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  • 1 min read

Degenerative Myelopathy In Pets

Degenerative Myelopathy (which in humans is the equivalent to ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) can have catastrophic consequences for you and your dog. Initial symptoms to look for:

  • Loss of coordination in the hind limbs or (ataxia)
  • Wobbly walking
  • Trouble walking up steps
  • Trouble while getting in the car
DM is most common in German Shepherds, Corgis, Boxers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and Standard Poodles. The Diagnosis has to be presumptive because there is no other way to know until the dog has passed and the spinal cord extracted and examined under a microscope. DM is the degeneration of white matter in the animals, which are in the spinal cord and peripheral nerves in the body. 
  
Just like ALS there is no known cure. It affects the spinal structure of the animal until complete paralysis. There are different ways to manage the pain, such as:
  • Acupuncture
  • Chiropractic care
  • Chinese herbs
  • Pharmaceuticals
Dog going for a walk in snow at night time

As DM progresses for your dog, limbs will become weak and begin to buckle. Dogs with advanced DM will experience a complete loss of urinary and fecal confidence. They will also experience weakness in their front limbs. 

Currently there is no cure for ALS/DM and funding is needed for research in an effort to find a cure. And so, the staff, here at BARF® World, will be snowmobiling across Minnesota in a fundraiser to help cure ALS. Each rider must raise at least $2,000 to be eligible. The event is called the BlackWoods Blizzard Tour, sponsored by The BlackWoods Restaurant in Duluth, MN. The restaurant is owned by a close friend of the Mueller family. People who have ALS cannot take care of their dogs properly, and are eventually forced to hire an aid to help get them through the day. 

With this charity, near and dear to our hearts, a donation to help us meet our goal will be much appreciated. Your donation will help fund the people who assist humans with ALS, as well as research and development for a cure. 

Thank you for your consideration to donate, and from all of us, here at BARF® World, we wish you a safe and happy New Year. 

Jake Mueller is a College student who grew up in the Mueller family hearing about how bad that “cooked” grain food is for our dog. I have been to countless dog shows meeting our breeders and consumers. Ive also traveled the midwest delivering dog food before we were able to do large bulk shipments helping unload thousands of pounds of dog food.

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