Laurie's Blogs.

Hey there,

I have a question that perhaps many have been thinking.  I have a huge run of senior dogs right now.  Most are diagnosed with Degenerative Myelopathy and or open diagnosis…I always get them tested to rule out, or see if they have the marker.  Typically these same dogs have been gradually over the past 1-2 years becoming more ataxic in the hind limbs. (So I feel not DM in most cases- various breeds). Often vets don’t even do rads to check for spinal issues (spondylosis, stenosis), which is very frustrating.

My question, I call many of these dogs, “senior dog neuropathy” (so, open diagnosis).  In your opinion when you see senior dogs with very gradual ataxia, and weakening of the HL, what do you attribute this to?  My thought process has been that there may be degenerative changes in the spine, causing waxing and waning of inflammation = neuro deficits (and / or some disc issues due to disc’s having less H2O and less flexible)…but is there more I should be thinking about?

With these dogs, I teach strengthening of core, and HL, alpha stim, laser and sometime water therapy. Most do quite well, but still I need to understand what the possible underlying pathology is.

Ps I watched your last video, loved it and have been doing the ‘neural dance’ with dogs, and myself so I will see what happens.

TC

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Hey!

Great question!

I 100% agree in thinking that it is coming from the spine as well.  Disc degeneration that likely causes some mechanical compression on the spinal cord (where the dorsal longitudinal ligament(s) buckle and push up on the cord, or a slow chronic herniation.)  

There is some mention in the literature of non-painful wobblers, and in many older dogs, I think that this is exactly what's going on.  For the most part I think the issues are in the caudal cervical spine, but in many dogs I think there are problems in the cranial thoracic too.  The latter occurring especially in sight hounds and dogs with that topline.

This past year, I've been fortunate to see a number of dogs (three very specific examples come to mind - two Cocker Spaniels and a Weimaraner... all in their teens) that I was able to see within a day or so of a sudden onset of worsening ataxia (i.e. all were older and displayed some hind end weakness, ataxia before hand, but never showed much in the way of spinal pain).  And on those days, when they had an acute flare up, I was able to find pain in their necks.  Most often C7, and sometimes C6 or T1 - T2.  

Treatments consisted of manual therapy (mobilizations & neck traction), modalities (laser & acupuncture), home traction, and cookie exercises (just pain free movement).  When they returned for their follow up visits (somewhere between 2 days or a week later), none of them had neck pain.  NONE.  It was gone.  The ataxia had improved from the flare up, but wasn't 100% back to the previous levels. 

So, this made me think, how many of these older, mildly (or moderately to severe) ataxic dog with hind end weakness are 'closet' geriatric wobblers, and they just don't get to us exactly when they are flared up and painful?  So we just have to guess at what's gone on!  I bet a whole boatload!!!  Thus, in my old ataxic dogs, I have started to proactively work with their necks / upper thoracic spines (treatment as described above), and it's working in many cases!  The two Cocker Spaniels I've actually gotten them well enough that they can 'play around' a little bit in agility. (The owner puts them in beginner’s class so it's not too strenuous, and the dogs love it and can do it!)  The Weimaraner is 16.  We're just happy for her to walk and bumble around in the field with her kids, grandkids, and great, great grandkids!  Fabulous longevity!

So, to add to what you're doing, I'd try some caudal cervical spine therapies and just see what happens!

And, glad you are enjoying the dance moves!  You should send me a video!  ;)

Cheers,

Laurie