IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT re Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) - Page 9

--- > Can you point me towards this information/proof/evidence? I have heard this, but been unable to find any "proof" of it other than "so and so said" or "I heard it".

I  assume if you kept reading the thread, Val, you saw proof. Yes, its horrid about Missie T. Just about did me in when I found out :(

---> One of the reports from UM that I read said that all GSD's diagnosed with DM have tested at risks. 

LOL- these are the same people claiming GSDM and Corgi/Boxer DM are the same disease, despite completely different diagnostic test results and symptoms.. Consider the source, please.
 

---- > Marjorie, As you have a DM support website, can I suggest that you have a page or whatever on your site where you request that people register their info/results so that you have a record of data. It seems a logical step.

Brilliant idea, Abbey Normal! I love it! I guess message boards are good as they bring a whole new perspeective. I should have thought of that when people started to contact me, but I guess with my focus on Missie T, I wasnt seeing the forest through the trees! Thank you so much for an excellent suggestion!  I will contact my webmaster and have him start working on such a page :) I bow humbly to you :)

  Marjorie
http://www.gsdbbr.org The German Shepherd Dog Breed Betterment Registry
BE PROACTIVE!
http://mzjf.com --> The Degenerative Myelopathy Support Group http://www.mzjf.info/hgate Heaven's Gate  

--- > I am concerned that OFA, UM, the media, and the public do not distinguish this disease from the one that commonly afflicts GSDs. From what I can tell, the GSD disease is quite different from the disease studied by Dr Coates. The two are easy to distinguish clinically. If the dog has lost sensation it is not the disease studied by Dr Coates. It may be that UM still thinks there are no normal/normal dogs with DM because they exclude dogs who have lost sensation. By their definition of the disease that is correct but it doesn't help the GSD community at all.

That is what I have been trying to tell people, all along, but no one wants to listen. Certainly not the GSDCA, who informed me they have no desire to learn about the differences. What a  tremendous disservice they are doing to the breed. They even invited Dr Coates to speak at the National. I guess they are more interested in Corgi/Boxer DM, or more interested in getting results that wont threaten sales of dogs. Its almost as if there is a collusion in the scientific community to embrace what Coates has to say as the gospel, and ignore facts. Earlier in this thread I mentioned some of the differences between ALS and GSDM. One of the differences was sensation. One is a motor unit disease, and the other is an autoimmune disease, and that is why the diagnostic test results are so different.

Yes, people with GSDS can choose to test, but personally, I would rather give my money to hungry children. At least it would do some good, there. It does zero good to test a GSD for a disease it doesnt get and all it does is add to the hype and collusion. :( May as well burn the money or just write off GSDS, because that is the end result of this - our breed is being written off, period, end.  GSDM is being pointedly ignored. How many more will have to get ill, like Missie T, to get owners of our breed to act responsibly and demand we get our fair share of research money for the type of breed our breed gets-GSDM! As generations go by, and have been followed, I do believe there will be many class action lawsuits filed against all entities involved in promoting this emperors new clothes farce.

--- >  in the meantime others are researching it anyway.
 
Nope- unless it is a for profit venue with cash. All DM research monies have been steered to Dr Coates in relation to funded research. Hers is the only view accepted, so this actually HURTS our breed!

Abbey Normal

Here is what I am thinking of putting up- did I forget anything? My brain is so fried :(

If you had the OFA DM DNA (University of Missouri) Test Done, please fill out this form:   Breed of Dog Results Did this dog ever develop DM? What tests did you do to try to confirm the diagnosis of DM when the dog was alive? Was a necropsy performed upon this dog when it passed? Was the necropsy results sent to the University of Missouri? Did you speak with anyone at the University of Missouri regarding this necropsy report? If so, with whom did you speak? If your dog tested N/N and you bred your dog, did any of its progeny develop DM? Did any of the progeny of the progeny develop DM?

Any suggestions would be welcomed, if I forgot something.

 

Actually Marjorie - I did not see any links or information regarding where to find proof of the carrier or clear dogs who were proven to have DM with necropsy.  If I did overlook it (and just went back and looked again) please forgive me.  Would you please post the website or contact information to find out again?  

Again I have heard several people talk about these dogs... but have yet to see anything "official" about it.  

Thank you!
Valerie

Val- see post by dsurber on page 4. I have also been contacted by people with similar stories but I havent kept track because I have no time with Missie T. I will begin to keep records through my dm website from now on if people wish to participate. 

--- > Again I have heard several people talk about these dogs... but have yet to see anything "official" about it.

If you mean official, as through the U of Missouri, you would have to ask them about that, not me. I have no control over what they do with information given to them. Evidently they know about it. What they has done with the info I have no idea. Dsurber said she did speak with Dr Coates, personally.

One more thing worth knowing.

If you plan on sending postmortem specimines to UM, if possible, arrange for a postmortem CAT scan or MRI. This will rule out any other cause of your dog's problems, such as cancer, disk abnormality, orthorpedic problem, etc. My vet is one of the few in the country with their own MRI. I could have had him scanned but I didn't know.