Mick was a little over 11 when he was diagnosed with the LP. The DM was suspected just a few months before we lost him at 15 1/2. I say suspected because we didn't do any tests, the vet just said he was showing signs of it. At our vet's recommendation, we opted not to put Mick throught the surgery for the LP, but made life style changes instead. I copy & pasted the word document I saved with the things we did for Mick. Also, while this article is geared towards GSD, it has a lot of good info on DM. http://neuro.vetmed.ufl.edu/neuro/DM_Web/DMofGS.htm

As scary as it is, it's important to stay calm when he is having trouble breathing. Stress will make the episodes worse (or bring them on). Just sitting and petting & talking to him during an episode should help.
Heat, humidity, cold and wind will bring on an episode. Not only did Mick wear a coat when it was cold out, but, in the bitter cold or wind he also wore a homemade scarf (the end of a thick hunting sock held in place with a Velcro muzzle).

Also, get her used to drinking out of a spritz bottle. Spritzing some water in her mouth will help end episodes. At first we thought it was the cold water, but eventually we realized it was actually the swallowing that stopped the episodes. You don't want to "flood" him with water, just little bits at a time. Plus it's an easy way to give her a quick drink when you're out someplace.

Avoid putting pressure on her neck. A tracking style harness is great for walking dogs with LP because of how the straps are. Premier's Sure Fit harness is the same style, and what we used. A leash can be clipped to either the ring at the front of the chest or the one on the back.

Oh- if they aren't already- raise her food and water dishes so she doesn't have to stretch her neck to eat or drink. My vet suggested feeding smaller meals more often. When I told him I fed Mick out of a huge dish so the food was spread thin, he said that would work, too. The idea is for them to eat slow.

I put Mick on ArthriSoothe about a year before he was diagnosed. I thought he was slowing down because of arthritis. Eventually I learned it actually had more to do with the LP (acquired LP causes muscle wasting from the rear forward). Anyway, we're thinking the ArthriSoothe was one of the reasons Mick's LP didn't progress as fast as the vet thought it would. Little by little, other supplements were added- MSM, Biotin, Cholodin and Vitamin B Complex.

The biggest mistake we made with Mick was treating him like an invalid after he was diagnosed. He lost a good amount of muscle from lack of exercise in that period. And, with LP, once it's lost, it's gone.
Oh, thinking about the ArthriSoothe reminded me of something else- except for that and the Biotin, all Mick's supplements were crushed. The Biotin was a capsule, so I just opened it and sprinkled it on his food. I bought the horse version of the ArthriSoothe, and adjusted the dosage (more economical that way).

Have heard that vitamin E and other supplements are beneficial for DM. That link provided by the other poster has supplement info in it.

Bless her heart and yours! I went through DM with my girl, rest her soul, and used a sling to help her up steps for a long time. A few weeks before she died I got her a Ruffwear Web Master harness and wished I'd gotten it sooner because it supported her better with the "handle" on her back. http://www.ruffwear.com/Web-Master-Harness

Enjoy every day you're blessed to keep her. Take lots of pictures and make some good memories.

My Saint Bernard has DM. I want to get her on the right medicine and supplements to help her and the doses? She is 9yrs old 109 lbs. bless her heart! I have to do every possible thing for her.

There is a compounded drug from West Lab Pharmacy, Acetylcysteine and Aminocaproic Acid,www.westlabpharmacy.com, they use it for German Shephards, my mom used it on one of her dogs that had similar symptoms and she showed a drastic improvement.

PS; I cried when I read your post initially. It took me a little while to answer because it sounded exactly what we went through with our girl. The pred did help as needed, 1/2 a deramax a few times a week too. I kept saying I was losing my senior girl daily but she rallied, fairly comfortably except for the LP when excited and for food smells also. Pizza deliveries where almost impossible.

Our girl survived 2.5 years after being diagnosed with both. The LP actually got better not worse but never disappeared. Take it 1 day at a time. They may add up.