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Comment by Carl Koch on May 7, 2015 at 12:51pm

Oh yeah. It is a good idea to have blood work done every six months for dogs on Rimadyl. It's not required but I like knowing there isn't anything going on with her liver and kidneys. Better safe than sorry. Betty seems to be tolerating both meds very well with spectacular results.. 

Comment by Carl Koch on May 7, 2015 at 12:47pm

Bless your hearts. As mentioned below anti-inflammatories may help. Our Betty was having trouble walking too. Her hind feet would always work in unison instead of alternately. She is 10 years old. Our sweet vet started her on 50 mg of Rimadyl in the evening and a 50 mg Tramadol tablet in the AM. She now runs with a normal gait and is driving our cat nuts. Ask you vet. Try it for a few days. If it helps .. it helps. If not you are only out a few bucks and a little time. Betty is a furry ping pong ball now. People don't believe she is 10 years old.

Comment by Beth on May 7, 2015 at 12:09pm

I am sorry you are facing this.  We are dealing with something similar with our Maddie.  Some points to consider:

It is impossible without necropsy to be sure of DM.   IVDD can mimic DM:  many dogs present without pain and I read on a reputable site that about half of all dogs or more who are diagnosed with DM actually have IVDD.   If it is IVDD, an anti-inflammatory can help.  Anti-inflammatory meds can also help even if it is DM because a lot of strain is put on the other joints because of the wonky movements that result from DM.  So maybe try adding fish oil and an NSAID. 

Exercise, exercise, exercise.  As long as she can walk, keep her moving.  Pavement is your enemy.  We were doing ok with nail caps, but now Maddie is wearing sores on her feet.  So we put a little sock on her to cross roads and carry her when we need to, and then try to get her at least a half mile walking in the grass every day. 

I also found balance exercises help.  Pick up each paw in turn.  If the hind end is very week you may need to lightly support her under her belly as you pick up the strong paws.  When you get to her weak leg, she may not give the joint and let it flex as you lift it, since she can't really feel it.  Try massaging her foot as you gently lift the leg and see if you can get her to flex the joint.  You can then lift the right hind and left front at the same time, and then left hind and right front, so she is standing on diagonal legs.  As she loses feeling in the worst hind leg, you may no longer be able to lift the good hind leg but still lift the bad one and opposing front.  Try to do this at least 2x per day.

When she is lying on her side, very gently move her bad hind leg through most of its range of motion.   Don't take the joint to the extreme since she can't feel it to let you know if you are straining it. 

Examine her nails and paws EVERY day for wear.  Things can change in just one day.

Good luck.

Comment by Linda on May 7, 2015 at 11:37am

I am so sorry to hear this!  Have you looked into acupuncture?  I don't know much about DM but possibly acupuncture could help open the nuero pathways and help her leg to function better and longer.  I've seen what it did for Max and myself.  I also like it because it's not a medicine that could have side effects.

Comment by Judith Andre on May 6, 2015 at 11:38pm

I used a baby stroller that had a back that laid all the way down for Zac.  Also, I found the hind end sling made by Doggonewheels to be more useful than a wheelchair.  He could even run next to me on rough terrain and it was quick and easy to put on. Also very helpful when it became hard for him to stand up to go to the bathroom.  It has leg holes so it actually holds up their rear end rather than the awful belly bands that just hump them up in the middle. Be sure to put down rug runners for her if you have a slick floor.  I'm so sorry you and your pup have to go through this.

Comment by Jane Christensen on May 6, 2015 at 8:52pm

So sorry! I don't have any advice....