Need Help With Bleeding Paws / Possible Degenerative Myelopathy

[Tom Sheard]

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Hello all,

My name is Tom and I have a little French bulldog Called Marlin. She means everything to me. She is just coming up to her 7th year ( in September) and we have started to notice what we think is the start of degenerative Myelopathy which is to be honest... heartbreaking.

She has been to the vets, and she has also been to see a specialist, who advised they did think this was neurological but didn't want to put her to sleep for an X-Ray because her way of life is not been affected too much.

We believe she is in the early stages and we know this can move fast. That been said, she has been dragging her back too paws now, to the point where they are bleeding and she has grazed bleeding knuckles. Her back claws are right down to the nerves. We have tried boots but she just will not walk in them and its so painful to watch her try.

I have joined on here to see if anybody has any other ideas, I have tried looking online but all that is available is boots that only really cover the front of the paws.

Any help with this is extremely appreciated. Thank you so much in advance, I hope I am in the right place!

All the best,
Tom

 

[lurcherman]

Wow such a shame, I’m sure this is for the experts to give advice, I’m sure when the time is right you will do the right thing for the dog, feel your pain, all the best.

 

[JudyN]

Hi Tom, I'm sorry to hear about Marlin. Oddly enough, I was reading up on DM just yesterday because my dog has occasionally been stumbling on one back leg and I do wonder if this could be a very early sign in him.

Could you try putting socks on her back feet, to get her used to the feel of something on her feet? Once they're on, you could distract her with food just in the house, so she gains confidence. Then you might be able to progress to some other sort of foot covering that gives some protection. Vet Wrap? Or would a thick layer of something protective like Musher's Secret paw wax smeared across her knuckles help protect them?

I hope she has plenty of quality time ahead of her.

 

[Hemlock]

I can't offer advice but I can offer cybersupport. Thinking of you and hoping very much you find help.

 

[EnviousOG]

Sorry to hear that mate, gutting. I've seen dogs with no back legs use a wheel chair sort of thing, where they have the back end sitting in a cloth sort of thing with wheels on it, just throwing ideas