Sam, I'm so very heartbroken to hear of "M".
If it is M moving upwards towards the head, then the most difficult but kindest of parting gifts would be release before he can no longer breathe.
Being paralyzed in the legs from M moving downwards towards the tail would not be a reason to Put to sleep.
More on M as a quick read:
Not all vets have seen Myelomalacia because it is not so common. So print out this list of symptoms below to discuss with the ER vet
It is important that owners are familiar with symptoms in order to promptly get their vet's help at any hour of the night or day.
With Myelomalacia, what happens basically is that the spinal cord starts to die from the point of the spinal cord trauma moving forward toward the head. It can happen fast, within hours. It is a very painful ending.. making a dog unable to breathe.
There is no cure for Myelomalacia and it is fatal. Should a dog be developing myelomalacia, before there is difficulty breathing, you would want to help to cross to the rainbow bridge to spare a very painful death.
Symptoms of Myelomalacia:
* about 3-4 days into recovery, they become painful. Within the first week, they are in a LOT of pain.
* acute disc extrusion with no deep pain sensation
* development of excruciating pain (more than just pain from the original disc herniation)
• hyper-esthesia (over-reaction to any touch sensation on body)
• even the strongest pain meds do not help
* loss of anal tone, the anus hangs open, (anal flaccidity) and areflexia (below normal or no reflexes)
* neurologic deficits that localize to more than one neuroanatomical section of spinal cord (e.g. T3-L3 myelopathy and an L4-S3 myelopathy)
* loss of cutaneous trunci reflex at a level more cranial to a previous evaluation over a period of hours to days with or w/o surgery
* development of fever (normal rectal temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit)
* sudden twitching or jerking of the neck and/or head
* loss of voice, horse bark
* Front legs can't hold body up, can't hold head up
* increased respiration/ labored breathing as the nerves to the lungs begin to shutdown
• On an MRI, extensive high T2 signal (brightness) within the spinal cord (>6 vertebral lengths) has been associated with myelomalacia in the setting of a disk extrusion.
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/myelomalacia/3t-myelo-misdxb0002.tifMore on Myelomalacia:
www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Myelomalacia.pdf
