Guest guest Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 Has anyone used the DM DNA test? I just submitted a couple of samples on dogs that are the right breed with equivocal signs. I will let anyone interested know if the results are valuable or not...would love to hear thoughts and experiences from the group. I am sure that now at age “something over 25” my neuronal loss in the brain is significant!!! Thanks Mark for enlightening me why my brain seems slow these days!!! Cheers, Pam Nichols DVM, CCRP From: VetRehab [mailto:VetRehab ] On Behalf Of mbparchman@... Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 11:01 AM To: VetRehab Subject: Re: RE: degenerative myolopathy Hi all, This may be a good segue into a question I have had for years. But first, according to Curt Dewey, DVM, DACVS, DACVIM(neuro) at Cornell, 10-15% of DM dogs will have hyporeflexia in the patellar reflexes. He did not mention sciatic reflexes. So on to my segue, what are everyones thoughts on what I have termed, for lack of a better term, a geriatric myelopathy, that I have seen in many patients, consisting typically of no orthopedic disease, but just the weakening of the hind legs, loss of muscle mass in the caudal lumbar and hind leg musculature, no elicitable pain, no evidence radiographically of spine disease, slow proprioception I think due to just the weakness of the hind legs (when I help with minimal support, the proprioception improves). I saw this in my own 13 year old lab. I have been reviewing human literature and have found that with normal aging from about age 25 there is a progressive loss of neurons in the brain, about a 20% loss of neurons in the spinal co< br> rd, and slowing of conduction speed and amplitude in the peripheral nerves, all resulting in loss of strength and reaction time and ability. I talked with Dennis Caywood at a CCRT course and he says he believes that dogs also seem to have aging changes. However looking in the vet literature, there is a real paucity of info. what are everyones thoughts? mark b. Parchman, dvm, dacvs, cva, ccrt(cand) degenerative myolopathy > > > > Hello all, > I have an older lab who is having significant troubles with > weakness in the hindquarters. She is 12 years old, female spayed. > Owner has noticed progressive weakness over the last couple of > months. She has some trouble getting up from a down position. Has > placing defecits of both hind limbs, leftworse than right. Drags > both paws, can see wear marks on tops of nails, also has decreased > patellar reflex in the Left. Minimal atrophy noted, mild discomfort > on palpation of the thoracolumbar region. Owner has not authorized > rads.She had another dog who was a brother to this one with similar > signs. She was rx's pred for what they decided way polymyositis. > She felt it worked and wants to try that with this dog. I said we > could give it a trial run, but I feel this is more likely deg. > myolopathy.I would like some exercises to help keep this pup strong > and up and running for as long as possible. > Thank you, > Dr. Aimee (simple DVM working on certification) > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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