4hounds3cats Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 We are dealing with late-stage degenerative myelopathy. He has been progressively weakening in his hind limbs. But he suddenly had a precipitous loss of function yesterday, with his back end collapsing. I was taken by surprise but managed to get him up. Now I have to help him get up and down and stand, and his back feet knuckle under. We are going to the emergency hospital today. Those who have dealt with this, are there any medications that helped your hounds regain some function? Or other treatments? Thanks for your information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
organistswife Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 Please look at the quality of his life. We who all love our dogs have to come to very painful decisions. Hopefully not yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBass Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 (edited) My boy, Spirit, is about a year and a half into dealing with degenerative myelopathy so I feel for you and your boy. My vets have said that there really is no treatment that stops the decline. They recommend walking as much as Spirit is up for it. He takes Rimadyl and Gabapentin--both help with discomfort. Per the vets, degenerative myelopathy is NOT in itself painful. Spirit is 14.3 and the vets think he has some mild arthritis, so the pain meds mostly remove that discomfort from the mix. If your boy rallies I'd recommend the harness sold by GodsGreyts on Etsy. Spirit can wear it 24/7 and it allows me to help him quickly when he needs an assist. Beyond these things, it really is a "game" of watching your hound's quality of life and trying to make the loving and heartbreaking euthanasia decision at the right time for your hound. Can/does he get up for meals, treats, walks? Does he enjoy walks or time in the yard? Is he relaxed and calm or restless and anxious? These are the hardest decisions ever. What is your own vet saying/doing? Can you get an appointment with the vet who knows you and your hound? ETA, I just noticed your users name so I'll sign off 2Houndsand3Cats Edited March 16, 2021 by LBass Quote Lucy with Greyhound Nate and OSH Tinker. With loving memories of MoMo (FTH Chyna Moon), Spirit, Miles the slinky kitty (OSH), Piper "The Perfect" (Oneco Chaplin), Winston, Yoda, Hector, and Claire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hounds3cats Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 Thanks for your replies. LBass, he still wants to get up as usual when I am preparing his food and when I leave the room. He struggles to get up beyond what he is physically capable of. It's like he doesn't admit that he is having difficulty. He still wants to go out, but now he needs help. I had the stairs removed and had a big ramp built from my back deck a year ago, so he doesn't have to face stairs. He can't take Gaba, has a bad reaction to it. I recently started giving him Previcox, and it helps, so he is in some pain. My favorite vet moved some distance away from my regular practice and the remaining vets are missing diagnoses on my other babies. Our emergency hospital has a lot of specialists: neurologists, radiologists, cardiologists, etc, and they are more aware of current best practices. I have more faith in them than the vets. My google searches have always said there is no treatment for DM. But recently I found aminocaproic acid, which might help some. Was hoping someone here might know something. Will ask the specialists about it. He loves the warm sun in the spring beyond anything. Hope he can hold on for another few weeks to see all the beautiful alpine flowers that carpet our acre in the early spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBass Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 I'm sorry you lost your good vet. We have one of those emergency practices that is linked with a specialty vet practice here and it has been a great resource over the years. Hope your boy enjoys the coming spring. Perhaps someone else will chime in with aminocaproic acid experience. Quote Lucy with Greyhound Nate and OSH Tinker. With loving memories of MoMo (FTH Chyna Moon), Spirit, Miles the slinky kitty (OSH), Piper "The Perfect" (Oneco Chaplin), Winston, Yoda, Hector, and Claire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hounds3cats Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 Thanks very much, Lucy. Have just finished another search and found this resource (https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/degenerative-myelopathy-in-dogs), which states that a combination of epsilon-aminocaproic acid, N-acetylcysteine, prednisone can slow progression. NAC can be obtained from Amazon. Holding hope that the specialists can help us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 (edited) Did you test for DM? There is a specific test available. If you didn’t there may be another condition you may be dealing with (LS, disc, cancer). Hope the neurologist can help. Edited March 19, 2021 by tbhounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hounds3cats Posted March 27, 2021 Author Share Posted March 27, 2021 Thank you everyone for all your help. Very sadly, I had to say goodbye to my beautiful boy last Saturday at 10:30 pm. He was in terrible pain. Full X-rays (which I insisted on the first time we visited the Emergency Hospital, but the doctor misread) did show a suspected lumbar disc rupture, and he'd had a degenerative spine condition for more than one year. At the end, he had become paraplegic below the hips, lacked any pain response, and was no longer able to empty bladder or bowel. We went back to Emergency last Saturday, and the vet was more knowledgeable. That was the hardest day of my life. He took a huge part of my heart with him, but I can feel him enveloping the sky above our house and radiating love down on us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseyGrey Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Sorry for your loss Quote Buddy Molly 🌈 5/11/10-10/10/23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MP_the4pack Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 I'm so sorry to hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterseaBrindl Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Quote Nancy...Mom to Sid (Peteles Tiger), Kibo (112 Carlota Galgos) and Joshi. Missing Casey, Gomer, Mona, Penelope, BillieJean, Bandit, Nixon (Starz Sammie), Ruby (Watch Me Dash) Nigel (Nigel), and especially little Mario, waiting at the Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBass Posted March 30, 2021 Share Posted March 30, 2021 I'm so sorry that your dear boy is gone. Quote Lucy with Greyhound Nate and OSH Tinker. With loving memories of MoMo (FTH Chyna Moon), Spirit, Miles the slinky kitty (OSH), Piper "The Perfect" (Oneco Chaplin), Winston, Yoda, Hector, and Claire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndtime Posted March 30, 2021 Share Posted March 30, 2021 I am so very sorry for your loss. Quote Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macoduck Posted March 30, 2021 Share Posted March 30, 2021 I'm so sorry your boy is gone. If you would like to share his name, I will add it to the list of Bridge Angels in the Remembrance section of Greytalk. Quote Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Rita the podenco maneta, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto Angels: Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella), Charlie the iggy, Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytpups Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 I’m so sorry for your loss. Quote Jan with precious pups Emmy (Stormin J Flag) and Simon (Nitro Si) and Abbey Field. Missing my angels: Bailey Buffetbobleclair 11/11/98-17/12/09; Ben Task Rapid Wave 5/5/02-2/11/15; Brooke Glo's Destroyer 7/09/06-21/06/16 and Katie Crazykatiebug 12/11/06 -21/08/21. My blog about grief The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not get over the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same, nor would you want to. ― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hounds3cats Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 On 3/30/2021 at 3:55 PM, macoduck said: I'm so sorry your boy is gone. If you would like to share his name, I will add it to the list of Bridge Angels in the Remembrance section of Greytalk. Thank you so much. My beloved angel's name is Zenji. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macoduck Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 I have added Zenji's name to the list of Bridge Angels in March. He is in good company. Quote Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Rita the podenco maneta, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto Angels: Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella), Charlie the iggy, Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4hounds3cats Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 5 hours ago, macoduck said: I have added Zenji's name to the list of Bridge Angels in March. He is in good company. Thank you. I miss him so much. It was such an unfair ending. Thank you everyone for all your good thoughts and wishes for my beautiful boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.