22/05/2017
Dear family, dear friends and sports friends, dear friends of the German shepherd dog, dear dog lovers,
-THIS CONCERNS EVERYONE-
On Mother's Day 2016 came the day of days,
The day no one wishes,
But Everyone who has a faithful friend by his side,
knows that you can not get around it ...
I've had to send my star, my Buh, my Cornelia aka Conny vom Gillrather Traum over the rainbow bridge.
For nine and a half years, we were able to spend together, we went together through ups and downs, we have experienced envy and misery, joy and grief, good and bad times of all kinds, separations and moves. In good times and in bad times, we have through our lives dreamed and also fought. Without her, I might not be more, it was not always easy, but even if she was never a cuddly dog, she always knew exactly when I needed her most and she was there. Thanks my Buh!
We have passed a Begleithundeprüfung with as much sweat, as also the participation in a German championship. I owe her everything!
And then ... always the same question ... WHY?
Why? We had only nine years ...
Why? It was so hard for us ...
Why? I actually push everything to fate ...
Perhaps it was the disease that gave me the strength to fight it? And beyond Conny's death? YES! This is my answer!
Which disease? - DM
What's this? - Degenerative Myelopathy!
What is that? - with my words, which one can usually understand very well: You can look at your dog at the front living and behind dying! The stupid thing is that the front can not live without the back!
And it would be sooooo easy!
Already heard?
My dog does not inherit long hair!
Yes Congratulations! and how do you know that?
I've tested.
Yes how?
Quite simply, the long-hair gene is just as recessive in inheritance as in this disease. To be able to perform at all, two dogs must be at least bearers. If two recessive genes actually meet, then the genotype "at risk" will be DM / DM, and if you then have bad luck, the disease will break out. This is not always the case, but the thing does not get any better. Clearly, if the dog dies at eight years of cancer, it is also no longer interested, whether would have broken out with DM at eight and a half.
I have documented a bit and wrote a small diary, of course, with costs, so you can see the ratio between the test before the cover act (prevention DM / DM) and a DM dog. There is suppose to be people interested in money, of course in the club are extremely rare. * Irony from *
The inheritance:
A DM / DM dog can also be used in breeding! The mating then requires only one mating partner, according to test N / N is, thus pure without gene defect! Thus, the recessive genes can not meet each other. And then we can look back at the long-haired dog, whose two parents are stock hairy. Gene is not seen from the outside! Therefore, sticky and long-haired ones are created because both parents are carriers of the long-hair gene (in the DM inheritance DM / N or DM / DM) and this is naturally not passed on to all puppies of a litter. Tooth flaws work the same way.
All these are important factors for the world when the breeders' association says, "Hey, you need all the teeth, HD, ED, at least still allowed, then you can breed." But only because a main club is only with facts and not with Genetics, that does not mean that I can say as a responsible breeder, with a clear conscience: "Joooaaaaa, I do not have to!" Nevertheless we want all healthy dogs, don't we?
The diagnosis:
The dog shows signs of failure in the hindquarters, abraded claws and delayed changeover reflexes. At the very latest, a dog owner goes to the veterinarian, where he starts off.
DM is determined by exclusion diagnostics, which means that all diseases of a different kind are excluded by tests, x-rays and various other examinations. Using a simple cheek smear that can be taken home alone, genetic material is collected and sent to Laboklin for examination. Then it does not take quite a week and you have it black on white. Attention, only the test is not enough for a diagnosis!
The treatment:
THIS DISEASE IS INCURABLE!
For many dogs, life ends here. Not for mine!
The only effective and also scientifically proved therapy for the maintenance of motor skills is physiotherapy.
For this, one must know that a DM dog loses in the course of the disease the possibility of consciously controlling its hind leg. Everything the dog can do, comes from the muscle memory: his muscles make movements they have always made before. In the case of partamputierte one can compare the famous phantom pain with it.
The problem is, the head and the front part stays the dog, which he always was.
I would like to emphasize that Conny was painless over almost the entire course of her illness. Only the intermittent overloading of the forehand can lead to pain depending on the stage of the disease, which is why we have treated preventively, with painkillers, in order to prevent possible deficiencies. I quote Conny's physiotherapist: "If she's lying, she's lying ..." Hard, but it's absolutely true. It is also necessary to prevent the following damage, for example, abrasions by pulling the hindquarters. For this I used at the beginning Ruff-Wear dog shoes, it is for me the most stable and durable shoes.
Shortening the tendons and muscles on the hind legs (inside) can sometimes lead to a hooking while walking. This can be seen on some videos, when they could still run. Then the shoes do not work anymore because they hinder more than help. In the apartment, especially on smooth floors, we have resorted us with baby Stopper socks that I have equipped with additional stopper dots. This liquid rubber band can actually be ordered on the Internet and also the Velcro tape (Velcro cable wide) can be ordered there.
Outside, we used self-adhesive bandages in rough quantities, and laid a carpet from the door to the terrace to spare their legs.
• Stretching the tendons and muscles,
• Treatment with TENS (a medical device for muscle stimulation),
• hot roll for preheating,
• Massage treatments,
• Osteopathy (dislocation of displaced vertebrae)
• and training with expanders on the treadmill, suspended. With carrying aids in a frame,
• regular swimming,
belong among other things to the daily tasks for the preservation of the mobility of a DM-dog.
Unfortunately, the day comes, when the dog simply says that it is enough, he does not want to have this daily torture and simply must be left alone or do, for example, physiotherapeutic measures so that the dog feels comfortable. This is then the point at which you have to prepare for farewell. Conny showed clear avoidance behavior when they realized that we start again now. With us it was about four weeks before the day of the days. From then on, we concentrated on their favorite activity swimming, concentrated, so were twice a week in the water and in the evening before the sleeping went only a little massaged, quite easily loosened and stretched.
Anyone who knows his dog will notice this very quickly, whether he wants it or not. Please do not confuse with disobedience, the dog remains clear in the head and will always test if he is such a type.
In addition to the above, we have tried a number of treatments and therapies:
• Leech therapy
• Spasms with testosterone (strengthening the muscles)
• Daily administration of keltican (vitamin B and folic acid)
• Homeopathy in various approaches (injection, globuli ...)
• MSM powder daily under the food (pain-relieving)
• Injections (Milgamma, in batches)
It is very difficult to say whether this or that has helped. The disease progresses in spurts, so there are always a few days on which you would like to do the same a euthanasia date and if you have it already, the push is over and we say again because you realize half a miracle cure.
You just can not give up, should always go inside the dog ... does he really want that? This is very difficult, but I would ask anyone who wants/must to go this way, always remain fair. I can now end this relatively relaxed, because I am simply convinced that I have the right time. That does not make it much easier, but I do not have a guilty conscience. I've tried everything and strained myself beyond my borders, but it was ok.
Thanksgiving:
Thank you to my sweetheart, who has always supported me and especially put up with me. The last few months have been very stressful for me, for you and for our relationship. I love you!
