Need advice about degenerative myelopathy and limited mobility

[poundhound]

Our oldest girl, a Kelpie x (maybe with some Staffy or ACD?), is around 16 and has been losing muscle tone in the rear legs (especially the left one). She's been tentatively diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy and had arthritis for at least 4 years, which we treat with a monthly shot of Cartrophen and Previcox daily. Her mobility is quite reduced, but her personality is still Kelpie-like, and she still wants to play from time to time, run downhill (with a lopsided crab-like movement), and is as eager as ever for dinner, brekky, snacks and cuddles. We think she suffers from a bit of canine dementia, which mostly manifests itself at night, when she wants to play musical beds with the other two dogs in the house until the wee hours (even if we're all trying to sleep). AFAIK, she's not in pain, but she does occasionally look frustrated when her rear legs don't cooperate. We're trying to find ways to improve her life, and especially her mobility, until it becomes clear that it's not fun at all anymore and it's time to say goodbye. We obviously love her to bits and are hoping to give her a chance to enjoy the upcoming spring and summer, her favourite seasons. Ideally we'll be able to help her go to the Rainbow Bridge once incontinence kicks in and/or by the start of next winter - she hates the cold season.

 

We've been trying to train her to sit in a padded cart, so we could take her for walks on the roads with the other two dogs, but she wants to get out of it as soon as it starts moving. We're thinking about getting her a doggy "wheelchair", but there are many brands out there, starting at roughly $100 (on ebay and amazon) on through $900+. In this area (NSW Far South Coast), our local vets don't have a lot of experience with doggy wheelchairs, and some think she might be too old for them. So I'd like to ask for advice and recommendations about different brands or models, based on your experiences. Also, how hard is it to train a dog in using one? And finally, is there any vet who specialises in myelopathy or similar old age problems? We could probably travel as far as Sydney or Melbourne, although Canberra would be easier. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Edited August 15, 2022 by poundhound
clarified topic

[_PL_]

No experience with that condition so I can't help.  But restless activity at night in a potential dementia dog is like 'Sundowners' in humans. 

Wheelchair; I got mine from eBay just using the measurements. Quality and fit was still there. It was a 4WD so her front legs didn't have to work harder and I added padding where needed. To get her started I'd sit at the other side of the kitchen (nice smooth surface) with a treat or she wouldn't move.

Relevant issues are that it came from China, arrived very quickly but I'm not sure if you need one immediately or not. And she was only young, a senior - especially with beginning of dementia - could likely be bewildered by the setup and just stand there looking at you like you've lost it completely. 

(I can't find the seller I brought it from sorry.  )

 

If you're looking for over and above your regular vet, google 'geriatric dog vet'. You'll find services like this https://sydneymobilevet.com.au/geriatric-veterinarian/

[Rebanne]

I do know someone who started their senior kelpie in a wheelchair and gave good quality of life for another 12 months. https://www.facebook.com/MUSCLESnMORE

shoot Janine a message, she may be able to help.

[tdierikx]

A friend of mine who had an elderly ACD got stem cell treatment (very expensive) which gave her dog an amazing improvement and new lease on life... so much so that the silly dog blew a cruciate doing zoomies down the hallway... considering that before the treatment, the dog had to have a pram for walks, it was a well worth every penny spent.

 

T.

[poundhound]

Thank you all for the info! 

[poundhound]

On 14/08/2022 at 5:52 PM, tdierikx said:

A friend of mine who had an elderly ACD got stem cell treatment (very expensive) which gave her dog an amazing improvement and new lease on life... so much so that the silly dog blew a cruciate doing zoomies down the hallway... considering that before the treatment, the dog had to have a pram for walks, it was a well worth every penny spent.

 

T.

Do you know where your friend did the stem cell treatment?

[tdierikx]

10 hours ago, poundhound said:

Do you know where your friend did the stem cell treatment?

 

Back then it was only done at one or two specialist clinics, and I'm pretty sure she had it done at the specialist vets somewhere in the northern suburbs of Sydney.

 

Now it can be done at quite a few places, and I hear that Vineyard vet clinic are pretty good - they treated another friend's puma (I have friends in the zoo industry).

 

Depending on where you are located, you may find multiple clinics in Sydney or Canberra (or maybe even in slightly smaller cities/towns) that offer stem cell treatment for a range of issues.

 

T.

[Deeds]

Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH) at North Ryde, Animal Referral Hospital (ARH) and Specialist Ctr at Crows Nest/St Leonards Sydney would all do stem cell treatment.  Personally I would do SASH.  SASH are also located on the Central Coast.

[poundhound]

Thanks Deeds! I just saw your post now. We're in the process of sourcing a "wheelchair", but I will call them too. We live on the Far South Coast, so it would be a bit of a slog, but definitely worth investigating.

Edited August 22, 2022 by poundhound

[Deeds]

You could check if one of the vets in Bowral do it.  Or ring SASH to see if they know of anyone near you that does stem cell therapy. 

[poundhound]

Thanks again for the above advice. We finally were able to find the right kind of wheelchair for our Lilli, from Aquapaws, near Melbourne, where they focus on doggy rehab and physiotherapy (with pools). There is a confusing abundance of options when it comes to doggy wheelchairs online, and we were a bit overwhelmed, but once we contacted Aquapaws with the necessary measures, they shipped us a wheelchair that seems to be working just fine. Additionally, they were able to find a used one in excellent conditions for less money, and their policy is that you can return it for a 40% refund, once it's no longer needed  But for the time being, Lilli is learning to use it and it seems to help her regain a bit of strength in her back legs. Most importantly, she seems to find the exercise stimulating, if tiring. Or maybe it's the liver treats that go with the training, I don't know. But in any case, I have seen her smile much more frequently since we started with this... Next: stem cell therapy?