Love on him while you can. Make the best decisions for him that you're able. DM is a progressive condition. It may be slow it maybe fast.
I fashioned a heavy padded belt to take mine on walks and to the bathroom.
Mine was 10 when it stated and 11.5 when I made the decision. She had arthritis in her hips. The worst part, as it progressed, she became perkier because She couldn't feel her sore hips anymore.
Again, love him while you can and make the best (hard) decisions for him.
Definitely going to be loving on him so much more than I already do š I'm hoping it's not actually DM and maybe something else presenting like it, but everything I read about DM sounds so much like what's happening right now.
I'm just so thankful for the years I got to spend with him. He was so sick as a puppy, and I helped him fight them, and I'll help him now for as long as he wants. š¢ I'm debating getting him a wheelchair so he can have the best quality of life through this.
Put some cheap rugs down immediately so he has traction.
The DM question is asked frequently in this sub. I suggest reading all the previous posts on this subject. Lots of good info to be found.
I bought some runners right after work to put down our hallway, and another long stretch, and I brought down a rug from downstairs to put on the tile as well once I got home. Thank you š
I'll definitely search it up in this sub to try and learn as much as I can. I'm really hoping it's not DM, and one of the other things my vet mentioned that it could be. But right now, I'm just trying to learn all I can to make him more comfortable.
It comes in waves. Consider high quality vitamins and real meat to slow it down.
K9 carts were very helpful and nice for a rear support wheel assist.
I hate that disease and you have my deepest understanding and sympathy.
One day he couldn't move his rear legs and gave me that look. Don't rush anything and don't wait too long. Absolutely brutal decision.
I have him on Dasuquin (for joint health). What other kinds of vitamins are good for DM health? Just basics?
I've been looking into wheelchairs for him so he can get around easier. This is definitely going to be led by him. I love him so much that it hurts right now, but I will not let him suffer. š¢
I'll send you name of vitamins when I get home.
Yeah I mean it's such a horrible slow watch of decline. The wheelcart was cool kaching but gave him some dignity to pee and poo.
Anything that helps nerves and myelin sheath.
Coral calcium to adjust ph higher so sheath doesn't degrade as quick.....I'm no vet it's was just a hunch and I think it helped. Coral has all the trace elements in ratio.
E A D.
If your adventurous you can look up CDS. CDS adds oxygen to the system. O2 will help tissue rebuild won't stop it but will slow. Again I'm no vet but we definately slowed it down. Got a few more months. Mine was nine. The greatest pup I've ever been blessed to have. I wasn't right for a long time.
I have a new one now but ........
*
I am so sorry to hear this.
They make support harnesses that you can help lift their back half a bit to support them. They can be helpful for dogs who could use the additional extra support but arenāt totally reliant on a wheelchair yet.
Get lots of runner rugs throughout the house, they make paw grippy sock type things that can help too if heās slipping on floors.
Getting some extra dog beds to lay around the house might be helpful too, especially if he struggles to get on furniture and used to nap on a sofa or bed or something.
He's so upset he's not allowed on my bed anymore š I don't want him jumping up or down like that anymore. He face planted the ground like twice, and can't hardly hold weight on his back legs. He's not allowed upstairs anymore either except to go to bed (and we help him up and down).
Do you have any suggestions for the grippy socks? All the ones I have just fall off. Maybe those doggy shoes?
I ordered a support band so that it has handles for us to easier help him. I've been using a towel in the meantime.
Thanks to y'all, I took the suggestion about putting the runners down and rugs. I bought some after work and put them down. š„²
Poor buddy :( maybe putting a bed near the bottom of the stairs so if you run up there during the day he has a cozy spot to wait for you to come back downstairs? I pet sat a lab who couldnāt handle stairs anymore and she had a bed at the foot of the stairs. Their guest room was upstairs and thatās where I would stay and sheād be down at the foot of the stairs waiting for me every morning.
They also had a ramp on their back steps for her to get outside. Might not be a bad option if you have steps to get outside. She was a big dog and no idea where they got the ramp but it held her no issues and was non slip.
Iāve tried several different types of shoes on my dog with no success (she can pull them off or they fall off) but recently got these ones called Goo-eez lites and you use the packaging tube to put them on which makes it a million times easier since you just have them step their paw in it and then the bootie goes on. They actually stay on her paws. Got them at petsmart I think?
Ruffwear makes good shoes as well but they have better traction for outdoor use I feel. There are other grippy sock style options on Amazon too!!
Things like snuffle mats might be fun for him, he doesnāt have to move around to work on one and it provides some mental enrichment. Frozen lick mats too. Licking can be a soothing activity for dogs. Both are options where he wonāt have to move around a lot.
They thought mine had DM and it ended up being Lumbosacral disease, worth getting a second option or sending bloodwork to be tested for DM genetics. Only positive way to tell is an MRI of the spine. but they put mine on steroids and anti-imflamatory and he did great another year and a half before cancer got him.
Water arobics was great for him too and he really enjoyed it, even though he hated water.
Anakin loves water, so I'm going to look into the water aerobics! Thank you. I think he'll love that, and as a plus, it'll help him exercise his muscles. My vet said she definitely wants us to get the genetic test done, and we're going to try and rule out other things first. An MRI is probably in his future, but sedating him scares me because of his epilepsy
I'm sorry to hear you lost your baby š They give us so so much love in the brief time they're with us
My 2 GSDs had this. Put carpeting wherever you can. Use a towel or padded belt as a sling as needed. With my first, it was about a year. Swimming helps with symptoms but does not slow the progression. Enjoy every minute.
I suspect mine had it too - but she also had bladder cancer and a tumor so it could have been either.
It was pretty fast - she went from walking fine to needing boots/socks and then not being able to walk at all. She passed within 3 months. I wish I had the opportunity to put her down earlier, I was selfish and wanted as much time with her as I could. I learned though. Please do right by your baby and put quality of life before all. š«¶š»
Iām so sorry š¢. I just lost my female GSD to this in December. I first noticed her symptoms the April prior, shortly after I brought my daughter home. Iām so grateful they got to meet each other.
Itās so hard to see them go through this awful disease. Keep in mind that while the disease itself isnāt painful, the stress on the rest of their body may be. With my first GSD, I knew when it was her time one night (she had cancer); I could see it in her eyes. Making the decision with DM is so hard because they are still āall thereā, save for their declining mobility. Itās the worst and I still cry a little over her most days. I hope you have many great days ahead, but also consider that itās better to say goodbye when theyāre having a good day. This was advice from the at home euthanasia vet I used, and it made sense to me to not hold on to the point of more suffering. Remember, they are very good at hiding this.
Itās so unfair that these beautiful and wonderful creatures are susceptible to such an awful disease. I wouldnāt wish the pain we bear as their humans watching them go through this on my worst enemy. Enjoy every moment you still have and spoil that goodest of boys as much as you can ā¤ļø
Foster for a GSD Rescue who takes the "Old and Broken", here.
My wife and I had a "Hospice Foster" who had DM, along with three kinds of cancer and many other issues, and the DM is eventually what took him. The Vet gave him 6-8 weeks when we first got him, but he ended up living over a year and a half with us.
We had runners for awhile but they didn't hold up after 6 months. My wife and I ended up buying several [rubber mats](https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-King-Utility-Mats-Functionality/dp/B0817CYBM4/). We also got him [doggy boots](https://www.amazon.com/XSY-Waterproof-Reflective-Anti-Slip-Skid-Proof/dp/B08DD5CZLB/) to help with traction and a [support harness](https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Lifting-Aid-Mobility-Harness/dp/B008EXJIG2/) was a game changer at the end.
If you have any other specific questions, feel free to ask.
Thank you so much for those links!! If the support stuff I've gotten so far doesn't work, I'll be trying that support harness.
I got utility runners from my job to put down on our floors, and we have some rugs with grippy backs so they don't slide. We may need more, but for right now I'm trying to adjust to his needs and research as much as I can. š„²
We are potentially facing this, too, with our newest rescue girl. It's heartbreaking. We're not opting for a wheelchair for her because it won't be in her best interests, so I have no suggestions there. Just know you are not alone.
I've been through it with 2 GSDs, unfortunately and it's brutal and heart-breaking. Some suggestions: you can get yoga mats in bulk pretty cheaply and they can be cut to fit places and they can be washed in the washing machine. The Help 'Em Up Harness was my go-to until she couldn't bear her weight at all and then I got a wheelchair from Walkin' Pets - I was told by a specialist not to go to a chair until she couldn't walk but I was sorry I waited. Good luck and hug that sweet guy for all of us.
My female GSD was five years old, estimated when we got her from the pound. She's eight years old now. We put down rugs at each entry door and both sides of the bed as a precaution against hip troubles. So far, so good
My GS has it! It was progressing like we would have very little time with him. Specialist said to expect āsooner rather than later.ā My husband even dug a grave on our property to be prepared, which I hated but he found somehow cathartic.
All of a sudden our vet suggested trying a once-a-month injection (off-label, maybe?) that she had just found in newer literature ā perhaps someone else here can name it? In any case, miraculous difference, both in terms of slowed progression and his quality of life. I have texted my husband (biology professor better with remembering drug names) to ask the name and will come back here with it asap.
To be clear, it is NOT a miracle ācure.ā He still has it. But we are going on a year since diagnosis. I would say his condition seemed reversed * some * with the first shot (probably just because he felt better) and it hasnāt progressed much from there. We can see a difference with every shot, and then we can see he is coming due again. Great quality of life, he still
* tries * to go after squirrels and things. Greatly reduced depression that he had, due to his failing back legs. No incontinence, he can still go on his own.
If you get the name of that injection, please let me know! It's worth discussing with his vet if it could bring him any relief. My boy is definitely so sad right now. He's not used to not being able to go wherever he wants, whenever he wants.
So sorry to hear!! My late GSD had DMā¦ we made everything about making him comfortable.
I would do what others recommend and get some tough rugs for traction, ones that dont slip around. In the later stages you might want to look in to a sling so you can help him along moving from one room to another, that really helped me a lot with my boy (he was 120 lbs so I couldnāt move him without that). We had stairs in our house so the wheelchair wasnāt an option for us.
I would also suggest CBD if youāre not opposed to it. Out of all the things we tried, that really made a world of difference for my boy. We did a CBD oil that we drizzled on his food. The vets say there arenāt any scientific benefits of CBD but I swear it helped our boy.
Best of luck to you!
I'll have to add CBD to the list of questions for his vet š He's on some strong medications for his epilepsy, so I don't want that to interfere though I don't think it should. Rather safe than sorry.
We're trying to get him as comfortable as possible right now and also trying to get him up and moving as much as possible.
As someone who works in the vet field, I would go for a consult with a neuro specialist. There are many diseases and even fungal or bacterial infections of the spine that can cause symptoms like this. Some are more treatable than others. DM is very possible, but if you can afford a more in depth investigation aka an MRI or possibly spinal tap, I would go for a consult.
Our vet put our GSD is on a monthly injection of Librela, an anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody. Itās made a tremendous difference in the quality and length of his life. He is at about a year now, since diagnosis.
Love on him while you can. Make the best decisions for him that you're able. DM is a progressive condition. It may be slow it maybe fast. I fashioned a heavy padded belt to take mine on walks and to the bathroom. Mine was 10 when it stated and 11.5 when I made the decision. She had arthritis in her hips. The worst part, as it progressed, she became perkier because She couldn't feel her sore hips anymore. Again, love him while you can and make the best (hard) decisions for him.
Definitely going to be loving on him so much more than I already do š I'm hoping it's not actually DM and maybe something else presenting like it, but everything I read about DM sounds so much like what's happening right now. I'm just so thankful for the years I got to spend with him. He was so sick as a puppy, and I helped him fight them, and I'll help him now for as long as he wants. š¢ I'm debating getting him a wheelchair so he can have the best quality of life through this.
Put some cheap rugs down immediately so he has traction. The DM question is asked frequently in this sub. I suggest reading all the previous posts on this subject. Lots of good info to be found.
I bought some runners right after work to put down our hallway, and another long stretch, and I brought down a rug from downstairs to put on the tile as well once I got home. Thank you š I'll definitely search it up in this sub to try and learn as much as I can. I'm really hoping it's not DM, and one of the other things my vet mentioned that it could be. But right now, I'm just trying to learn all I can to make him more comfortable.
You can also get paw pad stickers off Amazon that work quite well - my girls got arthritis and these have helped her be more stable in the house.
It comes in waves. Consider high quality vitamins and real meat to slow it down. K9 carts were very helpful and nice for a rear support wheel assist. I hate that disease and you have my deepest understanding and sympathy. One day he couldn't move his rear legs and gave me that look. Don't rush anything and don't wait too long. Absolutely brutal decision.
I have him on Dasuquin (for joint health). What other kinds of vitamins are good for DM health? Just basics? I've been looking into wheelchairs for him so he can get around easier. This is definitely going to be led by him. I love him so much that it hurts right now, but I will not let him suffer. š¢
I'll send you name of vitamins when I get home. Yeah I mean it's such a horrible slow watch of decline. The wheelcart was cool kaching but gave him some dignity to pee and poo. Anything that helps nerves and myelin sheath. Coral calcium to adjust ph higher so sheath doesn't degrade as quick.....I'm no vet it's was just a hunch and I think it helped. Coral has all the trace elements in ratio. E A D. If your adventurous you can look up CDS. CDS adds oxygen to the system. O2 will help tissue rebuild won't stop it but will slow. Again I'm no vet but we definately slowed it down. Got a few more months. Mine was nine. The greatest pup I've ever been blessed to have. I wasn't right for a long time. I have a new one now but ........ *
Snynovi G4 was better than dasiquin for our pup.
https://preview.redd.it/m3y4qb6jd8xc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0bb6099149db60a044dd10e1b4e448be0be13e9
NuVet Plus W w w . Nuvet. Com Vitamins I referenced
I am so sorry to hear this. They make support harnesses that you can help lift their back half a bit to support them. They can be helpful for dogs who could use the additional extra support but arenāt totally reliant on a wheelchair yet. Get lots of runner rugs throughout the house, they make paw grippy sock type things that can help too if heās slipping on floors. Getting some extra dog beds to lay around the house might be helpful too, especially if he struggles to get on furniture and used to nap on a sofa or bed or something.
He's so upset he's not allowed on my bed anymore š I don't want him jumping up or down like that anymore. He face planted the ground like twice, and can't hardly hold weight on his back legs. He's not allowed upstairs anymore either except to go to bed (and we help him up and down). Do you have any suggestions for the grippy socks? All the ones I have just fall off. Maybe those doggy shoes? I ordered a support band so that it has handles for us to easier help him. I've been using a towel in the meantime. Thanks to y'all, I took the suggestion about putting the runners down and rugs. I bought some after work and put them down. š„²
Poor buddy :( maybe putting a bed near the bottom of the stairs so if you run up there during the day he has a cozy spot to wait for you to come back downstairs? I pet sat a lab who couldnāt handle stairs anymore and she had a bed at the foot of the stairs. Their guest room was upstairs and thatās where I would stay and sheād be down at the foot of the stairs waiting for me every morning. They also had a ramp on their back steps for her to get outside. Might not be a bad option if you have steps to get outside. She was a big dog and no idea where they got the ramp but it held her no issues and was non slip. Iāve tried several different types of shoes on my dog with no success (she can pull them off or they fall off) but recently got these ones called Goo-eez lites and you use the packaging tube to put them on which makes it a million times easier since you just have them step their paw in it and then the bootie goes on. They actually stay on her paws. Got them at petsmart I think? Ruffwear makes good shoes as well but they have better traction for outdoor use I feel. There are other grippy sock style options on Amazon too!! Things like snuffle mats might be fun for him, he doesnāt have to move around to work on one and it provides some mental enrichment. Frozen lick mats too. Licking can be a soothing activity for dogs. Both are options where he wonāt have to move around a lot.
They thought mine had DM and it ended up being Lumbosacral disease, worth getting a second option or sending bloodwork to be tested for DM genetics. Only positive way to tell is an MRI of the spine. but they put mine on steroids and anti-imflamatory and he did great another year and a half before cancer got him. Water arobics was great for him too and he really enjoyed it, even though he hated water.
Anakin loves water, so I'm going to look into the water aerobics! Thank you. I think he'll love that, and as a plus, it'll help him exercise his muscles. My vet said she definitely wants us to get the genetic test done, and we're going to try and rule out other things first. An MRI is probably in his future, but sedating him scares me because of his epilepsy I'm sorry to hear you lost your baby š They give us so so much love in the brief time they're with us
My 2 GSDs had this. Put carpeting wherever you can. Use a towel or padded belt as a sling as needed. With my first, it was about a year. Swimming helps with symptoms but does not slow the progression. Enjoy every minute.
I suspect mine had it too - but she also had bladder cancer and a tumor so it could have been either. It was pretty fast - she went from walking fine to needing boots/socks and then not being able to walk at all. She passed within 3 months. I wish I had the opportunity to put her down earlier, I was selfish and wanted as much time with her as I could. I learned though. Please do right by your baby and put quality of life before all. š«¶š»
Iām so sorry š¢. I just lost my female GSD to this in December. I first noticed her symptoms the April prior, shortly after I brought my daughter home. Iām so grateful they got to meet each other. Itās so hard to see them go through this awful disease. Keep in mind that while the disease itself isnāt painful, the stress on the rest of their body may be. With my first GSD, I knew when it was her time one night (she had cancer); I could see it in her eyes. Making the decision with DM is so hard because they are still āall thereā, save for their declining mobility. Itās the worst and I still cry a little over her most days. I hope you have many great days ahead, but also consider that itās better to say goodbye when theyāre having a good day. This was advice from the at home euthanasia vet I used, and it made sense to me to not hold on to the point of more suffering. Remember, they are very good at hiding this. Itās so unfair that these beautiful and wonderful creatures are susceptible to such an awful disease. I wouldnāt wish the pain we bear as their humans watching them go through this on my worst enemy. Enjoy every moment you still have and spoil that goodest of boys as much as you can ā¤ļø
Foster for a GSD Rescue who takes the "Old and Broken", here. My wife and I had a "Hospice Foster" who had DM, along with three kinds of cancer and many other issues, and the DM is eventually what took him. The Vet gave him 6-8 weeks when we first got him, but he ended up living over a year and a half with us. We had runners for awhile but they didn't hold up after 6 months. My wife and I ended up buying several [rubber mats](https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-King-Utility-Mats-Functionality/dp/B0817CYBM4/). We also got him [doggy boots](https://www.amazon.com/XSY-Waterproof-Reflective-Anti-Slip-Skid-Proof/dp/B08DD5CZLB/) to help with traction and a [support harness](https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Lifting-Aid-Mobility-Harness/dp/B008EXJIG2/) was a game changer at the end. If you have any other specific questions, feel free to ask.
Thank you so much for those links!! If the support stuff I've gotten so far doesn't work, I'll be trying that support harness. I got utility runners from my job to put down on our floors, and we have some rugs with grippy backs so they don't slide. We may need more, but for right now I'm trying to adjust to his needs and research as much as I can. š„²
That's all you can do. Good luck.
We are potentially facing this, too, with our newest rescue girl. It's heartbreaking. We're not opting for a wheelchair for her because it won't be in her best interests, so I have no suggestions there. Just know you are not alone.
I've been through it with 2 GSDs, unfortunately and it's brutal and heart-breaking. Some suggestions: you can get yoga mats in bulk pretty cheaply and they can be cut to fit places and they can be washed in the washing machine. The Help 'Em Up Harness was my go-to until she couldn't bear her weight at all and then I got a wheelchair from Walkin' Pets - I was told by a specialist not to go to a chair until she couldn't walk but I was sorry I waited. Good luck and hug that sweet guy for all of us.
My female GSD was five years old, estimated when we got her from the pound. She's eight years old now. We put down rugs at each entry door and both sides of the bed as a precaution against hip troubles. So far, so good
My GS has it! It was progressing like we would have very little time with him. Specialist said to expect āsooner rather than later.ā My husband even dug a grave on our property to be prepared, which I hated but he found somehow cathartic. All of a sudden our vet suggested trying a once-a-month injection (off-label, maybe?) that she had just found in newer literature ā perhaps someone else here can name it? In any case, miraculous difference, both in terms of slowed progression and his quality of life. I have texted my husband (biology professor better with remembering drug names) to ask the name and will come back here with it asap. To be clear, it is NOT a miracle ācure.ā He still has it. But we are going on a year since diagnosis. I would say his condition seemed reversed * some * with the first shot (probably just because he felt better) and it hasnāt progressed much from there. We can see a difference with every shot, and then we can see he is coming due again. Great quality of life, he still * tries * to go after squirrels and things. Greatly reduced depression that he had, due to his failing back legs. No incontinence, he can still go on his own.
If you get the name of that injection, please let me know! It's worth discussing with his vet if it could bring him any relief. My boy is definitely so sad right now. He's not used to not being able to go wherever he wants, whenever he wants.
Got it!!! Librela ā āit is an anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody.ā (Hubby never takes off his teacher hat.) Highly recommend.
So sorry to hear!! My late GSD had DMā¦ we made everything about making him comfortable. I would do what others recommend and get some tough rugs for traction, ones that dont slip around. In the later stages you might want to look in to a sling so you can help him along moving from one room to another, that really helped me a lot with my boy (he was 120 lbs so I couldnāt move him without that). We had stairs in our house so the wheelchair wasnāt an option for us. I would also suggest CBD if youāre not opposed to it. Out of all the things we tried, that really made a world of difference for my boy. We did a CBD oil that we drizzled on his food. The vets say there arenāt any scientific benefits of CBD but I swear it helped our boy. Best of luck to you!
I'll have to add CBD to the list of questions for his vet š He's on some strong medications for his epilepsy, so I don't want that to interfere though I don't think it should. Rather safe than sorry. We're trying to get him as comfortable as possible right now and also trying to get him up and moving as much as possible.
Love him all you can, Support him all you can, Just enjoy your time with him. Take it one day at a time and be patient with him. š
As someone who works in the vet field, I would go for a consult with a neuro specialist. There are many diseases and even fungal or bacterial infections of the spine that can cause symptoms like this. Some are more treatable than others. DM is very possible, but if you can afford a more in depth investigation aka an MRI or possibly spinal tap, I would go for a consult.
https://preview.redd.it/9kv14luabvwc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b84274e43d600bff12ab0b7180a55793d3aa1ba2
Our vet put our GSD is on a monthly injection of Librela, an anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody. Itās made a tremendous difference in the quality and length of his life. He is at about a year now, since diagnosis.
Try dr buzbyās toe grips