My 9.5 year old 74lb mix named Deputy was just diagnosed with probably Degenerative Myelopathy yesterday.
I started noticing that he had a slight “wobble” when he walked and that his hips appeared loose at times. I could also bend over one of his paws and sometimes it would take a minute or two for the signal to go to his brain, his inner nails were also getting worn down faster than the outer ones.
How many years did your dog live with this and what things helped? He’s on twice daily gabapentin (?, something with a g) just in case there is pain somewhere.
I had a dog who was diagnosed with Degenerative Myelopathy . The vet couldn’t slow the process, but she did assure us that the condition is not painful in and of itself. We concentrated on keeping the dog safe and comfortable - carried her up and down stairs, allowed her to take her own time on walks, shorter walks, etc.
I made her some boots with reinforced toes so she wouldn’t wear her back claws down to the quick and wouldn’t abrade the skin on her toes. If you don’t sew, you can buy heavy-duty dog boots from Ruffwear and other companies (rei.com carries several varieties of protective footwear for dogs).
I don’t remember how long she lived after her diagnosis. I don’t think it was more than a year. Eventually she just couldn’t control her back end, became incontinent, and seemed distressed. At that point it seemed appropriate to put her to sleep.
Of the dogs I’ve had, she was my favorite, and she was here not nearly long enough. I miss her.