%
% n/n 50.84% n/DM 38.33% DM/DM 10.83%
“WHEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET, ONE MIGHT FIND MANY APPROACHES THAT HAVE BEEN TRIED OR ARE RECOMMENDED. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC
EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS THEIR EFFICACY.”
n/n
n/DM
DM/DM
definitively diagnose DM is via a spinal cord biopsy collected through an autop- sy (post-mortem) examination. The diagnostics performed to rule out other causes of spinal cord disease often include: • A thorough physical/neurological examination • Blood and urine testing • Advanced imaging (CT or MRI scan) • Spinal fluid collection and analysis The cause of spinal cord disease is best diagnosed by a veterinarian who specializes in neurology, internal medi- cine or surgery. Currently there is no known treat- ment capable of significantly alter- ing the course of DM. When search- ing the Internet, one might find many approaches that have been tried or are recommended. Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence that supports their efficacy. Unfortunately, the prognosis for dogs with DM is poor. The quality of life for affected dogs can be enhanced through diligent nursing care, pre- vention of pressure sores, rehabilita- tion therapies such as swimming and stretching exercises, massage, acu- puncture, monitoring for urinary tract infections (immobilized dogs are more prone) and the use of specialized equip- ment such as booties, slings, harnesses and wheelchairs to assist with mobility. DM becomes so debilitating that most people eventually opt for eutha- nasia. Exactly when to euthanize is a
Malabo APD is a Brazilian kennel founded about ten years ago and it is taking a serious approach to manag- ing the diseases that affect our Rho- desian Ridgebacks. At Malabo APD Kennel we always target our health issues head on, and when something is identified we do our best to fix the issue. Because of this, we decided to check our 120 dogs. Our results are illustrated by the graphic above. As part of our approach, we are neu- tering our DM/DM dogs, which makes up 10.83% of our animals. This exam is not mandatory in the United States and we don’t have it avail- able in South America. However, we believe that we can encourage other facilities to take this same step towards eliminating this disease. We can’t allow breeding of n/DM x n/DM animals. This selection gives us 25% of probability of having DM/DM dogs. Breeding n/n X n/DM give us 50% of animals with n/DM genes and 50% n/n. The ideal situation is n/n X n/n, this way we can work this genetic issue out of our breeding program. Testing our animals is the only way to ensure that are working solely with healthy dogs and not spreading the problem. Having beautiful dogs is very impressive, but beauty at the cost of health is unacceptable. At Malabo APD, our main goal is to keep our animals healthy.
highly individualized decision based on how adaptive, both physically and psychologically, the involved dog and human(s) are. Some dogs thrive in a well-fitted doggie cart/wheelchair. Others are highly resistant to such an apparatus. For the human caretaker, in addition to the emotional toll that DM takes, there is a great deal of lift- ing, carrying and cleaning involved. Everyone responds differently to this challenging situation. Letting go of a beloved four-legged family member is never easy, but it can be particularly heartbreaking when DM is the cause. Affected dogs typically have good appetites, are pain-free and their minds remain just as sharp as ever. Letting go of a dog who acts or feels sick is usually a bit easier, simply because the process seems to make more sense. It so happens that, like dogs with DM, some people with ALS carry the SOD1 gene mutation*1. Having a canine model for studying ALS has important ramifications. Not only might more be learned about the degenerative process that afflicts people with ALS, the canine model may ultimately prove to be valu- able in terms of learning more about therapeutic interventions. RESOURCES: 1. “Genetics of ALS.” - The ALS Asso- ciation. ALS Association, n.d. Web. 07 Jan. 2015. <http://www.alsa.org/ research/about-als-research/genetics- of-als.html>.
S how S ight M agazine , M arch 2018 • 79
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