by Phyllis McCrossin
We have one sick little puppy. Things are not going well for DK.
We knew when we adopted him he had “some weakness” in his hindquarters. After just one week of living with us, it became more pronounced and it was obvious it was far more than “some weakness.”
Poor DK walks sideways, falls down often and has a very difficult time not falling over into his own poop when relieving himself. (I tried to find a polite way to word that, but I could not).
I also knew he had an ear infection or ear mites or both. It’s hard to mistake the awful smell and constant head shaking for anything else.
So once again I played Russian roulette and looked for a veterinarian on line. It’s hard to choose a veterinarian when you don’t know anyone in the area to ask opinions. Then again, I suppose, it’s no different than selecting a veterinarian by word of mouth. Some people have good things to say, others have negative things to say. It’s a crap shoot to know whom to believe.
I found a vet in Lakeside, Calif., through Yelp and called to make an appointment. The clinic had mostly good reviews. We brought DK in yesterday (Saturday).
Without running extensive tests it’s difficult to know exactly what is wrong with DK. We know from ex-rays done by the rescuer’s vet that he does, indeed, have “some” hip dysplasia. We have results from blood tests done by that same clinic as well – all are within normal ranges.
According to Doctor Google (on line searching for those who don’t get the reference) DK has all the signs of degenerative myelopathy. (It’s similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – Lou Gehrig’s disease). Those same symptoms can also be signs of a weak hip and an ear infection. Doctor Google tends to be rather pessimistic.
Truth is, diagnosing degenerative myelopathy is mostly a process of elimination, although I believe there may be a spinal test for it. Regardless of whether he has DM or dysplasia — neither one is curable. The veterinarian at the clinic suggested we treat the ear infection, give him pain meds for joint discomfort and inflammation and add glucosamine to his regimen. She checked his spine and found no abnormalities (a good sign).
We were also given some suggestions on how to add a little weight to his emaciated body without adding too much strain on joints. His spine juts out from his back. It’s probably from years of living on the streets and (literally) eating garbage.
DK will be with us for as long as possible. Hopefully it is nothing more than weak and sore joints.
So that is where we are with our new companion. After the vet tech cleaned his ears (he said it was gross) DK seemed to feel a little better, but he still walks like crap. Oh, we think we see a little improvement but one can never be sure if we are seeing improvement or if it is wishful thinking.
King and I decided we could live with a handicapped dog and when the time comes, hopefully we will be in Michigan and can use our own vet.
It’s a pragmatic solution. And it’s easy to be stoic about it now because for now we are doing what we should.
