Degenerative Myelopathy

    Degenerative myelopathy is an auto-immune disorder of the central nervous system. For reasons still unknown, the immune system fails to recognize portions of the nervous system as being the body's own tissues, and progressively attacks these areas. The cause of this disorder is not known, but it is suspected to be genetics, as it appears most often in familial lines.
     Age of onset can range from 5 to 14 years, but occurs most often in dog 8 and over. This condition is characterized by a progressive loss of mobility in the hind region. In spite of the fact that the disease is progressive, there may be times in which the dog appears to have stabilized, bringing false hope to the owner. These "improvement times" are very rarely permanent.
     One of the first indications of this condition is knuckling-over of the hind paws, particularly when turning corners. Dragging of the rear claws when walking can also be indicative of a loss of fine motor coordination. Veterinary diagnosis of the condition is often achieved with the aid of a myelography.
     The long-term prognosis for dogs with degenerative myelopathy is not a good one. Over a period of several months, most dogs will lose all control of their hind limbs and become incontinent. Treatment by exercise, therapy, vitamins and various drugs may delay the progression, but thus far nothing has been able to prevent the inevitable.