Corgi on Wheels

A progressive neurological disease can’t slow this dog down – or break his spirit

 

Amy Deisher named her 13-year-old Pembroke Welsh corgi (PWC) Llyr (pronounced “Lear”) after a Welsh deity. The fluffy pup took to it – and to Amy – seamlessly.

“He came right up to me,” said Amy. “But I also fell instantly in love with the little ball of fluff. He was a mama’s boy from day one.”

Llyr was always a happy, healthy, active boy until about three years ago when Amy got worrisome news from her primary care veterinarian: Llyr had thyroid cancer. He underwent surgery, but Amy opted against chemotherapy. She had Llyr’s blood work analyzed and X-rays taken every three months to ensure the cancer hadn’t spread. Luckily, it hadn’t.

Llyr, Amy thought, was in the clear.

But then, a year-and-a-half later, Llyr was attacked by a neighbor’s dog. Amy took him immediately to the veterinarian to have the tooth punctures on his hindquarters tended to. She says it was that accident that she believed was the catalyst for Llyr’s inability to use his back legs. After the attack, says Amy, Llyr remained lame.

The persistent lameness brought Amy and Llyr to Penn Vet. At Ryan Hospital, neurologists submitted blood work to test for degenerative myelopathy, a genetic neurological disease that affects a dog’s spinal cord. The test came back as “Affected/At Risk”, which indicated that it was unlikely that Llyr’s back-leg usage would ever return.

 

About the Disease

Degenerative myelopathy is a disease that progresses with time, and usually has an onset of eight to 14 years of age in dogs. Affected dogs will wobble when they’re walking or drag their feet. As the disease progresses, limbs become weaker and the dog may have difficulty standing and, eventually, walking.

While not a physically painful disease, degenerative myelopathy progressively affects a dog’s entire spine beginning in the thoracic vertebrae above the chest area. Over time, there is progressive loss of normal white matter within the spinal cord. This loss of white matter leads to the neurologic signs associated with degenerative myelopathy, such as weakness and ataxia. Recent research has identified a mutation in a gene that greatly increases a dog’s likelihood to develop the disease. Available for veterinarians, breeders and owners, the test identifies dogs that have two normal copies of the gene (and clear from DM); those who have one genetic marker (who are carriers of the disease and can transmit the mutation to offspring, but will not likely develop the disease); and those who have two copies of the gene and may develop clinical disease, but this is not a certainty.

Other spinal cord diseases can show similar symptoms as DM, so it’s important for owners to consult with their veterinarian to be sure the dog is being treated appropriately.

 

Treatment

“Exercise and physical therapy are the only things that have been proven to help,” said Adam Moeser, DVM, resident in Ryan Hospital’s neurology and neurosurgery section and Llyr’s attending clinician at his recent December appointment. “No drugs have been shown to really work so exercise is best.”

Heeding that information, Amy took action. Llyr now has two physical therapy sessions a week, which include swimming and land exercises.

“They also do massage, stretching and cold laser therapy,” said Amy. The therapists also taught Amy a series of exercises that she could do at home with Llyr. “I do stretches for his front legs, back legs, shoulders and neck, as well as massage.”

In addition, to help Llyr get along better, Amy had a cart made for him that carried his back end while letting him propel himself forward by his front feet.

“His cart is pivotal in his treatment and quality of life,” said Amy. Recently, the cart, which had been two wheels, has been upgraded to a four-wheel cart to help support Llyr’s front-end, which has showed signs of weakening. Amy has her order in for skis, as well, which will help her keep Llyr active during winter months.

For Llyr, who has had his DM diagnosis for more than 18 months, it’s important that Amy and Dr. Moeser keep closer tabs on the progression of his disease so he and Amy make appointments at Ryan Hospital every three months.

“So far, he’s doing well, but is gradually getting weaker,” said Amy. “I was so happy to hear Dr. Moeser’s evaluation of Llyr and he really spent a lot of time and explained everything so well.”

As far as her future with her beloved dog, Amy is happy to have the time she has with him.

“Llyr and I go together like peanut butter and jelly,” she said. “One is not right without the other!”