Re: Masticatory muscle myositis (MMM)

"grover" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> My dog was just diagnosed with Masticatory Muscle Myositis and  I would
like to post the following questions:
> a)  Should I perform any further tests to confirm that my dog has
Masticatory Muscle Myositis or to determine any more details of the disease
which will be usable for treatment or by comparing results over the period
of treatment to determine any other effects from dosage of corticosteroids
given.

.......I think the only way to definitively diagnose MM is by a punch biopsy
of the muscle tissue.  However, it sure sounds like MM from your
description.  High doses of corticosteroids are usually given.

......This is fairly technical but probably covers the main diseases one
might encounter in your situation:
http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2002&PID=pr02641
http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/Pr05000/pr00068.htm
http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00521.htm
>
> c)  Is the treatment from the explanations given above consider to be in
an early stage?

.......I think it depends on which kind of MM it is.  More links:
http://medicine.ucsd.edu/vet_neuromuscular/cases/1999/may99.html
http://www.ukvet.co.uk/Companion_july_2003/medicine/springer_spaniel.html
http://www.vetdentistry.com/dysphagia.html
http://www.cvm.missouri.edu/cvm/courses/vm604/neurology/neuromuscular.korneg
ay.PDF
.......This subject comes up occasionally here and there was a thread in
early Nov., so I'd go to Google, this NG and enter masticatory as a search
term for this group.  You'll find lots more.  Hope someone who has had a dog
with this disease can answer you as to outcome.

Best of luck to you and your pup.
buglady
take out the dog before replying