# Muscle Spasm/Seizure maybe?



## kdsavvy (Jan 29, 2013)

I am new to this so hopefully I have done this right. I am looking for some help with my 5 year old german shepherd. He is healthy, active, fairly normal except that occasionally (maybe once every couple of months) he has a muscle spasm of some kind in his back end.

This is a little awkward to type about but he looks like he is bending over for a bowl movement but instead remains in that position and runs around the yard for, at most, a minute. He doesn't yelp or make any noise just runs awkwardly around with his back end shaking/convulsing. Our vet has said she can't do anything unless she sees it happen but as it happens so rarely (but enough to be concerned) I haven't had a chance to record it.

Has anyone heard of this or seen it? I am not sure if it's just a spasm and nothing to worry about or if it's the start of something serious. He doesn't do this while lying down it's always from a standing position and then he starts to run like he's trying to get away from it. Please help!

Thank you,


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Would you say it's like arching w/belly tucked up and then a rocking of back end forward (re: convulsing)? Does he look back ears flat or anything? Does he poop well and what does he eat? 

This could be neuro, but it could also be the pancreas (pancreatitis) and/or gallbladder or other (internal)


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## kdsavvy (Jan 29, 2013)

He doesn't look back but his eyes get real big. When it happened this morning I ran over to him and (maybe this sounds like a crazy dog lady) but he looked at me like he wanted help. He was totally relaxed and content after it was over like nothing happened. He doesn't poop just run hunched over for a bit. He definitely convulses (just the back end) and his belly is tucked up. If he gets running straight his head will go up but if he has to avoid obstacles (like a tree in the backyard) he keeps his head somewhat normal. His ears also stay up, they don't fold back. He eats dry kibbles, an egg and 3 glucosamine pills a day.


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

I would take him to the vet if he was my dog and would have his anal glands and maybe even his prostate gland checked too. It sounds like he is in discomfort.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

I was thinking ears flat as a sign of pain or discomfort, but the eyes too, and looking at you for help...has your dog any injury past or present like ACL tear come down hard chasing a ball or GI troubles - soft stool, diarrhea, what brand of kibble? can you post a link to ingredients.

Try and write down every possible thing you think may be of significance...at least will give your vet an idea where to start testing...

did the vet suggest anything other then needing to see symptom....ultrasound anything? certain blood work?

Here is a link on pancreatitis
Dog Pancreatitis: Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

as well you could search gallbladder/pancreatis...bloat, and maybe kidney inflammation (guessing on that one)

Does this happen on empty stomach...first thing in the morning or any time of day?


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

the only answers i have would be a guess. i think you should either press your vet for a better exam or seek out a second opinion. gator is right, keep a log of the time of day, and date this occurs. does your pup pee or poop during these episodes?


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## kdsavvy (Jan 29, 2013)

Thank you! I think I will keep a log. It only happens once every 2 or 3 months, so it's been hard to determine a pattern. I have only seen it in the morning and he hasn't eaten at that time. He doesn't pee or poop which is why I thought it may be a seizure or muscle spasm or possible something else. I did have a lady say she has a dog who does something like this convulsing/spasm when he's constipated and Joey does get constipated once in a while. He's always had trouble eating as he doesn't like food. It's taken us 5 years to get him to enjoy eating and he doesn't have too much of a problem now.

The vet said she could run a bunch of tests but said it would get expensive as they don't know what they are looking for. The only advice she gave was to try and video the incidence so they could see what it looks like.

Our other dog is a golden retriever and as a puppy the breeder had her on the BARF diet so that's what we put Joey on when we first got him but now he gets an egg and dry kibbles to eat. We alternate dry kibbles as Joey gets bored with his food. When we originally bought him from the breeder he would only eat a cup or two of dog food a day. To keep him interested we change the dry kibbles and recently he has had Pedigree (vitality, original flavour - PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition for Dogs | DRY | Really Good Food For Dogs | PEDIGREE) and the weight restriction diet a few times by the Costco Kirkland Signature brand.

I will look at some of those links with regards to gallbladder and pancreas and will keep a log of when it happens. He's very healthy otherwise and doesn't seem to be in any pain or discomfort until he has those incidents which are rare and even then he doesn't seem to be in pain just discomfort.


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

I don't want to sound like a weirdo, but do you think he could be air humping? My pup used to hump a stuffed animal when he was small and then when we took that away he will on occasion, air hump. 
When he first started doing it, I like you thought he was having a seizure or muscle spasm, but I had discovered that he was humping and he too would walk around sort of convulsing at his back end and then he would "get stuck" he would stand there all arched for a minute or so until everything passed. He doesn't do it all the time just occasionally.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

My guess would be he's having some stomach cramps and that causes the bowel to feel like it's moving or has to move.
He could have anal gland issues too, and is trying to put pressure to empty them.

What I'd do is video him, and show your vet. If it only occurs outside and he's walking around as if to go "poo" then, it's a good bet it's stool/anal gland related and neither muscle spasms nor seizures. 

I do not like Pedigree dog food at all, btw, it's primarily corn for the ingredients. I'd stick with Kirkland and leave the egg out for now until you get things figured out. Or, as mentioned, give the egg and keep the journal. Hopefully it's lightly scrambled? If raw how often does he get it?


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Bear GSD said:


> I don't want to sound like a weirdo, but do you think he could be air humping? My pup used to hump a stuffed animal when he was small and then when we took that away he will on occasion, air hump.


My Mini Doxie will do the same thing every once in a while. She is an older dog. 

My Golden has seizures. My vet didn't have to wait till she 'witnessed' one to be able to assist medically. Because the seizures are few and far between, we elected not to medicate until it was necessary. 

When he does have them, he isn't 'home' in his head. I never approach him during the seizure. I wait until he is coming out of it to approach him.


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

Lilie said:


> My Mini Doxie will do the same thing every once in a while. She is an older dog.
> 
> My Golden has seizures. My vet didn't have to wait till she 'witnessed' one to be able to assist medically. Because the seizures are few and far between, we elected not to medicate until it was necessary.
> 
> When he does have them, he isn't 'home' in his head. I never approach him during the seizure. I wait until he is coming out of it to approach him.


My last GSD suffered from seizures so I know what a seizure looks like, unfortunatley for her she was heavily medicated and eventually succommed to them. The air humping thing through me for a loop, lol.


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## Animal Collector (Oct 29, 2014)

I am wondering if you ever got the answer to your question. I had an Aussie that started out with minor seizures (focal seizures) that eventually spread causing grand mal seizures. She exhibited much the same behavior that you have described in your dog. I am just wondering if you ever found your answer?


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

I know this is old.. but hit the nail on the head with some of the same behavior Titan started this year.. I talked about it in this thread..

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...artial-seizures-muscle-spasm-weight-loss.html 

I'm curious too if anything was ever diagnosed or if it slowed. Titan hasn't had any more that I know about since the 2nd one.


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