Why does a dog involuntarily jerk its paw?

Cramps - what are they?

Twitching of the limbs, or convulsions, is caused by high activity of nerve cells that are responsible for motor activity. The degree of manifestation depends on the area affected and the severity of symptoms. Usually it ends with a slight tremor, but a seizure may also occur. It develops suddenly, the animal falls to the floor, begins to convulse, and intense foaming is observed. This is an epileptic seizure that is not always caused by epilepsy.

Cramps are tonic (muscles contract slowly) and clonic (sharp convulsive contractions). The pet whines and shows his fear.

The attack lasts no more than 5 minutes. When the pet is released, it gradually returns to normal. The dog may be slightly inhibited in reacting to what is happening around him, looking at one point, and moving stiffly.

What to do if your dog is shaking

Is it necessary to see a doctor? First you need to observe your pet: is the trembling accompanied by any other alarming symptoms? If the animal’s temperature has risen, the appetite has disappeared, there are disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, the color of the mucous membranes has changed, the pressure has jumped or dropped, the pulse is not normal, then it’s time to dial the veterinarian’s number. Most of the ailments we have listed (infectious and heart diseases, endocrine abnormalities) require urgent medical intervention. So if the animal is clearly unwell, the owner’s best solution may be to go to the veterinary clinic.

When is twitching a safe sign?

It is rarely dangerous when a dog's paw twitches in his sleep. This is often observed in puppies and is associated with immaturity of the part of the nervous system that is responsible for the regulation of norepinephrine. This hormone is released in large quantities during strong emotions, such as those observed in puppies. Twitching appears in the form of slight tremors and stretching. Seizures also occur in adult dogs that are highly sensitive emotionally. Veterinarians call this condition disturbed sleep. Signs: whining in sleep, twitching of paws and ears. To eliminate the symptoms, it is enough to calm the pet, then the trembling will stop.

Hormonal reasons

A lack of thyroid hormones is accompanied by tremors, weakness and low body temperature. In this case, the main task is to normalize the work of this body. In general, this condition is called hypothyroidism.

Tremors can occur due to hormonal reasons in pregnant dogs. Trembling during pregnancy indicates the onset of labor. It is associated with an increase in the tone of the uterus, due to which the bitch experiences pain and discomfort. Having discovered the first signs of chills, it is important to immediately go to a veterinary clinic or call a doctor, of course, if the owner does not want to give birth on his own.

Seizures as a sign of pathology

Typically, if a dog's back leg is twitching, it is a symptom of a serious illness. Only a veterinarian can determine what exactly is wrong with an animal. Causes of convulsive contractions:

Decreased glucose levels. In addition to convulsions, there are disturbances in metabolic processes, disruptions in the urinary system and liver. Puppies and small breeds are predisposed to this.
Calcium deficiency. This chemical element is directly involved in the regulation of muscle contractions. An indicative sign is snoring. Pregnant and lactating bitches, as well as small breeds, are susceptible to eclampsia.
Diseases of an infectious or viral nature. The most serious disease is rabies, which is easily transmitted from a sick animal to a healthy dog. Convulsions can also be caused by helminths, various protozoa, bacteria and fungi.
Poisoning with neurotropic (affecting the nervous system) poisons. Inflammatory processes.
Epileptic disease is a disorder of the nervous system caused by disturbances in the functioning of the brain. It is often inherited and is caused by head trauma or tumor. Females and breeds with long fur are susceptible to epilepsy.

These pathological conditions are united by the duration of their course with a gradual deterioration in the pet’s condition. If these signs are detected, immediate veterinary attention is required.

Physiological reasons

Physiologically, tremor in dogs is not dangerous to health. The animal stops shuddering as soon as the irritating element disappears.

Hypothermia of the body

The most common physiological reason why a four-legged pet can shiver is simple hypothermia of the body, as a result of which it begins to freeze. It can occur if the owner goes for a walk with the pet in cold weather. Animals also shake after taking procedures, if the room temperature is low, because they can simply freeze.

Most often, a small breed, such as a Yorkie, suffers from hypothermia. Owners notice that, for example, their toy terrier is trembling and lethargic. To prevent the dog from shaking with small tremors, during walking it is necessary to wear a warm suit or completely reduce the length of time it stays outside in cold weather. This is especially true for short- and medium-haired pets.

Sexual need

Another reason why a dog trembles is sexual need. During physiological attraction, the female, at the sight of a male, presses her right and left limbs, tries to tuck her tail, begins to whine and trembles, while the male circles around the female and looks overexcited.

Most often, males tremble during heat; in females, tremors can occur during the estrous cycle. The hormonal surge is to blame.

Some owners solve this need radically - by castration or sterilization, which involves the use of anesthesia.

Pain syndrome

Pain syndrome is also one of the reasons. With minor wounds, for example, if a leg is damaged, the dog can cope on its own, but it is important to ensure that the damaged areas do not fester. Closed wounds require urgent assistance from a veterinarian, on whom the dog’s subsequent condition will depend.

Important! If a dog has been suffering from pain invisible to the human eye for a long time, this is a serious reason to seek advice from a veterinarian. In this case, her internal organs may be damaged and surgery cannot be done without surgery.

Joyful emotions

Animals are often unable to contain the flow of their own emotions. For example, when they see an owner who has been away from home for a long time, they begin to experience excitement, stand on their hind legs, actively wag their tail and at the same time get a cramp. This condition is not dangerous to health. It is enough to call the dog to you and pet it, and after a while the attack will go away.

Important! Some owners notice that their Dachshund trembles and whines for no apparent reason. In this case, we can talk about elementary cunning, because pets try in every way to attract the attention of their owners.

If your dog has been shaking for a long time and no natural cause can be attributed to it, it is important to immediately contact a veterinarian who will conduct a thorough diagnosis and find out the cause.

If your pet is not sick but is constantly shaking, your veterinarian may prescribe a sedative. After taking the drug, the animal’s condition will improve and its state of health will return to normal. You can take the medicine only as prescribed by your doctor, since self-medication can be harmful.

If your dog has never experienced chills before, you need to take him to the vet.

Additional reasons

Sometimes convulsive contractions are caused not by a disease, but by external influences. The main reasons include:

injury to the spinal column, head, organs located in the abdominal cavity;
electric shock or lightning strike;
intoxication resulting from the bites of poisonous animals, insects, due to the ingestion of toxic chemicals.

If a dog’s front leg twitches along with its back leg or all of its limbs, then the animal’s life will depend on the timeliness of seeing a doctor and the correctness of the prescribed treatment.

What to do

Depending on the cause of tremors in your pet’s hind legs, measures must be taken.

Observe the dog’s condition and behavior to identify other symptoms of a possible illness.
If trembling is supposedly caused by cold, fear, or excitement, it is necessary to create conditions for rest, warmth and care for the animal. With correct behavior on the part of the dog owner, the trembling will disappear and will not appear until the next situation that provokes it occurs.
Examine your pet for tick bites.
If you suspect that your animal has been infected with a viral infection or parasitic disease, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.
To prevent infection of an animal, it is necessary to vaccinate your pet annually. This will help avoid infection and further complications.
When a dog is infected with worms, it is worth remembering that they are easily transmitted to humans, so during treatment, contact with the patient should be limited.

First aid, diagnosis, treatment

Recommendations for providing first aid to a pet during an attack:

Do not panic, especially during the first attack. The dog will come to its senses in a few seconds or minutes. Organize peace, limit the amount of light, turn off the TV.
Place the pet on a thick cloth laid on the floor. Place the dog's body on the right side so that foam or saliva flows out of the mouth.
Place a folded towel under your head to prevent injury to the skull. Do not forcefully open your jaws and do not hold them by pressing them to the floor.

Diagnostic procedures: ultrasound diagnostics of the abdominal cavity, CT scan of the brain, examination of the heart, radiography of the skull and spinal column. Tests - blood, urine. Treatment consists of prescribing medications that reduce the frequency and intensity of attacks and eliminate the cause of the disease. The health and life of the pet, as well as its usefulness, depend on the correct treatment tactics.

When a dog's trembling is not dangerous

Fortunately for every owner, tremors in dogs also occur for completely harmless reasons:
It happens that a dog’s paws, and sometimes his whole body, tremble in the cold.
The animal curls its tail, cowers, and breathes intermittently. Moreover, a pet can tremble not only on a chilly street, but also at home, for example, after bathing, if the room is cool;

Males almost always tremble when they see a female in heat.

At the same time, they can behave extremely restlessly (attempting to break off the leash, run away, etc.), bark and whine, breathe loudly;

Many dogs tremble from an excess of feelings

, for example, seeing the owner returning home after a long absence. This behavior is most often found in small pocket dogs (like the Toy Terrier), as well as large dogs with docked tails. By the way, older dogs often have jaw trembling during emotional experiences;

Sometimes the dog trembles and breathes rapidly, feeling afraid

(for example, when he hears the sounds of ambulance sirens or fireworks);

There is no need to be afraid if the animal trembles in its sleep
(but when it wakes up, the tremor goes away during wakefulness). Most likely, he is dreaming about something exciting.

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Dog dreams - myth or reality?

In many manuals for novice dog breeders they write that four-legged dogs have nightmares. Fear from dreams is especially pronounced in puppies. The baby wakes up, worries, whines and tries to cuddle up to the owner. The fact that dogs dream was called into question and, it must be said, there were reasons. In the 50s of the 20th century, it was suggested that a dog flinches in its sleep not because it dreams, but because of nervous reactions. The equipment that was available at that time confirmed this assumption (one might say).

After the statement, which shattered the usual way of life, an active search began for ways to study animal sleep. Since the 60s, various articles have appeared in many printed publications discussing whether dogs dream . Simultaneously with the growing storm, a peculiar breakthrough was made in human medicine. More precisely, the breakthrough was made earlier, but in the 60s they started talking about it publicly. We were talking about the REM phase of human sleep, in which those observed dreamed.

This is interesting! During the REM phase of sleep, people and animals' eyes move quickly, which is explained by the fact that the brain shows the dream image to the sleeper.

Further study of people's sleep revealed that the REM phase is usually accompanied by “paralysis” of the muscles, that is, a person cannot move, even if he tries. With disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and specifically the brain, those observed were able to make confident movements, walk and even run while asleep.

In the mid-60s, an experiment was conducted that confirmed that animals dream . The observations took place as part of a study of human sleep, but the subjects were cats. Several animals have undergone brain surgery. The cats had the part of their brain that is responsible for immobilizing muscles during REM sleep removed. The “new” phase was called REM-A, that is, a type of normal state. Further observations yielded unexpected results - sleeping cats stood up, walked, played, jumped and even fought. Similar studies helped definitively establish that dogs and rodents dream.

This is interesting! During the experiments, rats in the REM-A phase of sleep found exits from mazes.

Observations of dogs showed that while in the REM-A phase, the four-legged dogs moved their heads and eyes, following something. Some tailed animals behaved like wolves - howling, emitting pack behavior or even hunting. The characteristic turns of the ears have proven that dogs not only see dreams, but also hear them.

Diagnostics

If the condition is accompanied by life-threatening symptoms - for example, epistatus, respiratory failure, the dog must first be stabilized. Next, diagnostics are carried out.

The veterinarian examines the dog and rules out the most common pathologies that cause trembling. These are abdominal pain, fever, hypoglycemia, hypokalemia, kidney disease, leptospirosis, viral infections. This may require a number of tests - a general clinical blood test, a general biochemical analysis (which evaluates the functioning of the kidneys, liver, and measures glucose and potassium in the blood). A blood test is also taken for leptospirosis, plague, and feces for parvovirus enteritis.

With the help of ultrasound diagnostics and x-rays, tumors of the intestine and internal organs, foreign bodies in the tract, gastric volvulus, intussusception, cystitis, prostatitis, endometritis, pyometra, colitis, enteritis - everything that can cause abdominal pain are excluded.

In some cases, an X-ray of the spine is recommended to rule out compression fractures, injuries to the limbs and chest.

To exclude tumors or diseases of the spinal disc, a myelogram can be performed - this is an X-ray examination of the spine with a special dye.

A CT (computed tomography) scan or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan can help detect structural changes in the brain or spine.

To exclude encephalitis, a study of cerebrospinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) is used.

Electromyography (EMG) can help diagnose neuromuscular disorders.

What should the owner do?

Most of the pathological causes mentioned require urgent veterinary intervention. If you have the opportunity to visit a veterinary clinic in the near future, play it safe and check your pet.

Contacting a veterinarian

Detection of pathology in the early stages helps to avoid chronicity of the process and death of the animal. The most alarming signs include:

repeated vomiting or diarrhea, especially with blood;

remaining still and refusing to walk;

the appearance of trembling not only in the hind legs, but also in other parts of the body;

increased frequency and difficulty breathing.

After studying the tests, ultrasound, x-rays and other studies, the veterinarian will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe medication treatment. Depending on the severity of the situation, the animal may be left in the hospital or sent home.

First aid for seizures

What to do if your dog has seizures? First of all, the pet must be taken and placed in a quiet, calm place. Apply a few drops of Corvalol to your tongue. Then you need to take your pet's temperature and visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. It is impossible to identify the cause of such a symptom and carry out treatment on your own at home.

In case of an epileptic attack, the animal should be wrapped in a warm cloth and taken to a veterinary hospital as soon as possible. You should not put objects in your dog's mouth to protect his tongue from biting. This can lead to even greater trauma. It is enough to hold your pet's head so that he does not hurt himself. Excessive touching is undesirable in case of epilepsy, as this can lead to a new attack. In addition, if you try to open your jaw with your hands during a seizure, the dog can inflict a serious bite.

For cramps caused by physical exertion or prolonged walking, massaging your dog's paws can help. You need to take the animal's limb and rub it with three fingers. In this case, you should make circular movements. Then repeat the procedure on the other paw. Massage should be done if the cramps affect only the paws and are not associated with eclampsia.

How to treat seizures

Treatment of seizures in dogs depends on the etiology of the symptom. First of all, the underlying disease is treated. Then special anticonvulsants for animals are prescribed.

Anti-seizure medications should not be given to your dog unless recommended by a veterinarian. All of these drugs are strictly prescription drugs and must be prescribed by a specialist. Quite often Phenobarbital is prescribed. This is a sedative and hypnotic drug, which is part of Corvalol and Valocordin. It also has an anticonvulsant effect.

The drug "Primidon" is also used. In the body it is converted to phenobarbital. This remedy reduces the activity of epileptic foci.

Prescribing Phenobarbital and Primidon does not help all pets. Some animals require complex therapy and the use of the benzodiazepine tranquilizer Diazepam. But such medicine only helps directly during an attack. It should not be used as the primary means of therapy. However, it is useful to have Diazepam with you during walks if your pet is prone to seizures. If this drug was prescribed by a doctor, it can be used as an emergency treatment for a seizure.

Causes

1. Trembling of the head, shaking of the muzzle.

The dog may simply shake its head, may tilt it to the side (owners sometimes describe this symptom as “shaking something out of the ear”), or may make movements in a circle or from side to side. Also, such symptoms may be accompanied by disturbances in the movement of the pupils, for example, horizontal or vertical nystagmus - that is, the movement of the pupils from side to side or up and down. The reasons may be the following:

Cerebellar abnormalities (for example, in puppies after suffering from parvovirus enteritis),
Hereditary congenital abnormalities of the nervous system,
Inflammatory processes (encephalitis),
injury,
Nervous form of canine plague.

Causes of seizures

Muscle shaking and cramps are caused by many diseases:

infections of a viral, fungal, parasitic, bacterial nature;
chronic diseases of the liver, kidneys, heart, gall bladder;
pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
tumors of the spine, brain;
inflammatory processes of a non-infectious nature;
injuries of the spine, internal organs, head. Even those that seemed insignificant and which the owner had long forgotten about;
severe poisoning (toxins, poisons, metals), bites of poisonous insects, snakes;
hypoglycemia (low sugar);
polycythemia (increased number of red blood cells).
congenital pathologies, diabetes, epilepsy, exhaustion, electric shock.

When is a visit to the vet necessary?

If the dog owner notices that trembling in the pet’s limbs does not go away within several days and is accompanied by other symptoms, such as weakness, lethargy, drowsiness, whining, and refusal to eat, then a visit to the veterinarian should not be delayed. Trembling can be a sign of diseases that can be fatal.

Depending on the situation, the doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment.

Viral hepatitis is treated with vitamins, immunostimulants and hyperimmune serum.
For parvovirus enteritis, hyperimmune serum and immunoglobulins are also prescribed.
Thiacetarsamide, filarsen and ivomec are used to treat heartworm disease, which can lead to the death of a dog.
If your pet's brain is affected, then massage, compress, antibiotics and vitamins are necessary.
When a dog is infected with helminths, antiparasitic agents are used.

In all other cases, individual treatment is used, which will be prescribed by a veterinarian based on the diagnostic results of the four-legged pet.

Often, cramps in a dog’s hind legs are not a sign of a disease, but occur as a result of exposure to external factors.

If the tremor is accompanied by other symptoms and a general lethargic state of the animal, then you should not expect that everything will go away by itself. There is a risk of diseases that result in the death of the dog.

Varshavskoe highway, 125 building 1.

Tremors in dogs, or tremors, are rhythmic, involuntary muscle movements. All the muscles of the body can tremble or, for example, only the muscles of the limbs; the head can shake or make constant movements. Trembling often occurs in easily excitable, emotional dogs, in almost all dogs of small and decorative breeds during any experience - fear, joy, any stress. In this case, it goes away on its own after some time, is normal for a dog and does not require a visit to the doctor. Most often in such cases, the dog trembles all over the body or only the limbs, most often the hind legs shake. Animals with easily excitable nervous systems may tremble under stress; in this case, a visit to a veterinarian is not necessary.

Shivering is also a natural way of adapting to short-term hypothermia - rapid, frequent muscle contractions increase the release of heat. Dogs are better adapted to low temperatures than humans, however, if the dog begins to shiver during winter walks, you should not drag them out, they should be shorter, or you can try to provide your pet with clothes. Prolonged hypothermia can already lead to the development of diseases.

Trembling can also be a symptom of some pathology. Let's look at several situations in which it is necessary to consult a doctor and find out the cause of tremor in a dog.

In what cases is it necessary to see a veterinarian:

Trembling is accompanied by depression and apathy, lethargy, weakness,
The dog has no appetite
Vomiting, diarrhea,
The dog's refusal to walk and move,
In addition to trembling, the appearance of incomprehensible movements of the head, body parts, and convulsions.
The appearance of dark or red urine, discharge from the loop or urethra.

If this condition occurs suddenly, for no apparent reason (for example, physical exertion), the dog is trembling and breathing rapidly, breathing is difficult - it is necessary to urgently contact a veterinary clinic.