For about eight years, Autumn brought nothing but joy to her family. They’ve had her since she was four months old, and though her Facebook page doesn’t specify her origins, since Autumn is a German Shepherd and Carolina Dog mix it’s probably safe to bet that she came from some sort of rescue situation.
Things were going great for Autumn until November 2011, when her human friends noticed her dragging one of her back legs.
Like good human friends, her family took her to the vet, who diagnosed her with a disease called degenerative myelopathy. Unfortunately, a diagnosis was all her vet could offer, as not much is known about the debilitating disease.
Now, a lot of folks, upon getting some bad news, might just get really bummed out, but not Autumn! Autumn took her disease as an opportunity to educate other dog lovers about the rare but devastating disease. On her Facebook page, Autumn offers a summary of degenerative myelopathy. According to her page, the disease affects a dog’s back legs, causing weakness and loss of coordination. Paralysis may develop and spread to other muscles. The disease also seems to affect only certain breeds.
For now, Autumn has a wheelchair to help her out, and her family counts every day with her as a blessing.
I wish Autumn the best on her journey. Check out her Facebook page here, where all these photos are from, and tell her Dogster sent you.
Read more Monday Miracles on Dogster here:
- Norman Is a Rescue Dog Who Looks Like Meatloaf
- What’s an Aussi-huahua? A Blind Rescue Dog Who’s Adorable
- After 12 Years as a Breeding Dog in a Rabbit Cage, Faith Is Free
About Liz Acosta: Dogster’s former Cuteness Correspondent, Liz still manages the site’s daily “Awws,” only now she also wrangles Dogster’s social media. That’s why she wants you to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and — her personal favorite — Instagram. See ya there!
