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Entry 1034 made on 2009-12-12 20:56:47

Visitor's Name: Carol Halt
Homepage URL: No website supplied
You are from: Ontario,,Canada
How you found our site: Link From Golden Retriever Forum
Would you recommend our site to others?: Definitely

Comments: Our 6 yr old Golden Retriever has some symptoms which seem to be consistent with
DM.
I am trying to learn as much as I can so
I can have a discussion with our vet who
says DM is not a GR disease .


Entry 1033 made on 2009-12-08 18:19:44

Visitor's Name: Eri N.
Homepage URL: No website supplied
You are from: New York
How you found our site: on line research
Would you recommend our site to others?: definitely

Comments: My Akita - 13 years old - Tasha - just got diagnosed with DM yesterday, though she has had all the symptoms that I am seeing connected with DM now that I am doing all this research on line. For over a year now, she has been incontinent - so that she has been in diapers. My vet put her on medication for incontinence but it didn't work - and so he has been saying it could be because her spinal cord is weakening. She has had stiff hindlegs and so we've been treating her for arthritis, and her tail has not curled up for awhile - probably at least a year - and when she was younger her tail was up all the time. Also, she's been tripping over the past year, and jokingly I would say to her "how does a 4 legged creature trip while walking on a flat surface?" Now I realize why.

So i live in a fifth floor walk up so there is no way that I can walk her outside now because I can't get her up and down 4 flights of stairs - she's 100 pounds though she is losing weight. She still eats and drinks and she will walk around my apartment - especially whenever I change positions - she will move to be close to me. this is all making me very sad.


Entry 1032 made on 2009-11-21 05:00:40

Visitor's Name: Wesley Ng and Kyrie Hudson
Homepage URL: No website supplied
You are from: San Francisco, CA
How you found our site: Google Search
Would you recommend our site to others?: Absolutely Positively Yes

Comments: We just recently lost our Shepard mix, Jerry, who lived a wonderful 13 years and 9 months. We never had been given a diagnosis of DM for him, however, after coming across this site, We can honestly say our precious dog was afflicted with this awful condition. Without the diagnosis, we were completely baffled of what happened to him. He had been to 3 different Veterinarians in the past two years, and never did they give us any indication that DM could have been a possible cause of his hind leg weakness.

I guess it started about a year and half ago, subtle changes, starting with his gait being just a bit off, not being able to run, having to cut our walks shorter and shorter. The vets had attributed this to his age and arthritis. This seemed to make sense. He was prescribed Carpoprofen for the arthritis, and it did seem to help a little bit. In December of 2008, he developed a malignant sebaceous adenoma on his cheek. He had surgery to remove the tumor, and we were assured that the prognosis was pretty good. After that setback things were great for a few months, he recovered from surgery just fine an was the dog that we all knew and loved. Then in June, another lump showed up on his neck. The first doctor performed needle aspirations on the tumor, but could give us no diagnosis of any sort. We took him to another vet who was able confirm that it was malignant tumor. Decision time, surgery-no it would be too invasive and traumatic (the tumor was larger and more internal than the previous one) Chemotherapy-no at his advanced age just too rough on the body. We, including the vet, decided the best thing to do was to just make life as wonderful as we could for him until the end which at that point was about another 6 months at best.

So we move on and try the best we can to accommodate his needs. He was having some difficulties, problems with his hind legs, heavy breathing, getting winded very easily. His walks had to be ceased as he could not even make it down a city block. He was however still mobile, although with difficulties. The whole time we were attributing this degeneration to arthritis, age, and most prevalently, the cancer. We were trying to prepare ourselves for the realization that this was the ending stage of his life and he probably would not live more that a few more months.

Then on November, Friday the 13th of all days, our boy started into his rapid decline. That evening, after barely touching his food, we let him out to relieve himself, and he could not get back up the stairs to our 2nd floor flat on his own. Saturday, he needed to be carried up and down the stairs, losing complete use of his hind legs and his front legs were extremely unstable. Sunday he had no use of any of legs, couldn't stand or sit up, he had to be hand fed food and water and eliminate laying on his side. Monday he could barely lift his head, and Tuesday he was a completely paralyzed. We knew that we were going to have put him down, but were reluctant to take him to vet's office as it would be too traumatic for him. He was still there, fighting, we could still see it in his eyes. We spent all of Tuesday petting him, stroking him, talking to him, attending to his needs, keeping him clean, and saying goodbye. Wednesday came and it was time, he had lost the glint in his eyes and was barely acknowledging our presence. In his own way he was telling it was time to let him go. The vet came to house, and performed the awful task, he went very quickly and peacefully while we held him in our arms. Through the whole six day ordeal, he did not seem to be in any significant pain, he was a trooper to the end.

We did not know what did this to him, it was fast and furious, and absolutely perplexing. We did not need a doctor to tell us that our dog was on his deathbed, that was quite obvious. But what was it that took him from us at this shocking speed? This website has helped us realize that Jerry was a victim of DM. It is actually amazing that he carried on so long undiagnosed. We are actually a little bit glad that the end stage occurred so rapidly, as he did not have spend much time as an invalid. We will always love and miss Jerry, but at least we now know how and why he was taken from us. This site and everyone who has contributed their experiences and knowledge have helped us to deal with our tremendous grief and sorrow.


Entry 1031 made on 2009-11-09 00:04:24

Visitor's Name: Bill
Homepage URL: No website supplied
You are from: Lake District,Cumbria, UK
How you found our site: Google
Would you recommend our site to others?: You bet

Comments: previous entry should say our 9 year old GSD.


Entry 1030 made on 2009-11-09 00:00:06

Visitor's Name: Bill
Homepage URL: No website supplied
You are from: Lake District, Cumbria. UK
How you found our site: Google
Would you recommend our site to others?: You bet

Comments: Our year old Shepherd "Ritter Von Todd" is in late stages of this hiddeous disease. He is more or less down now, but will not give in. Vet gave him a month or so to live, that has long since passed and he is still with us. The spark may have dimmed but its still there. He gets all the treats he wants, apart from the right to eat our cat. Custard cream bickies and choccy covered raisens are his all time fav foods, and lets face it that will not kill him any faster than DM.


Entry 1029 made on 2009-11-04 04:54:24

Visitor's Name: Jill
Homepage URL: No website supplied
You are from: East Tennessee
How you found our site:
Would you recommend our site to others?:

Comments: My 14 year old English Springer Spaniel appears to have DM. My vet said he thought she had it a few months ago; but I guess I was in denial until I read more about it today on the Internet. She exhibits all of the symptoms including crossing her hind legs and sometimes curling her hind toes under. She has good days and bad days, and she still gets very frisky at meal time and even still wants to play with her toys with me most days. She seems to feel fine other than losing control of her hind quarters. She has also had a few accidents in the house lately (#2) which is highly unusual for her. It seems weird that I haven't seen anything about this breed having DM; but I want to do everything I can to maximize whatever time I have left with her.


Entry 1028 made on 2009-10-02 05:32:48

Visitor's Name: Madeline Kallista
Homepage URL: No website supplied
You are from: Australia
How you found our site: Google
Would you recommend our site to others?: YESSSS!!!!!!

Comments: My beloved first dog and best friend Grover was diagnosed with DM just yesterday. My husband and I are incredibly upset as Grove is only 16 months old. Grover has a beautiful kind and loving soul and has been such a great friend to me and my family. Unfortunately Grove already has front and rear weakness and is slowely losing control of his bladder. Our neurologist has suggested that we will only have to weeks to months left with our beloved friend and so this site has encouraged and supported me through this awful news. Grover will be truly loved and spoilt for as long as we have the absolute pleasure of his company. Thank you for this web site and the help and inspiration it has given me. Love you Grove!!
********************

From Marjorie: Please take your dog to another vet- DM does not affect the front until the dog is totally down in the rear and it it does not affect 16 month old dogs. This is an incorrect diagnosis! You say you saw a neurologist-PLEASE get a second opinion! What you have described is not consistent with DM!


Entry 1027 made on 2009-09-28 11:31:21

Visitor's Name: Sherrie Connelly
Homepage URL: www.caringbridge.org/tundraconnelly
You are from: Vallejo, CA, USA
How you found our site: search
Would you recommend our site to others?: you bet

Comments: My dear female white shepherd Tundra was diagnosed with DM on September 24. I have put up a CaringBridge website, written Dr. Clemmons, ordered Dr. Schoen's books, and bought ingredients for RMC's dog diet,which I'll cook for the first time tomorrow. Please tell me more about the group


Entry 1026 made on 2009-09-22 04:35:36

Visitor's Name: Kerri Pratt
Homepage URL: No website supplied
You are from: Melbourne,FL USA
How you found our site: searching for DM sites
Would you recommend our site to others?: absolutely

Comments: My 9 year old german shephard was diagnosed with DM in October 2008 by a neurologist. My vet is one of the few on the list of knowledgeable vets listed on the link for vets (Dr. Cole)....and I would recommend him to anyone in the area. He helped me from the beginning. King is to the point where he can no longer walk and he will pull himself from area to area. We have a cart from Eddies Wheels that he loves!! I just wish there was a way for him to wear it 24/7. This has to be the most heart wrenching disease around. The thought of putting your best friend down and their mind is still fully intact pulls at me to no end. I will hope and pray for a cure for this horrible disease. Until then, King and I will do what we can to keep him happy.


Entry 1025 made on 2009-09-21 02:54:56

Visitor's Name: Jon Cameron
Homepage URL: No website supplied
You are from: Wilmington, MA
How you found our site: Googleing info on DM
Would you recommend our site to others?: Yes

Comments: This weekend was one of the worst of my life. I had to put my best friend down. Tyson was a 14 year old German Shepard who had a battle with DM for the past 2 years. Last night he became ill and we rushed him to the vet only to find his stomach had turned. Vet said due to his age and his condition (almost no use of his rear legs) she didn't feel that he would survive surgery. What an awful choice to have to make. He was in so much pain. He drifted off in mine and my wifes arms. I'll miss him dearly. Thank you for all the info your site gave me over the past couple years.