No. Degenerative Myelopathy is not a painful condition, but it does weaken pets. Dogs with DM will struggle, which may be painful to watch, but they aren't experiencing any pain.
Treatment for Degenerative Myelopathy in Dogs
Veterinarians may be able to treat some related symptoms to relieve discomfort, but a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, including walking and swimming, are the main ways to keep dogs with the condition as mobile as possible.
Degenerative myelopathy is a devastating disease. Often, dogs are humanely euthanized within six to twelve months after the onset of clinical signs, due to the debilitating loss of mobility caused by this disease.
STAGE 4 – LMN tetraplegia and brain stem signs (~ over 36 months) – At the end of the disease, the degeneration can progress to involve neck, brain stem, and brain. Patients will not be able to move all four limbs, have trouble breathing, and have difficulty with swallowing and tongue movement.
Symptoms of Degenerative Myelopathy in Dogs
They will lose feeling in the hind limbs, which results in dragging of the paws, scuffing of the toenails and/or tops of the paws, and abnormal paw placement. Affected dogs will be wobbly and may knuckle over the paws, cross the hind limbs, or stumble while walking.
The important thing to remember with degenerative myelopathy is that the condition itself is not painful to the dog, but is more “painful” for the owner to watch. If you have a dog with degenerative myelopathy it is important to remember that it's about the quality of your dog's life and not the quantity of the days.
One of the first breeds in which the disease was diagnosed was the German Shepherd, so DM has also been called German Shepherd dog degenerative myelopathy. In the early stages, DM can be misdiagnosed as hip dysplasia, discospondylitis, a spinal tumor or injury, fibrocartilaginous embolism, or myasthenia gravis.
Sadly, most dogs with degenerative myelopathy eventually lose control of their legs, bladder and bowels completely, and need to be put to sleep. The average life expectancy of a dog with degenerative myelopathy is 1-2 years from diagnosis.
When the spinal cord is compressed or injured, it may cause a loss of sensation, loss of function, and pain or discomfort in the area at or below the compression point. Symptoms of myelopathy can vary based on where it occurs in the spine. Myelopathy symptoms may include: Pain in the lower back, neck, arm or leg.
Unfortunately, degenerative myelopathy is a progressive, incurable disease. Although bladder and bowel control are not affected initially, as the spinal cord continues to degenerate, the dog's mobility becomes severely restricted and it has more difficulty controlling urination and defecation.
How Quickly Does Degenerative Myelopathy Progress? Unfortunately, DM tends to progress very quickly. Most dogs that have been diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy will become paraplegic within six months to a year.
In its final stages, degenerative myelopathy can spread to the brain stem. This impacts cognitive function as well as the ability to breathe and swallow normally.
Dogs suffering from degenerative myelopathy do not appear to be in pain, but they may show anxiety, frustration, or irritation as a result of their decreased mobility.
Typically, dogs remain alert and energetic with a full appetite, no matter how far along the progression of the disease. Degenerative Myelopathy is diagnosed through ruling out other diagnoses.
The clinical signs of mid-stage degenerative myelopathy include: Loss of tail movement. Jerky movement in the hind limbs when trying to walk.
Left untreated, myelopathy can get worse over time. Spinal compression can permanently damage the nerves that control essential body movements and function. You can't reverse nerve damage, so it is important to get care as soon as you notice symptoms.
Complete organ failure is possible in the end stages of Degenerative Myelopathy. Pet parents dealing with end-stage Degenerative Myelopathy need to closely consider their dog's quality of life. Seek guidance from your regular veterinarian and closely monitor your dog's symptom progression.
Myelopathy is a spinal cord injury that affects communication between the brain and other body parts. This most often happens when the spinal cord is compressed.
What is Degenerative Myelopathy? Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects older dogs.
Degenerative myelopathy (sometimes simply referred to as DM) is a disease that is believed to be caused by a genetic mutation found in some dogs. To develop this condition your dog must have two copies of a particular mutated gene, however, not all dogs with a double mutation will necessarily develop this condition.
In a crisis situation:
Contact your veterinarian immediately if your dog suddenly collapses and cannot move, has uncontrollable shaking or panting, or is vocalizing in pain. Before your dog's condition becomes unmanageable, or they begin losing their quality of life, beginning end-of-life care discussions is vital.
Unfortunately, there is no treatment currently shown to improve clinical signs or slow progression of disease in DM-affected dogs. Treatments that have been studied include: steroids, aminocaproic acid, vitamin B, C, and E, N-acetylcysteine, cobalamin, and tocopherol.
Arthritis, as we know, is a disease of the joints, and it's very, very painful. Whereas degenerative myelopathy is actually a degeneration of the spinal cord. So it's a neurological disease and it's not actually painful.