[ SHOWGSD-L ] Serious, serious thoughts . . . about DM (Penny)

From: "Kathy Partch" <jokaysedona@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2012 17:54:47 -0700
Penny, I'm so sorry for having to let go of your old girl, Forest. But the 
more I think about an old dog like Forest that's old for a GS. I've been 
blessed with MANY old GSDs & when they get to be 13 & 14 or older & have had 
a busy life they do all of the things you've mentioned here. They ALL 
couldn't have had DM. My grandpa's & grandma's did all of those things too 
when they got that old. We just wear out. Just because the vet said that 
doesn't mean he/she knows everything either. If Forest was diagnosed clear 
then she was. It's just really difficult watching anything grow that old. 
Even us...

Kathy Sater-Partch "JoKay's"



>I didnâ?Tt consider myself to be on the bandwagon when the DM test came 
>out.  But I tested all the dogsâ?"most were carriers and the old lady, 
>Forest, my dearest dear, tested CLEAR or rather, Normal.  She was tested 
>about 10 months ago.  Then she started exhibiting THE signs:  dead tail, 
>lots more rear than she EVER had, knuckling over of the back feet, 
>wobbling, dragging herself,  and starting to knuckle over on the front feet 
>too.  Incontinence.  I took her to the vetâ?Ts and he said she had 
>â?oShepherd Myelopathy.â?  I argued arrogantly, no, no, the OFA test came 
>back CLEAR.  He looked at me square in the face and said, â?oDo the test 
>again.â?> Last Thursday, I took her for the last ride and my vet put her 
>to sleep. It was the worst thing I ever had to do.  She didnâ?Tt understand 
>why the pee was coming out and she didnâ?Tt feel it.  She didnâ?Tt 
>understand why she couldnâ?Tt even walk any more.  She was humiliated and 
>it was time. There are NO words to describe my feelings.  I see wisps of 
>her everywhere.  We were inseparable.  For the first few days, Billy did 
>the horse chores because I couldnâ?Tt bear to do them without Forest 
>supervising.  She would lie on the ground and OBSERVE.
> Back to DM.  Sure, all of you, be happy for the Normal results on your 
> dogs.  But beware.  Those results might not be valid.  The test is 
> fallible.  There must be more than one kind of DM, like there is more than 
> one kind of bloat:  young dog bloat AND old dog bloat.  More than one 
> genetic marker?  Probably . . .
>Sleep well, dear Forest and I WILL see you again, my darling.
>
> Penny in NC
>The Farm Dog FOREVER


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[ SHOWGSD-L ] Serious, serious thoughts . . . about DM (Penny)

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