Animals and MS

I have was diagnosed with MS in 2003, I was put on many meds for it because I had massive relapses 4 times a years. Ones were half my body looses all feeling and people around you think you have had a stroke. This came with blindness and numb skull feeling.

When 2006 came about me and my b/f got our own house, so as a gift to my b/f I got him a couple of rats, he liked them but I ended up being the one to love them. In the end I found myself having a large care and interest in rodents as they are so unfortunate in how people see them and my god their health problems are none stop :frowning: since 2006 helping to care for my own rodents I have noticed that I have only had 1 massive relapse since 2006! :open_mouth: my Hospital doctor said that this is common and that animals can be a theropy that some of us need. This does not stop the every day problems such as tiredness, bladder control, not being able to walk far if not at all some days etc.

So I am now on my spare time doing an animal care course on my PC I get to go one some trips and so on. Went to a farm and showed me the sick sheep that will be killed for their illness of being crippled. Low and behold they had MS! I was really upset and counted myself happy to be human.

Also know that hedgehogs get a type of MS and it is called Wobberly hedgehog syndrome.

Well I always knew that cuddling my pooch did me good.

But I didn`t know sheep get MS and poor little hedgehogs too!

The course sounds great and gives you the sidetrack you need when you feel really bad.

Hope it continues to help you.

luv Pollx

This is a new revelation. I knew that sheep get Scrapie which is similar for some reason, but the poor old hedgehog is news to me. I adore rodents, especially rats & hamsters and these are easy to look after as well as rewarding. But, hopefully, I will always be well enough to keep at least two rabbits!

Moira

I also didn’t know any other mammals got MS. If that is so, I wonder why there isn’t more study into it, and why there is so much time and effort spent on artificially inducing an MS-like condition in lab mice, so it can be studied. I thought the whole reason for that was that there weren’t any naturally occurring examples.

Yeah, animals are amazing and owning a pet can do wonders for your mental and emotional well being. I have a Parson Russel terrier called Patch and she is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. She puts a smile on my face everyday and having her means that i have to go for a short walk each day, no matter how bad i feel, and that is good for me. She is very loving and it’s almost as if she has a sixth sense because when i’m not feeling good, she settles down quietly so that I can rest and when i’m feeling as well as i can be, she is bouncing round like a mad thing lol. She brings so much joy and love and laughter into my life, love Bex xx

I credit the 4 month old kitten we got last November with giving me a huge lift. I was in deep crisis and had a meltdown. My GP upped my anti-depressant dose and we got the kitten. He never fails to make me laugh and giggle like a child. Well, apart from when he’s playfully gripping me with his mouth! No blood, but it can really hurt. It’s his way of saying ‘enough!’.

Cats are wonderful for cuddling - we also have an elderly cat who is good at snuggling up to me when I’m feeling knackered and am in bed!

I was thinking about animals getting MS (or similar neurological illnesses) the other day and how terrifying it must be for them.

You are so right about how animals help us. My dogs kept me sane for over 30 years between them and my lovely cat is my constant companion.

When my foot stopped me from walking in 2007, all I could think of was that ‘my life is over’ and it was a very difficult time; coming to terms with not being able to go for long walks. I really don’t know what I would do without animals in my life. Cats were my friends when i was young and it seems they are to be good friends now that I’m older. My friend’s daughters kept rats and when one died they all cried including my friend.I am so pleased that your animals have helped to keep your relapses down, people who don’t have animals in their lives don’t know what they are missing.

Wendyx

Wendyx

I have a german shephard called Jinx (and she can be) she knows when I’m really low cause she tries and gets on my lap tp give me a cuddle but she normally dont win cause my two cats called Charm and Hex are normally on there already. I know this is goin to sound werid but i talk to my cats and there know also when i’m down. We even got four chickens so i now have to get my bum moving every day to feed them etc.

All of my animals have helped me loads to cope with things that my ms has thrown at me

Take care all

Allie xxx

We have 5 cats and they do seem to know when one of us is not up to par. They are great company – wouldn’t trade them for the world.