Early Stages Of Degenerative Myelopathy

Degenerative myelopathy or DM is one of the most common neurological illnesses that affect dogs

. Commonly seen in older, bigger breeds, DM attacks the dogs nervous system, starting with its hind legs and paws. This illness usually starts when the dog is 5 years old or older. Since the illness is only seen in older dogs, finding out if your dog might have DM in the future may be tricky. Below are the first few signs that you have to look out for.

It starts with the paws

The first few symptoms start out with the dog dragging its paws, producing a scratching noise that damages their nails. Owners commonly notice that their dog starts to drag their paws when they are out during a walk or for their exercise routine. Their nails are scraped on the surface, causing them to become thinned out and filed. This might cause discomfort for the dog and will definitely damage their paws. Some dog owners would ignore this and think that the dog is just tired or is being lazy.

Loss of balance and tripping

After the dog has lost control of its back paws, the legs and joints come next. This takes about a few months to progress. The dog will soon have a hard time balancing itself, even if its just walking. The dog will also have problems like tripping and might fall over on itself. This is a big problem for bigger, heavier dogs since it could cause them more injuries. During this stage, pet owners commonly start panicking and send their pets to the vet for a check-up. Many misdiagnose degenerative myelopathy with arthritis since they commonly have the same symptoms. However, arthritis would cause some pain to the dog, early DM symptoms does not show that the dog is in pain.

Difficulty supporting self

This is the turning point of DM. During this stage, the dog will have a very difficult time standing up and staying still. Many dog owners commonly sign their dogs up for physical therapy and even alternative medicine such as acupuncture to help the dog get use to the situation they are in. Dogs that go through therapy during these stages of DM actually perform better than the ones who are not given therapy. Dog owners can also choose for the many different tools that can help their dogs walk, such as a wheelchair or leashes that can support their back and legs.

by: Hilton D

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