Leg spasms

What can cause them? Murphy came in on Sunday night and was acting like he had something in his paw. I checked it out, couldn't see anything and was sitting on the floor with him when he just started kicking. He'd kick three or four times then stop and relax some. Then his toes would clench up and he'd start kicking again. We googled it (of course) and saw that it could be a back injury, but he didn't seem to be in pain, although it's really hard to tell with him. He growled at Matt when Matt tried to look at his leg but didn't push me away from his leg which he normally does when something hurts. I massaged his leg and hip some, thinking that it could help relax the muscles but I didn't have any pain meds to give him.

I've never had to dose a dog with human pills and honestly it makes me very nervous (we had a bad experience with Rimadyl) to dose the dogs at all but it's better than watching him spasm or be in pain. What can I give him to help ease that? I was going to take him to the vet but he really seems fine now, he wants to play and gets really sulky when we don't let him go out with the other dogs. We've been trying to keep him inactive and I *think* that Mu got ahold of his leg on Sunday and he just pulled the wrong way but I'm not sure. Sorry for the rambling and I apologize if this doesn't make any sense, but it freaked me out and research on the web freaks me out even more.

this happened once to my cat and I used a massager to help him relax so the spasm goes away

Spasms Due To Injury
Often, when a large muscle spasm occurs in your dog, injury to the legs or back can be at fault. When an injury occurs, the muscles tense in order to protect and brace the damaged joint. Certain breeds of dogs-those with unusually long backs such as Dachshunds and Bassett Hounds-are more prone to back spasms.

Chronic back spasms can be treated with pain medication, surgery, chiropractic or acupuncture.
Leg muscle spasms can appear suddenly in any dog. They are often the result of over activity or an abrupt movement. If the pain is not severe, it is usually safe to let the dog "walk it off".

Epileptic Seizures Include Spasms
Canine epilepsy causes recurrent seizures in dogs. Prior to a seizure, dogs may experience anxiety, stress and muscle tremors. There are drug and surgical treatments available to control seizures.

Degenerative Myelopathy Causes Back Leg Weakness
Degenerative myelopathy is caused by nerve function loss in the spinal cord. It is most common in German Shepherd Dogs, but is seen in other breeds as well. Initial symptoms include back leg weakness and loss of coordination. Exercise and supportive care are the only current treatments.

Canine Stress Syndrome and Spasms
Similar to (and often misdiagnosed as) epilepsy, CSS is a hereditary condition that causes muscle tremors, spasms and seizures. It is believed to be neurological in nature and is most commonly seen in Labrador Retrievers.

Hypoglycemia Causes Muscle Weakness
Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia affects dogs, particularly toy breeds, puppies under the age of three months or dogs under physical, parasitic or nutritional stress. Symptoms include lethargy, confusion and muscle weakness or spasm.

Distemper Causes CNS Failure
Distemper is a contagious and often fatal viral condition that causes gastrointestinal, respiratory and central nervous system failure. Most dogs are vaccinated against this deadly disease. There is no cure for distemper but supportive care can save lives. Symptoms of distemper include seizures and paralysis as well as depression, cough, nasal discharge and eye inflammation. If you suspect your dog has distemper, contact a qualified veterinarian immediately.

Other Possible Causes of Spasms
Brain tumors and encephalitis can cause muscle spasms. Encephalitis, a swelling of the brain, is spread by mosquitoes. There is a type that is specific to the Pug, as well. Brain tumors and encephalitis require immediate veterinary treatment.

Does he have luxating patellas? Some dogs will act as though they are having spasms when their patellas are "out" and their leg gets locked up

If you're going to cut and paste, ALWAYS acknowledge your source: Possible Causes of Dog Muscle Spasms

I don't think so. He's never had any problem running around and he only limps (up till that day anyway) when he has something in his paw. He had it happen again on Sunday when I couldn't catch Mu fast enough to keep her from pulling on his haunches. I had him walk around a little bit and he didn't have leg kicks this time. I'm 90% sure that's what's causing it so they are no longer allowed out together. How would I tell if he has luxating patellas?

ETA: Is there a way to tell when he's in a lot of pain? He's very good at hiding it and I can usually tell when he nudges me away from something or growls at anyone else trying to touch it. Sometimes I can tell by his eyes too but there's no real reliable way to figure it out.

:doh: I should have thought of this sooner . . . dehydration and/or an electrolyte imbalance can cause spasms. If he'd been out playing hard and didn't drink enough that could cause it.

Sometimes they'll do that in their sleep, too, when there's nothing going on except dreaming

Hmmm. I'll have to keep a much closer eye on him I think. He always has access to water but that doesn't mean he's always drinking it. It's really depressing to think that my baby might be getting old and having these issues....I hate it but I find myself becoming increasingly paranoid about everything that happens to him.

Some people can feel it for themselves, but unless you know what it feels like it's kind of hard to tell. If you have any sort of vet visit in the near future, ask the vet to check. MOST vets check as part of the yearly exam, but not all of them.

Tell me about it Bimmer's 11.

I'll have them check next time we go. The vet was pretty thorough last time because I was being uber paranoid about a weight drop, gain then drop again. But he was fine and all the blood work came back normal.

Murph is only 7....but if I average the life span of his two breeds it's about 10 years old. I try really hard not to think about it most of the time. I have a bad habit of projecting what ifs and I'm trying to stop (with limited results lol).