his hind end hasn't worked well since I got him, but has gotten worse recently. We'd thought it was only his skeletal-muscular problems, aggravated by the fact that I no longer had any way to give him decent exercise. But with what the vet saw today at his annual checkup, he thinks it's now neurological. Xrays from a few weeks ago show nothing obvious. Copper will let you place his hind foot on the knuckle and just leave it there. He also will stand with one hind foot on top of the other, cross his legs, etc. This has been going on for a while, but I thought it was all muscular, this was the first time the vet had seen it.
Vet thinks either a disc problem or degenerative myleopathy. he gave me pred that might help if it's a disc problem, but after reading about dm being an immune related disease, I think I want to wait for further testing. I'm waiting on a call back now to get a referral for mri or myleogram. If it is a disc problem, I don't know if he'll get surgery since he's gonna be 13 next month and is in no noticable pain.
Copper doesn't care a bit, he keeps on truckin' and he's a happy boy. Front end doesn't see well (PRA) and the back end doesn't move well - he may bounce off something and stumble or fall, but apparently no one's told him that this is a problem. From knowing about dog lady and Jingles, I'm not panicking if it is DM, I'm more worried about a disc problem actually since that will be more painful with or without surgery.
Just this really SUCKS and I wanna (insert word for a female dog that this board will bleep out - sorry Leilah) about it!!!!!
Copper MAY have dengenerative myleopathy...msg
Copper MAY have dengenerative myleopathy...msg
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend:and inside a dog, it's too dark to read."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx
Re: Copper MAY have dengenerative myleopathy...msg
Sorry to hear about that. BUMMER doesn't even begin to express the seriousness of the problem.
I agree with you, get all the testing done before you start the prednisone. If it is an autoimmune problem, the pred may suppress the problem and cause false negative results.
That said, the pred should also help with any autoimmune problem as well.
Good luck to you and your pupper. I hope all turns out to be good news.
I agree with you, get all the testing done before you start the prednisone. If it is an autoimmune problem, the pred may suppress the problem and cause false negative results.
That said, the pred should also help with any autoimmune problem as well.
Good luck to you and your pupper. I hope all turns out to be good news.
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
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Mary Plummer
- Posts: 908
- Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2003 8:29 am
- Location: Michigan
Re: Copper MAY have dengenerative myleopathy...msg
Sorry to hear this, LM! I'm hoping for good news from the vet tests and/or the Pred. I don't know anything about the disease, except for reading Doglady's sad Jingles story.
Re: Copper MAY have dengenerative myleopathy...msg
we got an appt with a neurologist on Monday. Keep those fingers and paws crossed for us!!
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend:and inside a dog, it's too dark to read."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx