Molly’s Plight

By Scott Whittaker, Bow Wow U

Molly, our Boxer girl, had limped on and off over the years. The vet thought that it was Lyme disease and treated her accordingly. The treatment appeared to help and the limping would stop for awhile, sometimes for a year or more; until last year, when she began to limp again, this time persistently and not intermittently.
 We took her to the vet who thought that her condition was either caused by a tumor or Degenerative Myelopathy. He said that if it was a tumor it would most likely be a type that would not show up on most types of imaging, MRI, X-Ray, etc. Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is common in German Shepherds, Irish Setters and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, among others, but less so ( or at least less diagnosed ) in Boxers. DM is a disorder of the spinal column and nervous tissue, which normally starts when the dog is in advanced age. (It is has been compared to Multiple Sclerosis in humans).
Molly is now about 9 years of age. The disease is marked by ataxia, or the inability to coordinate the limbs, usually the hind limbs at first. The sheath or outer covering of the nerves begins to deteriorate and therefore, they cannot conduct nervous impulses as well. DM is diagnosed when other disorders with the same symptoms, such as slipped disks and the aforementioned spinal tumors, are ruled out.
 Over the next few months, in addition to limping, Molly also began to trip over her foot, which was often no longer straight, but bent at a funny angle, with her "elbow" cocked outwards. She also began to "club" her foot. Her toes roll over and she walks on the top of her foot. The onset of symptoms with the tumor and DM are similar, but the progression is different. Given Molly’s symptoms, we now believe that she has DM.
Like any of us with a disability, some days are better for Molly than others. At first the disease did not impair Molly much, but within the past 6 months, she has lost a lot of muscle tone in her hindquarters. She can no longer go up the stairs, though she can manage, for now, the two steps to go outside. She is also now very afraid to walk on slippery surfaces. When she does, she has no control over her affected leg, and it "skates" out from under her. She is good with rugs, so we have had to put area rugs down all over our hardwood and tiled floors. She can also no longer get on the couch, but needs help to get up. Sometimes her legs become entangled and she trips over herself and falls down. We are on constant look out for Molly.
 My wife and I joined an informational support group on the internet about the disease. I had no idea it was so common. It is one of the busiest lists to which I have ever belonged. What’s the prognosis for Molly? We have been taking her for regular treatments. Diet and exercise are important. There may also be medication available which can mitigate the disease. We have tried various slings and such with limited success. There is no cure, but we can add quality and quantity to her life. We bought her booties to wear so that she does not cut up the top of her foot. They also help with traction. Molly will only get worse, and at some point, we may be looking at a doggie wheelchair, or a "cart".  Many dogs take well to these mobility aids because it provides them a new found sense of freedom, which they had otherwise lost.
 Molly will continue to lose control over her rear end. She has begun to club her other foot. She may lose control over her other leg as well. In later stages of the disease, she may lose control over her bodily functions, such as her bladder. For this reason urinary tract infections are common with dogs who have DM.
The average life expectancy for a Boxer is about 10 years. We feel confident that we can help her see that number and even beyond. Molly is still in good spirits, she still likes to play and occasionally still tries to run, in a hopping style of gait. We dote over her more and we let her sniff for longer periods outside. We don’t know how much time she may have left, but for now, she is still the queen of the house.