Guest kerber Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 I have been researching all possible things my greyhound could be going through. He had an xray last Friday, and I am doing a follow-up vet visit with Bo-D tomorrow a.m., and we think it is LS. I won't go into the whole how-we-got-to-that-conclusion story, but his rear area seems to tire out. He has been on 10mg Prednisone for 2 times a day, and Gabapetin, 1.5ml for 2 times a day for 6 days now. He has started to vomit maybe a 1.5 tsp about an hour after eating today (so only 2 messes) - maybe the Prednisone is hard on his stomach? I don't know if the meds are helping him. Maybe he is even getting worse? I teach, so I am home all summer and see him more often, but he also doesn't sleep all day either when I am home, because he has always had to follow me around the house - a very clingy pooch which I love... After potty break late morning, he tried to get up the steps (only 2), and I watched him the whole time but can't figure out how he took one to the chin-after stepping up with at least one of his legs on a step he stumbled and landed a short distance on the top step with his chin, regathered himself, and got up the steps. When we got home from dinner tonight, DH and I brought him out back for potty time and we sat on either side of him. I noticed his left front paw was turned inward at about 45%. I picked his foot up to see if it was because he was sandwiched between me and DH, and it went right back down to that angle. This is also the foot he seems to curl under him when laying down in that funny greyhound position...like it would be totally uncomfortable for any other living creature, but not him. Is this LS or Degenerative Myelopathy? How can you tell the difference? What should I be telling/asking my vet when we go in tomorrow? In addition to all this, when I was brushing his teeth this morning (he came to us with his front teeth ground down and no history why), a tooth was loose on top. I will bring that up too. We have had him for nearly 7 years...he will be 13 in September...and we are his third home. I want to help him so much and get frustrated not knowing what to do as he is our first greyhound. Thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BauersMom Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 The symptoms of LS and DM are similar - hind end weakness, knuckling. But as I understand it LS is an impingement of the nerve via a shrinking of the spinal canal, and DM is degeneration of the nerve endings. I have a DM dog and with her the Dr Stack test is normal (www.greyhound-data.com/dir/397/Lumbosacral_Stenosis.pdf) - meaning, pressing on her spine does not cause her any discomfort. However, she has lost a good deal of sensation in her back toes - so if you pinch her toe webbing, she does not react. DM dogs also can have other nerve-related issues - such as laryngeal paralysis. In the end though, a visit to a specialist is probably your best bet. Good luck, it's certainly tough to see them having difficulty. Quote With Buster Bloof (UCME Razorback 89B-51359) and Gingersnap Ginny (92D-59450). Missing Pepper, Berkeley, Ivy, Princess and Bauer at the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 You need to speak with a specialist who sees those conditions every day. Self-diagnosing (whilst a good caring thing to do) can miss some vital markers. Also think of other things that can play havoc with the nerve endings including Diabetes... does your dog drink a lot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kerber Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 You need to speak with a specialist who sees those conditions every day. Self-diagnosing (whilst a good caring thing to do) can miss some vital markers. Also think of other things that can play havoc with the nerve endings including Diabetes... does your dog drink a lot? He does drink a lot now that he is on prednisone. Will ask vet to do blood panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 DM is simultaneously over & under diagnosed. Meaning it is frequently misdiagnosed. It is a disease diagnosed by excluding other possibilities. So many different things share symptoms. Various things can cause myelopathies & the symptoms are shared with some neuropathies, spinal disorders, even arthritis, and various endocrine disorders like hypothyroid, Cushing's, parathyroid diseases, etc. can cause symptoms. Putting a foot at an odd angle could be something that takes pressure off a certain painful area. One question I'd try to answer is is he doing this intentionally or does he just not realize where he is putting his foot. If he is standing & you curl his toes under does he right them? If his feet are in a normal position & you spread his toes out does he draw them back together? If you lift a hind leg, hold his knee area & kind of gently shake his leg forward & back a bit, not too far, does his foot dangle a bit like floppy foot? Any of those may indicate a neurological motor problem. However, it doesn't tell you the cause. Blood work, xrays, MRI, EMG/NCV (which can be done while under anesthesia for an MRI) would go a long way to answering these questions. If your regular vet can't identify the prob, I may go to an orthopod next. A good one can help narrow down things. That is how we found my dog had a neuro prob not ortho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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