Degenerative myelopathy is a progressive spinal cord disease affecting dogs, particularly certain breeds, causing gradual loss of hindlimb function with significant welfare implications.
Dogs with DM experience profound loss of mobility without pain, creating complex welfare challenges. While physical suffering is minimal, the inability to move independently, loss of bladder and bowel control, and inability to engage in normal dog behaviors represents significant welfare compromise. Early diagnosis enables proactive management including physical therapy, mobility aids like wheelchairs, and careful monitoring of quality of life. The disease also places heavy demands on owners who must provide nursing care including turning, cleaning, and manual bladder expression. Euthanasia timing is a central welfare consideration, balancing the absence of pain against loss of dignified function.