Scratchings-and-Sniffings |
| A Chessie with a Great Outlook on Life Posted: 09 Oct 2009 07:19 AM PDT
Chai looks really good for a twelve year old dog. She bright and alert, very affectionate and a real charmer when you meet her. She also has a chronic, progressive neurological disease that she and Pamela are managing in admirable fashion. Chai has Degenerative Myelopathy, a chronic, progressive nerve disease affecting the function of the spinal cord. Nerves are covered by a substance called myelin which protects and enhances nerve function. Degenerative Myelopathy is thought to be a genetic autoimmune process where Chai's own immune system attacks and degrades the myelin sheath covering the spinal cord. Once this process begins, the function of the spinal cord gradually deteriorates. About two years ago Pamela noticed that she was hearing the scraping of Chai's rear toe nails on the wood floor in her house. She didn't think much about that until Chai's rear paws began to knuckle over and Chai had difficulty getting up, sometimes. She knew something was wrong and she headed to see a veterinarian. It would take almost another year before the actual diagnosis was made. During that time Chai gradually lost the function in her rear legs. DM is seen most frequently in German Shepherd Dogs but has also been seen in a number of other large breeds, including the Chessie. In the early stages it can be confused with other neurological diseases and even hip dysplasia. A complete physical exam and complete neurological exam are needed to rule out other problems and pinpoint the diagnosis. An examination of the Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) and myelography, where x-rays are taken after a contrast agent is injected into the space around the spinal cord, can help rule out other problems and help confirm the diagnosis of DM. There is no standard effective treatment for DM and once a diagnosis is made the disease progresses over a number of month to loss of hind limb function, incontinence and inability to control bowel movements. The nerve degeneration progresses up the spinal cord until forelimb function is impaired. Fortunately, Chai is somewhere in between. She has no hind limb function but can still control her bladder and bowel. The really heart warming part of this story is how Mom and Dog are handling the situation. I would not have met them if I had not seen Chai and Pam going for their morning walk around the campground. That is quite a site. Chai has some help in the form of a custom cart from Doggon Wheels. Pam straps her in an off they go. Chai looks like a weight lifter from the front as she has to support all her weight with her front legs and she's built up the muscle to handle the extra load. The other heart warming part of the story is Chai herself. Like most dogs she lives in the moment and does not dwell on the past or the future. She's as happy to see Pam every morning as any dog would be and I know the feeling is mutual. Pam knows the situation and she knows this won't last forever, but for Chai every day is just another day. She is not shy about letting other dogs know when they are getting too close to the camp site and she's as happy to go for a walk as any other dog with four good legs. She has a good life. She has a human that loves and cares for her and that's all that really matters. It's just another example of what we love and admire about dogs. Even more importantly this demonstrates to me that we can learn a lot about handling adversity from our dog friends. Carpe diem, my fellow humans. |
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