated it. Lady ran
around the pool barking but Prince loved it. He would swim around with
a yellow floating bone in his mouth for
the entire 20 minutes. Eventually I used to take him on his
own twice a week. One day while watching him swimming I realsied that
he was only using his front legs. He had realised that with the
flotation device he didn't need to use his rear legs so
while his front half was like Arnold Swartenshepherd the rear was not
really being helped.
By April of 1998 Prince could only manage half a dozen steps without
falling down again. We would drive to the common, let Sabre and Lady
out and then I would hold Prince's tail, not holding him up by it but
counterbalancing him. As he started to go down on the left I would turn
his tail to the right and he could stay up those few extra steps. He
was so brave and tried so hard but he was
fighting a battle neither of us could hope to win. I
decided with a heavy heart that we would try him again in his cart and
if he never took to it, which I firmly believed he wouldn't, he would
have to be put to sleep for this simply was not fair
on him.
On Saturday morning leaving Sabre and Lady at home I took Prince to the
local Common. We fitted him into the cart and clipped the lead on
incase he paniced and ran off. His eyes were fastened on the ball I
held, it was his favorite possession. I did a couple of make believe
throws and then threw it down the path. he was gone. Two weeks! More
like 2 seconds. He took to it like he had been born in one. Grabbing
the ball he went to turn when a 5 month old bitch passed him.
This 13 year old Casanova was flying along after her. I could not
believe it. After 10 minutes or so I left him with a friend and went
back to the car to fetch Sabre and Lady. This would be the next test.
How would they
take to him in a cart and he to them? On my return they spotted
each other and ran to meet. The cart got a quick inspection and
a sniff then they were off like in the good old days.
Prince was a highly intelligent member of the GSD community and as such
he loved a game. Long before
CDRM we had devised a game
whereby we would separate on any mown grass surface, steal Sabre's ball
and then throw it across the grass between us. Sabre would be feinting
right and left to try to guess which
side the ball would pass him. Prince had joined in on the first
occasion. By the second time he had figured it out
and simply stood in the middle. The ball would have to pass under him
and he would dribble it away until Sabre got there. It was a game we
hadn't played for years. Would he remember it? Could he play it in the
cart? You bet. He got it wrong for
the first couple of times. He would be facing in the wrong direction
watching the game over his shoulder but then the penny dropped. Parking
the cart in the middle he would rush after the ball, to
assist we tailored our speed to his reduced rate. Sabre rolling
along before parking the cart on top of the ball. We never let on that
we could just have taken it from beneath him but always let
him keep it once it was there. On Sabres arrival he would move
backwards and then let Sabre take the now exposed ball.
People would stop and ask us about the cart. We had very few adverse
comments because just looking at him one could see how happy he was.
Occasionally I would be offered a redundant cart from somebody who's
dog had died. I began collecting these and loaning them out to people
who could not afford the cost of them. In this way I had placed a few
dogs on wheels and all of them had taken to it enthusiastically. I
found and joined the e-mail community DegenMyelopathy@onelist.com
which was a group of people who owned or had owned dogs with this
illness. DM being the American term for the illness. The group have a
web site http://www.angelfire.com/mi/dmroster/index.html
At the point of my joining
most members were very much anti cart due to a bad experience by one
member. When I started telling them the carting stories and sending out
pictures the questions came thick and fast. Eventually one of them
decided to try what I was saying and ordered a cart from Eddies Wheels
in the
USA. On receiving it she mailed me for advice and eventually
we spoke on the phone as I led her through the procedure to ensure
successful acceptance. Later that day I downloaded my letters and there
was Shauna, proudly in her cart with a near hysterical letter from
Debbie saying how happy she was and how wonderful it was to see Shauna
walking again. Following that the carts snowballed, Florida, Buffalo,
texas, all of
them sending thank you letters for encouraging them to try a
cart.
Prince had become incontinent, or so we were told. We dealt with it by
laying plastic sheeting on the floor with cut up washing machine size
blankets and bought lots of disinfectant. Sometimes he would
do a low howl during the night and we would say "Shut up you silly old
fool". I bought men's incontinence underpants, cut them up the side
seam so the pad would go sideways and fitted nappy booster pads in
before fastening this to him of a night. This went on for 3 months
until the vet asked if we could take him out of the cart for a heart
check. I apologised as he peed on the floor. "Oh, don't worry. His
bladder will
be full. I'll empty it for him" With that she gently squeezed him
around his stomach and he peed into a bowl. It transpired that he was
not incontinent but had lost the ability to work his
own bladder I was so upset to think that he ahd laid in agony for
months with us thinking he was incontinent. After asking that I be
shown what to do I took care of that department for him. We had
prince's peeing spots and he was dry after that.
In May of 1999 I took Prince out for his early morning pee and it was
blood. At 14 years of age his kidneys were failing. We rushed him to
the vets and knew it was time to say good-bye to an incredibly
courageous old boy. I drove him to Ongar where he was cremated. The
following week a young girl phoned to say she had
been given my number by the Blue Cross. Did I have a cart
for her 12 year old Misty. I said I had a cart but I didn't know
whether or not it would fit. We drove to Highgate. The resemblance to
prince was uncanny. She even made his Yoho noise. The cart almost
fitted. Misty took off immediately and like a little old lady in a pair
of shoes that were really too big she was off across Waterlow Park. A
group of tourists visiting Karl Marx tomb stopped to watch her
pass. When I said it was her first go at it they all cheered her.
Four weeks after Prince died Sabre had a stroke which paralysed one of
his front legs. We tried in vain for a week to save him but it was
hopeless. He
could not stand on his own. This was worse than loosing Prince. I had
time to sit with him and talk to him knowing this would be the last
time. I stroked his head and looked into his
eyes as he went. "Go find Prince, Sabre, he is waiting for you
in the forest by the lake", I took him to Ongar to be with his dad and
wrote this poem
I still belong to the email
community and I still put dogs
on wheels for people who can't afford to buy the carts. Its a pity that
so many vets see euthanasia as the only answer to CDRM. Devastating
thought the illness is I would go through it all again if I ahd to
because it brought us so
much closer. I cared for my old soldiers for over 3 years. We met the
problems together and dealt with them together. Through
this illness I have met a whole cyber community sharing and exchanging
information, few of us have met in person yet all feel the joy and
sadness of opening that days mail. A woman I have never met living in
South Sheilds, through me loaned a cart to a
dog who's owner she had never met in Coventry. A woman in Texas gave a
cart to a woman she had never met in Canada.
Two weeks ago I took a cart to a village just outside of Barnsley. A
rescued GSD bitch, they had seen an article about me by sheer chance.
Someone had been scrunching up the Weekly News to light a fire when
they spotted the picture of Misty in her cart. I arrived at seven at
night. We put her in the cart and she was fidgeting as I adjusted it.
The woman looked anxiously on as the dog got
more agitated. "Lets give her a go in it so she understands and then I
will adjust it some more". When they reached for her
lead she screamed. "She hasn't been out for a walk for four months"
Within minutes we were all running along the road in a desperate effort
to keep up with her as she flew along screaming with happiness. They
tell me she screams every time they get the lead.
reprinted with kind permision from Jim Cola
*******************************
BOWEL
AND BLADDER FUNCTION IN THE D.M. DOG.
Author Ann Cooper
acooper@direct.ca
Although
Bowel and Bladder problems are not normally
seen early in the course of Degenerative Myelopathy, they do become a
concern as the disease progresses and nerves controlling the muscles of
these functions are impaired. It is possible to successfully manage B
and B function to avoid the accidents that can make both the dog's and
owner's life miserable.
It does take some initial time and determination to set up and follow
an effective routine. However, once established, it takes far less
time, effort, money and distress than dealing with the alternative
consequences of poop and pee in the house, urinary tract infection's,
skin breakdown and the potential health complications of kidney damage.
I am not a Vet. I base this information on my own 18month journey with
my dog, Raffi, into the world of D.M. and my 20 years working in Rehab.
with people who are dealing with neurological disorders such as
Multiple Sclerosis and Spinal Cord injury. Also, other owners of
DM dogs have shared their own experiences. So please if
you have any concerns about your own dog, ask your Vet to show you the
best techniques for her/him.
BLADDER.
Problem: As the nerves controlling the muscles of the bladder and
sphincter become affected the bladder gradually looses its "tone", its
elasticity and ability to
contract to force the urine out. It also looses the ability to open the
exit sphincter. The bladder cannot empty normally. It becomes
over-filled and distended. Pressure rises to the point where it is
forced to dribble out past the closed sphincter. Or any unexpected
pressure over the bladder area can cause a flood. Urine also backs up
the urethras towards the kidneys. Since the bladder doesn't fully
empty, there is
retention of stale urine and a prime site for infection.
The results can be:
Discomfort or pain of an over filled bladder
Scalding of the skin and urine burns.
Urinary tract infection
Kidney damage
Compounding the Problem: A D.M. dog often does not drink enough water.
This leads to dehydration and also concentration of urine which in turn
increases the risk of Bladder infection and skin scalding and
breakdown, so any management of bladder control must include
controlling fluid intake as well as output.
Solutions:
1. Control fluid intake
2. Manually express the bladder
1.Controlling fluid intake: The obvious is to always have fresh
water close by. However, even then, some dogs don't initiate drinking.
If that is the case mix one to two cups of water with each meal, more
if the food is dry. Also give a "treat" of one to two cups of water
twice a day, flavoured with very diluted low salt chicken broth, or
whatever it takes to encourage drinking.
Stop giving fluids two or three hours before bedtime.
If recurring Bladder infections are a problem try giving Cranberry
juice or Cranberry extract to acidify the urine, and also increase
fluid intake. Get
Veterinary help for the infections. The dog will need more frequent
potty trips until the infection is cleared up.
2. Manually expressing the bladder: The goal is to stop the
bladder from ever getting completely full and therefore avoid
accidents. Adding hand pressure over the bladder will increase the
pressure enough to trigger the sphincter to open. You have probably
already found this by accident as you lifted your dog with a hand under
the tummy!! The trick, then, is to use this technique to empty it at a
time and place of your own choosing It needs to be done first thing in
the morning, at least every four hours
during the day and last thing before bedtime. With this routine most
dogs can go through the night without accidents and without discomfort.
It can be done with the dog standing, or in a cart or in a sling. Take
the dog to an acceptable "Potty spot". Encourage him/her to use
whatever control is still available by giving the "go pee" command or
whatever the dog associates with the act.
Male Dogs: Slip a hand palm up
under the belly and slide it towards the genital area. You will feel
the round globe of the full bladder under your hand. Apply a gentle but
sustained pressure until the flow starts. In early stages it will be
sufficient to just start the flow. As the bladder weakens you will need
to maintain and gently build the pressure towards the rear to keep the
flow going until the bladder is empty. Sometimes you will need to
empty, let him sniff around for a minute or two and do it again until
he is completely empty.[Males have a habit of reserving some for
territorial marking!]
Female dogs: It is a little
harder to find the bladder and to stay clear of the flow in the ladies.
Stand behind her with your feet apart, straddling her hips. The
flow will come between your feet. In the early stages reach a hand,
palm up, under her tummy and slide it back until your wrist stops
against the hipbone. Do the same thing with your other hand if you want
to do a two handed lift. Now gently lift her so that her own weight
presses her bladder onto your
hands. As the flow starts her legs will probably bend up in a reflex
into a squat position, and will go back down as she finishes the
flow.
N.B. Some people find it easier on their back to sling a folded
towel under her belly to lift. In the early stages this is often
effective, but you may need to change as the bladder weakens more. In
later stages the bladder becomes more flaccid and abdominal muscles are
softer. The pressure needs to be more directional and controlled. Use
the same
stance as before. Slide one hand under just behind the rib cage, where
the soft tummy starts. Apply pressure there as you
place the other hand over the bladder area just in front of the hips
[as you did in the early stages.] As you lift apply pressure with the
"bladder hand" up and back towards the root of the tail. You may need
to hold the pressure there for a few seconds before it triggers a flow.
I actually find it easier to use my forearm in front of the rib cage,
as it is stronger than my hand for a
sustained lift. Raffi is late stage and I sometimes need
to squat right over her and actually press her up against me to get
enough pressure to start the flow. You really need to be aware of your
own body posture and back protection techniques, i.e. keep your back
flat and use your legs to
squat and lift, not your back.
BOWEL.
Problem: Voluntary control of the sphincter muscle is lost. The
dog may or may not have the sensation that they need to "go", but in
any case cannot control it. Once the rectum is full, a reflex pushes
the stool out.
Solution: We can stimulate the bowel to empty on a regular basis
so that it never gets so full that it has to empty itself at an
inconvenient time or place.
Method : It is very important to establish a regular routine so
that the dog's digestive system can accommodate to the timing of the
procedure.
Feed at the same time each day. Feed preferably twice per day,
breakfast and supper time. Choose times to do the bowel stimulation
that are convenient enough to
you, that they can be done at the same each day. Again the
preference is for twice per day, first thing in the morning and last
thing at night.
Get surgical gloves from any pharmacy [you can wash them in hot soapy
water and reuse]
The dog can be standing, or in a cart or in a sling. There will
probably be a reflex squatting action and the dog may not have the
muscle strength to maintain him/her self in the squat position so will
probably need some kind of support to avoid falling over while
defecating.
Put one hand or forearm under the belly for support and to steady the
dog. Talk gently and reassuringly; this is a new experience for the
dog. It wont hurt but it must feel strange. Use the index finger of the
gloved hand [you can use a little Vaseline on it at first] push the
finger gently into the anus. You will feel considerable resistance to
begin with. Just keep a steady pressure and twist the finger a little
until the reflex contraction lets go. You will probably feel the stool
just inside. If you do not feel anything in the first 1 to 2 inches
s/he is not ready to go, try again in an hour.
In the early stages this, initial, stimulation will be enough to start
and complete the defecation. Later you will need to gently stroke just
inside the top of the anus to keep the stool moving until you cannot
feel any
more stool there. You will probably know how much is usual
for your dog.
You can't do any harm as long as you are using a clean gloved index
finger, are gentle, slow and don't go in more than 1 to2 inches.
If your dog is not able to tolerate this, or you find doing it and
supporting the dog too hard, it is possible to do the stimulation with
the dog lying on it's side. It takes more time and you may need to have
the dog backed up against a wall so that you can give a little steady,
gentle pressure against the abdomen to help with the "push".
At first this may seem too gross to contemplate. In fact it becomes so
routine that I don't even think about it any longer. It is worth it to
me to keep Raffi comfortable and clean and to not have unexpected
"surprises" to clean up around the house.
With two Bowel movements a day there should be no accidents and no
problem lasting through the night. The only exception to this is if the
dog gets diarrhoea.
To avoid this:
Watch what they eat and drink while out of the home.[Garbage mouth??]
Use clean water and food bowls [Stainless Steel are easy to keep clean]
Change any diet and meds gradually.
Watch the toys they chew, some have sharp, gut-irritating debris.
Good
luck, and free to call me for clarification or with other suggestions.
Ann
Cooper
acooper@direct.ca
******************
If your dog
does not poop when you think he needs to, I would use the "Q-Tip
trick." I would take a Q-tip grease the end with a dab of
Vaseline and push it gently into his anus. That usually is enough to
remind them they needed to poop.
*****************
********************************
Physiotherapy
Excercises for DM Dogs
Physiotherapy for DM
(CDRM) dogs
Sabre was diagnosed two months away from his ninth birthday. The
initial effects of it were so severe in that he was constantly falling
over and unable even to squat without collapsing that I thought I would
lose him within weeks. Somebody mentioned the Disabled Animals Club
which I joined and then asked for suggestions. They said try
physiotherapy. Through ACPAT I found one in Hemel Hempstead and drove
Sabre there once a week. This journey was a masochist's dream. Sabre
loves riding in the car to the extent that he barks with delight for
the entire ride, in this case around 120 miles round trip. Turning the
stereo up only increased his volume as, sitting as far to the rear as
he could, he serenaded me while staring at me in the rear view mirror.
The physiotherapist, who works regularly with the Royal Veterinary
College, said that he had lost all feeling in the left leg. He did not
know where it was. He had to
be taught not only where his leg was but also to increase his base
of support. The dog has a tendency to stand with their rear paws almost
together giving them a very narrow, almost pointed, base of support.
She showed me a few simple exercises which I should perform five to
six times a day on him. Within a week he was standing much better.
After
four weeks he was doing fine and has continued to do so for almost
three years. These are the exercises which are carried out on both
rear legs. The dog will associate the feeling he gets in the good
leg with what he should be feeling in the not so good leg. These are
done with the dog lying on his side.
Muscle Stretches.
1 Hip Flexers.
This is simply slipping one hand beneath the top of the hip to support
it. If the dogs left leg is being worked on your left hand would be
slipped between the dogs belly and hip so that the left hand is
supporting the hip bone at the joint with the next bone. Virtually our
'knee' . The right hand then holds the leg at the 'ankle/paw area and
the leg is straightened out backwards to it's full extent. Do this
three to four times.
2 Hip Abducters.
This is a very important
exercise. It is strengthening the muscle that keeps the leg straight.
With one hand under the hip, supporting the hip bone and the other
supporting the leg below the knee lift the hip slightly upwards away,
vertically away from the body until slight resistance is felt. You will
see that there is a triangular section of the dogs skin that is being
stretched by this action, do not overdo the pressure, and hold that
position while you count to five. Release and repeat five times. The
dogs paw should be down near the floor when you are doing this. It is
only the hip that you wish
to lift away.
Back
Starting at the base of the ears work your fingers gently down on each
side of the spine as though gently massaging the spine.
Balance. (Assuming left leg is affected one)
1. With him standing position his back legs so they are nice and square
then gently push him on the
right hand side of his back leg over towards his left leg. What you are
aiming to make him do is reposition his leg himself. You can also
achieve this by gently swaying him from side to side causing him to
have to transfer his weight from one leg to the other to keep from
falling over.
2. With him standing lift his rear right leg off the
ground to make him stand on his left leg for a few seconds. Do this
five times.
3. With him sitting lift alternate front legs off the
ground.
Passive Movements.
Do all the joints in the back legs. Working down the leg there are four
joints. Hip, then hip to the first leg bone (knee?) then ankle then
paw. The hip has already been done so supporting the hip stretch the
upper leg back as far as it will go and hold for a few seconds. Then as
far forward as it will go and hold for a few seconds. Do this five
times then move down the leg to
the next joint remembering always to hold the leg above the
joint you wish to work on. So if you were flexing the paw you would be
holding the leg between the ankle and the paw.
Tail Rolling
This is just taking the base of the tail and slowly wag it both in the
hanging down position and
then as though the dog were wagging it when it is held
high. This helps the dogs balance.
reprinted with kind permission from
Jim Colla
One
Happy Dog
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Hi
Val,
I took Elsa out for the first time
in her cart today, she was very unsure about the whole thing and
wouldn't
even move at first! So I gave her lots of fuss and treats when she
moved forwards and she seemed to pick up a little confidence. She was
very clingy all the way round the park and tried to walk as close as
she could to me (Almost knocking me over with the wheels several
times!) But when my other dogs caught eye of a squirrel and gave chase,
Elsa ran after them, trying to join in with their game and I burst into
tears to see her running along behind them!! The only thing is, she
didn't want to poo or wee while in the cart and I was wondering will it
come to her given time? will she just want to do it naturally? I
have attached a picture I took this morning of Elsa in her cart, I'm
trying to make the cart fun for her so she doesn't see it as something
to be nervous or frightened off! Thanks for the articles you sent.
Kind regards.
Dawn.
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Thank you Dawn for allowing us to share this moment
***********************
Dog fitted with
specialist buggy
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GO
FOR WHEELIES: Nicola Gray with her dog Travis and vet Dr Shams Mir
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Travis
the German Shepherd has swopped walkies for wheelies. The
nine-year-old is zipping around the streets of Wigan again after being
fitted with his very own specialist canine buggy. Travis suffers
from a degenerative spinal illness called CDRM which has progressively
robbed him of the use of his back legs. There is no treatment
currently available to reverse the condition.
But extensive physiotherapy sessions at Wigan's Anrich Veterinary
Hospital hydrotherapy pool have stabilised it, while helping him to
regain his fitness. And now his smart new set of wheels have
given him back the mobility he has craved. Owner Nicola Gray is
delighted with his new lease of life, and his vet Dr Shams Mir
pronounced: "It has completely transformed him." Nicola, of
Gidlow Lane, said she first noticed her dog becoming "wobbly" on his
back legs 18 months ago and in recent weeks, despite the swimming
sessions, Travis had become unable to walk. She had faced the
heartbreaking realisation that she may have had to say goodbye to her
pal for good – but then she was told about the "wheelchair" and has
been astonished about just how well he has taken to it. Nicola,
30, said: "When Travis went off his legs I have never been so upset in
all my life. "Watching him stumbling about was horrendous and I
was just crying all the time because I knew that this couldn't go
on. "You could see that he was so depressed, he has his head
between his paws and he wasn't eating. "Then I heard about the
wheelchair and with Anrich's help it has been a real success.
"You only have to look at him to see how happy he is again. "He
loves going out and now it is a case of trying to keep up with him as
he bombs along on his front legs. "As far as I know he is the
only dog on wheels in Wigan so people do stand and stare a bit."
Dr Mir said: "When most German Shepherds start dragging their hind legs
they have to be put to sleep but in some cases this is an option.
"We have helped Travis regain his strength with sessions in the
hydrotherapy pool and the owner has been very, very courageous.
"In fact neither of them would give in and both have shown great
perseverance. "To see the dog in his wheelchair is a fantastic
sight, he is so happy in himself to be mobile and active again.
"He is clearly very comfortable in it and has taken to it straight
away."
Last Updated: 25 October 2007 10:42 AM, WiganToday.net
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