Mysterious Stiffness

[Sandra777]

What ideas do people have....

My 18 month old Staffordshire Bull Terrier bitch has had 2 episodes of this within the last 3 weeks. Virtually unable to walk on the backlegs, all the muscles of her body and legs are tense, stomach muscles exceptionally so. Tail curled out and away from anus which has that sticking out look they get when they're constipated. Dragging one rear leg (both times the same leg) and/or refusing to put it on the ground.

She is extremely fit, very heavily muscled. Does not have pyometra (been checked)

First time I thought she was constipated and had a bad stomach ache as she had been getting more food than normal as she was underweight after a long road trip to multiple shows. Massaged her, gave her a spoon of oil and some lean meat (appetite not affected!) and within an hour she was much improved and was 100% OK the next morning. On this occasion she was also very cold to the touch.

Second time was last night, not quite so bad, no change in her diet. Gave her no food at all and no oil (didn't have any ), massage, gentle manipulation of her legs and this morning she was OK but not quite 100%. Vet visit this morning revealed nothing, no pyo, no temperature. Nothing obviously wrong with any joint, no pain in any joint (not x-rayed). Manipulation of all her joints produced no reaction. Stomach still a little tender but everything inside seems OK to palpitation. Vet gave her metacam which she had mid morning and is now (9pm) 100%. Only suggestion was that she is extremely muscular on the inside of her hind legs (sorry, Staffords are meant to be) and this could be causing some sort of tension on her ligaments and tendons and she could have a pinched nerve "somewhere" causing her intermittent pain.

Very active bitch and she does have the tendency to run in to things as she doesn't bother to look where she's going. Been to the chiro and had everything realigned about 5-6 weeks ago but she isn't looking or acting like she did before that visit, when it was obvious something was amiss

Personally I'm leaning towards it being her eating something that doesn't agree with her, getting a stomach ache and this makes the rest of her muscles tense up and perhaps spasm. We do have weird fruit trees around here and the dogs will munch on anything!

Any other ideas?

Edited cause I really didn't give a 13kg dog 10ml of metacam

Edited May 26, 2011 by Sandra777

[Staffyluv]

Ollie has had an infection in his joints that made him stiff an unable to walk. Tummy tense and generally unable to really move.

The first time it happened the vet did not know what it was so treated him with a broad antibiotic and he came good after a few days.

He has had that same thing 3 times in the last few years

[Sandra777]

Is there a quick(ish) way to discount this? Blood count or anything?

ETA: or prove it

Edited May 26, 2011 by Sandra777

[WreckitWhippet]

Cramps ? Very painfull but a simple explaination.

[Sandra777]

What causes the cramping though? Electrolyte imbalance is the simplest explanation I would think?

She does tend to be fussy about the water she drinks (unless it's a muddy puddle of course - they're always OK)and does pant a lot even in this weather as she charges around like a nutter and works very hard on her walks.

Any harm in giving electrolyte's when there's no proven issue?

[fifi]

I'm wondering if it's lactic acid acidosis ? does she pant a lot ? just the weight loss & pain & hyper exercise popped it into my mind.

but it could be spinal too, my boy lost weight & was very tucked up as his spinal pain worsened.

Full bloods and maybe xrays will hopefully be your path to diagnosis.

fifi

edit..just saw in your post she pants a lot.

Edited May 26, 2011 by fifi

[Sandra777]

Thanks fifi - that's certainly one to consider. She has always been one for bursts of rapid exercises followed by heavy panting. Curiously I dremelled her nails two nights ago which she hates with a passion (goes absolutely rigid and basically shuts her eyes and thinks of England ) I can't remember for certain if I did them a day or so before the previous incident. Increased stress levels is one of the things mentioned in the quick google search I did.

Love the DoL brains trust!

[WreckitWhippet]

I was thinking along similar lines to Fifi.

There's no harm in giving Vytrate. I'm not a fan of Recharge. My dogs travel with Vytrate for weekends away and I've checked with my vet and there's no harm and you cannot over dose on it. The only time there would be cause for concern , is if the dog drank a bottle straight.

Bloods would help and also urine analysis. I would do some when she appears normal and then immediately if she has another episode.

[fifi]

Totally agree with RSG, and the urinalysis is a must with the bloods.

I would be doing it soon, as I feel that cramps / acidosis in themselves could be more sympomatic of decreased renal function or blood oxygen carrying / cardio.

(yes the dol trust....full of fear and gloom !!!)

Or she could simply be overdoing it and ending up with Lactic acid cramping.

fifi

[WreckitWhippet]

Totally agree with RSG, and the urinalysis is a must with the bloods.

I would be doing it soon, as I feel that cramps / acidosis in themselves could be more sympomatic of decreased renal function or blood oxygen carrying / cardio.

(yes the dol trust....full of fear and gloom !!!)

Or she could simply be overdoing it and ending up with Lactic acid cramping.

fifi

As Fifi says it could be something simple or syptomatic of something that has the potential to be a lot more nasty

Trying not to be all doom and gloom but I recently lost a bitch ( another breed ), it turned out to be a rare form of diabetes that lead to kidney failure. Bloods and urine done early will certainly help to eliminate what Fifi suggests and ease your mind.

[shantiah]

Get bloods done. My guess is potassium or calcium deficiency. Both are easily treated

[Rottifan]

Hi Sandra, I would try eliminating that which you mentioned being a pinched nerve causing the issue. You never know, if your dog is out of alignment and has a pinched nerve this could cause muscle spasm and tense rigid symptoms to be exhibited. When rested and inflamation reduces symptoms reduce. Then when something triggers off the symptoms again you will see the same thing. It would be cheaper to have an animal chiropractor see to your dog before paying for tests that may not identify anything. Worth a try. I use a great one in Qld who provides a mobile service but definetly regardless of whether this is the problem is a great treatment to provide your dog early in life to eliminate any issues later on, I wish I had of - have only learnt the benefits now my dog is nearly 11! Good luck and keep us up to date, mystery illnesses are always difficult to narrow down

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

One of my friends had a long backed dog that was used to jumping on and off the couch, and then one day the back end seized up like she was paralyzed. Couldn't use the back legs at all. A lot of money was spent trying to find the spinal injury like a slipped disc but nothing was found. And eventually she came good after a lot of forced rest and recuperation. Ie everythings working normally (for her) now.

So your dog may have pulled a muscle or something extreme to give her back problems, or she may have a "slipped disc" putting pressure on the spinal cord. It may go away by itself or it may need surgery. However the surgery should only be done if something physical and obvious to be corrrected is found. ie xrays and stuff.

I'd be trying everything else that does not require dog getting anaesthetic or surgery first.

[Sandra777]

She's booked in for a chiro visit on Wednesday but she really isn't acting like a dog with a pinched nerve (had one of those) bad enough to cause the severe reaction she gets - but that said she is a real woozy about pain so it could be something very minor causing a major reaction or it could be something more severe which only occurs occasionally (well twice so far!).

Will certainly keep you posted. She is getting electrolytes with her evening meal for now as that's a simple place to start. Unfortunately picking up everything she might eat but shouldn't isn't an option unless I cut down the neighbours trees and kill all the birds she attracts to her garden, so if I eliminate everything else and it still happens I'll go back to my original guess of a simple stomach ache.

Dogs!

[vetrg]

If she does it again it would be worth comparing the pulses in both her hind legs: cats and horses with arterial blockage looks similar to that. Would be very unusual though.

[Staffyluv]

Is there a quick(ish) way to discount this? Blood count or anything?

ETA: or prove it

Not sure Sandra, I would have to contact his old vet (we moved 12 months ago) but I do recall them doing blood work each time it happened... I am sure he said it was some sort of infection that caused inflammation of the fluid in his joints.

Poor boy, we used to have to carry him out to toilet every so often until he could walk again..

I hope he never gets it again

[pebbles]

I have a Min Pinscher dog who has episodes of what appears to be severe stomach cramps which has his back hunched, tummy and leg muscles taut and not wanting to move around. These attacks can last about 3/4 hours. Lots of test done and nothing showing. Of course, by the time we get to the Vets (150Ks away)he's perfectly fit again. I've kept track of food, excercise, etc. and am now thinking it may be stress. Mick hates machinery noise, motor mower, chain saw, grinder etc.and his previous attack was when some renovations were being done, electric saw, drill, hammering etc. that was about 2 months ago. Today I was drilling through metal sheeting and Mick had an attack so I'm looking to a stress factor. He will still eat and drink but sleeps heavily for a few hours once the noise has stopped and then is ok.

[Dagmar]

Hi Sandra, I would try eliminating that which you mentioned being a pinched nerve causing the issue. You never know, if your dog is out of alignment and has a pinched nerve this could cause muscle spasm and tense rigid symptoms to be exhibited. When rested and inflamation reduces symptoms reduce. Then when something triggers off the symptoms again you will see the same thing. It would be cheaper to have an animal chiropractor see to your dog before paying for tests that may not identify anything. Worth a try. I use a great one in Qld who provides a mobile service but definetly regardless of whether this is the problem is a great treatment to provide your dog early in life to eliminate any issues later on, I wish I had of - have only learnt the benefits now my dog is nearly 11! Good luck and keep us up to date, mystery illnesses are always difficult to narrow down

I agree with Rottifan, could well be a pinched nerve. Maybe get a full blood count done AND see an animal chiropractor. If she was my dog, I would also add acupressure. There is a saying in Traditional Chinese Medicine - if there is a stagnation in the Gallbladder Meridian, one cannot move his limbs...

Dagmar

[Sandra777]

Just a little update.

No more episodes so that's good. Electrolytes every 2nd night now, still running around like a crazy beast and working hard on her walks.

Had her to the chiro as I mentioned previously and she does have an area of muscle degeneration in the upper thigh on the leg opposite to the one which was most useless during her episodes, so that may or may not be relevant. Revisit in 2 weeks to see what progress there is in rebuilding it with exercise and massage.

Her back was quite out of alignment over her loin but not as bad as it was last time (she ran head first into a 5000 litre concrete water tank when she was about 8 months old - did I mention she runs around like a crazy beast? )

Urine and blood analysis done and results filed for possible future comparison (hope never to need them) and nothing in the analysis was even slightly unusual.

Just a matter of wait and see now I think.