Now Murphy not right

[Nicki]

Oh goodness - well at least it's ruled something out. The rest needs to be very strict, only out on the lead for toiletting etc - I know it's really hard. I don't think Murphy is crate trained?

You could try using a pen but sometimes they will jump up at the sides which obviously you do not want.

Otherwise if he is in a room where he can't jump then that is ok, if he can get to furniture or steps you need to keep him on a lead attached to you so that he can't jump.

I really hope it's nothing serious for you.

[murphy's mum]

Yes, he's not crate trained, we've got a baby gate on the kitchen, which is where he'll be if we can't watch him, and one on the bottom of the stairs too. I've lifted him onto the couch to be beside me, as he wouldn't settle on his bed, and will lift him down again when he wants down. If I one of us can't keep an eye on him, he'll be in the kitchen as there is nothing he can get up on in there.

The walking on a lead will be hard, but we need to do whats best. It wont be bad at the moment as he has lower energy levels but if he starts to recover them he's be climbing the walls. We're just hoping the rest does the trick, if not he'll need an MRI done.

[Sabby]

When Ebony was diagnosed with degenerated discs she had to have strict crate rest. Oh my god it was so hard after a few weeks especially when she could jump up again. Even now she is ok she is not allowed to jump up or do stairs. She is so used to us picking her up to lift onto the sofa she just stands there now looking at us like to say come on I want to be lifted up what’s keeping you. We found the pain killer Previcox really good but it’s the most expensive pain killer there is on the market I think. The vet never had given it before. But it really helped her.

[murphy's mum]

He seems really, really, good today, much better than he has been, a total turn around, which has me wondering.

Although this morning he was scratching for a bit, and he went into a head rub, which ended with him rolling about on his back. Not "being kept quiet" as the vet asked, but it was so similar to what Misty used to do before being treated for her SM, I didn't want to stop him. I'm keeping note of it all for the vet, just in case. He has said we can't automatically jump to SM, but all these little things make me wonder if he just has milder symptoms than our "Princess". And whether the pain he's been having this week was a flare up? He has leg licked for a couple of years, his front legs are a pinky brown at the joint where he licks, but he's never shown any other symptoms. Looking back we could easily see all Misty's "quirks" as we thought of them, but not with Murphy.

I don't know what to think, and if I'm honest, my Hubby's not much help on these things. He thought I was crazy when I kept saying I thought Misty had SM, don't get me wrong, he loves them both as much as what I do, but I do think he thinks I'm looking for things that aren't there. He hasn't read about SM though, he doesn't like to, I think it upsets him to think about. Maybe I've read too much about it.

Edit:
Speaking of reading too much, I've just read that scooting a lot can sometimes be a symptom too if there is a syrinx in the lumbar region of the spine. I wasn't aware of this to be honest, but Murphy scoots a lot, he get's his glads checked regularly because I take him in when he's been scooting lots, but the vets normally say that the gland aren't particularly full. We were in last week because he was scooting, and I thought this could have been what was wrong with him, but the vet said they were fine. Something else to think about or just me looking for something which isn't there?

[Margaret C]

but I do think he thinks I'm looking for things that aren't there. He hasn't read about SM though, he doesn't like to, I think it upsets him to think about. Maybe I've read too much about it. ?

This is the problem with a condition like SM, so many symptoms that could so easily be 'normal' dog behaviour. or signs of something a lot less worrying.

We spend a lot of time asking ourselves if we are being paranoid. Unfortunately, with SM becoming increasingly common in the breed, we are actually being realistic when we wonder if quirky signs are SM related.

Speaking of reading too much, I've just read that scooting a lot can sometimes be a symptom too if there is a syrinx in the lumbar region of the spine. I wasn't aware of this to be honest, but Murphy scoots a lot, he get's his glads checked regularly because I take him in when he's been scooting lots, but the vets normally say that the gland aren't particularly full. We were in last week because he was scooting, and I thought this could have been what was wrong with him, but the vet said they were fine. Something else to think about or just me looking for something which isn't there?

Sometimes a dog can have irritation caused by dried poo being stuck to their anus, in that case a smear of vaseline for a few days may help, but I'm afraid that scooting can also be a SM symptom.

With SM the owner lives with doubt and worry because we know that our dogs may be living with pain.

[Sabby]

He seems really, really, good today, much better than he has been, a total turn around, which has me wondering.

Although this morning he was scratching for a bit, and he went into a head rub, which ended with him rolling about on his back. Not "being kept quiet" as the vet asked, but it was so similar to what Misty used to do before being treated for her SM, I didn't want to stop him. I'm keeping note of it all for the vet, just in case. He has said we can't automatically jump to SM, but all these little things make me wonder if he just has milder symptoms than our "Princess". And whether the pain he's been having this week was a flare up? He has leg licked for a couple of years, his front legs are a pinky brown at the joint where he licks, but he's never shown any other symptoms. Looking back we could easily see all Misty's "quirks" as we thought of them, but not with Murphy.

I don't know what to think, and if I'm honest, my Hubby's not much help on these things. He thought I was crazy when I kept saying I thought Misty had SM, don't get me wrong, he loves them both as much as what I do, but I do think he thinks I'm looking for things that aren't there. He hasn't read about SM though, he doesn't like to, I think it upsets him to think about. Maybe I've read too much about it.

Edit:
Speaking of reading too much, I've just read that scooting a lot can sometimes be a symptom too if there is a syrinx in the lumbar region of the spine. I wasn't aware of this to be honest, but Murphy scoots a lot, he get's his glads checked regularly because I take him in when he's been scooting lots, but the vets normally say that the gland aren't particularly full. We were in last week because he was scooting, and I thought this could have been what was wrong with him, but the vet said they were fine. Something else to think about or just me looking for something which isn't there?

My Ebony has no SM but symptomatic CM. She used to scratch and roll about on her back in the morning and at night. She is on Gabapentin and if I don’t give her tablet early enough in the morning she will scratch and roll about on the floor and rub her face with her feet while rolling on the floor, that’s how she scratched her eye tree times with her dew claw.

This sounds a bit like us. When Rosie was about 3 I was always saying to my husband that she is face rubbing but only after a meal or toilet, and as our X Breed used to do it my husband said I am paranoid. As the time went on I was more and more convinced that Rosie was showing signs of SM and I think I was in denial. When my other two were MRI scanned because other reasons and they have CM & SM I felt really bad for Rosie as all my time and energy was taken up with the other two and to be honest I couldn’t take much more at that time. My husband is of no help he loves them very much but he is at work evenings/nights and he listens to what I read about SM but I am left to sort out absolutely everything what concerns the dogs. He wouldn’t even know what tablets when and what dog. He just says well go ahead and have Rosie scanned, I am so glad I got the Forum as I am emotionally drained. Rosie has problems with her ears, anal glands and skin problems so I have switched her to raw food to see if that will improve anything and if I still think she is showing signs of SM I will have her scanned and go from there.

[murphy's mum]

That's it isn't it Margaret, it's the fact that individually they are all "normal" dog behaviour. I checked his bum, and there's no sign of dried poo, but I will keep an eye on it. He's definitely scratching more today, which he doesn't really do, so I'll speak to the vet on Tuesday when we're back, just to make sure there isn't anything else he can think of.

Sabby, sorry to hear about your suspicions about Rosie, it sometimes feels like there's no end to it all doesn't it? Murphy has always head rubbed when he is wet, or after something special for tea, he's never done it as often as today. He's done it three times, each time was the same. He would scratch, then lean down and head rub, and then roll about on his back. I'm just keeping a note of it all, and speak to the vet about my fears. I know he's said not to leap to the SM conclusion, but I don't want him to dismiss it just because his symptoms are different from Misty's.

[Sabby]

It sounds the same then what Ebony does, and this morning Ebony had me up at 5 am. Wonder if the air pressure has dropped that’s when Ebony and a lot of other dogs with CM/SM get worse. I would never had knows that Ebony has symptomatic CM if she wouldn’t had bad discs and had to have an MRI for the discs. Thinking back Ebony has rolled about on the floor for a while and I thought it was a quirky behaviour because other dogs do it. Since she has been on Gabapentin it all has stopped. I think if you are insured and it goes on much longer then have Murphy MRId otherwise I think you drive yourself crazy. At least you will know for sure. I think the guessing and not knowing is worse.

[murphy's mum]

I had Allison call me this morning to catch up over Misty, now she on steroids. Misty is scratching more and more at the moment, but seems happier in herself. We've to keep a doggy diary, to see her good and bad days.

While I was on the phone I asked if I should get Murphy referred. I ran through the scooting, paw licking/chewing, the back discomfort, and now the head rubbing and rolling. Allison said the first two could be allergies, although he doesn't make the skin sore as he mostly does it after waking up. She did say that there could still be a disc problem a X-ray doesn't pick up the discs. She said if it would put my mind at rest then to get a referral, she'd happily see him. And if I have any problems getting an appointment to call her. An MRI will pick up any spinal or CM/SM.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cavalover]

Do you have an idea what the allergies may be at this point? Both of my parents' dogs at ages 6 and 7 (different breeds, too, as one is a golden and the other is a brittany spaniel) were discovered to have poultry allergies after a very careful process of elimination. It actually is a pretty common source of allergies in dogs, which was a surprise to my family. For months, both had been scratching terribly and developing hot spots. Working with their vet, they changed the food to salmon and buffalo meat based products. This has completely fixed the problem.