WEIMARANER TWINS WITH SPINAL DISEASE

from Las Vegas Pet Scene Magazine, January/February 2023

HEART HEALTH IN PETS

WEIMARANER TWINS WITH SPINAL DISEASE

Love & Support Each OtherBy Adam Sage Aralyn Jane and Jerome Jedi (A.J. & J.J.) were born on June 1, 2018. A litter of 5 total pups, they were born in the same amniotic sack making them rare male/female twins. Immediately their breeder noticed that something wasn’t right with the way they walked. Their back legs appeared weak, they hopped when they walked, and in Jerome’s case his hind quarters were noticeably atrophied. They reached out to a local advocate for Tickled Pink Weimaraner Rescue & after a vet visit the twins were diagnosed Spinal Dysraphism, commonly known as Hopper’s Disease in Weimaraners.

Reaching out to a rescue was the best decision they could have made for the twins. After fostering for a few weeks we fell in love and decided to adopt. Having extensive experience with weims and rescue we wanted to give them the best chance to live the healthiest and fullest lives they could. We worked with them every day to strengthen their legs including treadmill time, swimming, running, and massage. Slowly and with a lot of encouragement they began to become much stronger, balanced, and more confident in their general movement. Jerome especially, who also suffers from scoliosis, could barely use his hind legs at first. Even when he could get himself upright he’d have to propel himself forward by hopping almost horizontally. We set up and encouraged him to go through narrow passageways in an effort to get him to straighten himself out when running or moving forward. And you know what? It worked! At first he’d stand there and think about how to do it, straighten out, and go for it. Even though he still hops and has a curve to his spine it’s now become second nature for him to move in a more “normal” fashion.

Caring for Aralyn and Jerome and seeing them develop into happy, outgoing, and inquisitive dogs has been extremely rewarding & the deep bond they share is apparent to anyone who meets them. They clearly love and support each other and have always been together from the very start to where they are now…most likely asleep on the couch covered in plush blankets. And to keep up with all of their adventures: @thesharktwinsfamily on Instagram • Facebook.com/thesharktwins

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