Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: thedoc on 05/06/2015 04:50:01
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Monja Esterhuizen asked the Naked Scientists:
Is there any way to help repair the myelin sheath around the spinal cord?
My German Shepard dog has been diagnosed with Degenerative Myelopia. This causes the sheath to degenerate, affecting messages from the brain to the back legs. Thereby slowly causing potential paralysis, moving then to the front as well.
Can you PLEASE help?
Currently there is not really any cure to this condition.
(It is not a painful condition, but my dog does receive anti-inflammatories for his osteoarthritis and goes for acupuncture which seems to possibly delay the disease's debilitating condition)
What do you think?
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The myelin is laid down by schwann cells which wrap themselves around the axon of the nerve cell in layers and make myelin. Nobody knows how to make that happen.
I saw a corgi in the park a week or so ago. He was in some sort of wheeled contraption that suspended his hindquarters. How much does your shepherd want to live? Could you handle his waste?
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My German Shepard dog has been diagnosed with Degenerative Myelopia ... my dog does receive anti-inflammatories for his osteoarthritis and goes for acupuncture ...
What do you think?
Degenerative myelopathy initially affects the back legs and causes muscle weakness and loss, and lack of coordination. These cause a staggering affect that may appear to be arthritis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_degenerative_myelopathy#Symptoms
The only creatures who benefit from acupuncture are acupuncturi$t$ ... http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Acupuncture#Efficacy