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My dachshund seems to be having muscule spasms for about two days. Her appetite is low, and so is her activity levels. She usually runs after her toys and now she walks slowly toward them and up the stairs. In addition, she has not been going to the bathroom regularly and has only had one very small bowel movement in the past two days. Her attitude seems good and she is loving and won't leave my side. She is 2 years and 10 months old. Do you have any recommendations as to what this might be and what I should do for her?
Optional Information: Pet's Gender: FemalePet's Age: 3Type of Animal: Dachshund Already Tried: Rubbing her and trying to get her to eat and use the bathroom to no avail. She will only eat treats and will barely drink.
Hi, thanks for the question, I'm sorry to hear that your dog is not feeling well. Where on her body are these muscle spasms?
Hi Drew.
The spasms seem to start at her neck area/top of her back and it causes her whole body to shake. These are occuring every few minutes. Thanks.
Best,
OK, thanks for the reply. Is she bearing weight on all four legs evenly?
Drew:
She seems to be. I had her stand up and try to run around. She did somewhat but not like normal. I held her to try to acertain where the spasms are and she is shaking everywhere and they extend to all of her legs.
Thanks. Is her belly painful if you push inwards on it?
It doesn't appear to hurt her. While I had her laying on her back, the spasms seems to actually originate in her back rear leg i.e., that is where it shakes the most.
OK, thanks for your reply. In dachshunds with muscle spasms or any other vague musculoskeletal issues, we are suspicious of back pain caused by a bulging disc in the spinal column. Because of dachshunds' unusual bone structure, they seem to be very prone to disc problems, and the resulting pain and nerve damage can lead to muscle spasms and loss of mobility. I would suggest having a veterinarian examine her tonight if at all possible, in order to take an x-ray, and start some muscle relaxants, pain medicines, and anti-inflammatories, if needed. Please let me know if you have more questions.
Experience: Small Animal Medicine and Surgery