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Older dog has jerking movements

I have a 14 year old who consistantly jerks like she's been shocked, this has been happening for the last year or so, she will even fall sometimes, anyone have any clue what this might be? I have had several vets look at her and no one seems to know what it is causing this, she can be laying down or standing and her eyes will blink rapidly and she jerks back like something shocked her (nothing there to have cause this action)..... anyone with a clue?

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Dog gone it! I am sorry. I haven't had this experience myself - but it kinda sounds like a seizure disorder - doesn't it? I remember reading in the LQ a few years back an article about a senior lab whose liver wasn't functioning well and toxins had built up in his brain and caused problems - not just like your describing - some of his included "spacing out" and "aggression" towards another lab in the household.

Does anyone remember that article? It was written by a "Diane" or "Laura" from the PSLRA.

Anyway if she were mine I think I would start with a complete metabolic profile and see if liver, kidney (etc.) functions were within ranges.

Good luck and please keep us posted.
Valerie Jones

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Aaaahh, I remember her name now - Laura Berger - nice lady, I sat next to her at the 2007 Canadian National Speciallty.(She's a hoot too!)

Does anyone know the issue? I am at work and don't have access to my LQ's.
Valerie

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

I had a 14yr old senior that presented with similar symptoms in her last year of life. After multiple evaluations, we believe she had "paroxysmal dyskinesia" - check this link out to see if it sounds like your senior- http://www.cvm.umn.edu/vbs/faculty/Mickelson/lab/EIC/AtypicalCollapse/home.html

I do recall a video on youtube of a lab owned by someone who thought their dog had this disorder- when I watched it I was struck by how similar "Monte" looked to my own dog when she was struck by these episodes- I'll see if I can find it and post in a follow-up note.

Best of luck in your effort to get to the bottom of this- I know it is very scary not knowing and wanting to help them.

Re: Older dog has jerking movements-video

This is the youtube video I mentioned which will give you a visual of how this lab presented with paroxysmal dyskinesia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdifQO2qevg

Again, wishing you & your girl the best!

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

She has had the CBC done every 6 months, liver and all is fine so that's not the problem :{

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Read the link on this and watched the video, nope nothing like this at all, try to imagine something coming at you that spooks you badly, how you would jerk back away from it and blink your eyes and maybe even fall on your butt, she gets right back up no weakness (when she falls which isn't all the time, actually rarely does she fall) but the jerking and eye blinks happen a few times in a row. Thank you for trying though

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Have you had her eyes checked - maybe going blind?

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Funny you should ask that because that was the first thing that the vet thought too so I took her to the eye doc and she asked me if she could send the results into CERF as she said her eyes were still as they were when I had last done them at age 8, it was not her vision, she did however mention (the eye doctor) that they have no way of telling if a dog has gone near sighted or not. It was great news that her eyes were still so good for my line :}

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

I had a 13+ year old have these shock symptoms. We presumed she was having a series of little strokes. At 14, she had one last big one that left her paralized in the rear. We let her go.

MWK

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

I was reviewing my old boy's last few years, trying to think if he had anything similar, but I don't think so. He had some issues, which the vets contributed to Degenerative Myopathy and/or Vestibular disease. His blood work was always clean too. He just plugged along, having good and bad days until he decided it was time, at 14.5. You might explore the Vestibular disease to see if anything correlates. Sounds like you take great care of your old girl. The Seniors are pretty special. Best of luck!

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Winterglen
I was reviewing my old boy's last few years, trying to think if he had anything similar, but I don't think so. He had some issues, which the vets contributed to Degenerative Myopathy and/or Vestibular disease. His blood work was always clean too. He just plugged along, having good and bad days until he decided it was time, at 14.5. You might explore the Vestibular disease to see if anything correlates. Sounds like you take great care of your old girl. The Seniors are pretty special. Best of luck!


Thank you so much for your reply, looked up the Degenerative Myopathy and while she seems to have some similarities like the eye flickering I think that she falls from whatever is "spooking her" she has days where it's not so bad then days when she does it a lot, she does have fusing on her back, we found that out when she was 8 and I had to take her to emergency cause I feared she was bloating and they saw it on the xray, she also have arthritis from old age (she is OFA good on hips and elbows cleared at 2).... yes I do take very very good care of my old gals, they are by far my favorites, those seniors are so very special and dear to me and I want her to stay with me for as long as I can have her, this particular one is one of the two of my heart dogs

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

I have a twelve year old dog that is exhibiting similar behaviour. It usually happens in response to sound though. Haven't been able to find any solution either. It almost seems like he short circuits. It only lasts a second. Doesn't seem to cause him any lasting pain though

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Sounds like it could be petit-mal seizures. My old guy did something very much like you describe, but also had the occasional grand mal seizure starting right before he turned 14. The “mini” seizures were much more frequent and seemed to happen more in bright lighting.

We presumed a very slow-growing brain tumor, but never did any imaging to confirm. He made it until a month shy of 16 before having a cluster of seizures that left him pretty much paralyzed at which point we let him go.

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

hi 'Wants to Know'. my dog is just experiencing the exact thing you have described. So far all bloodwork normal. she's 13. did u ever find out what the cause was of these little "shocks"/ jerks? I am still trying to find an answer . thank you for this post, at least i know someone else has had this before.

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Hi, my 14 goldie has been doing this for a year also
Nothing showing up on bloods, etc but can't afford
scans, mri's etc.
Seems to be bad in bright sunlight and I did switch
from frontline flea treatment to a milder one but still happening.
I think it's harder for me to watch than for him!
If anyone has tips or theories would live to hear them.

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Hi Kathryn, my Holistic vet looked at my video and thinks its focal seizures- a kind of "mini" seizure where they space out or have twitches or jerking movements. I am not going to have an MRI either due to my girl being 13yrs old. I am going to try holistic, nutracutical support at this point and hope it doesnt persist.

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

Hope she gets some relief, it's sad to watch,
my boy seems so young in other ways still enjoying
walks and loping after balls etc. reminds me he's
getting old when it happens. Let me know if
anything you use seems to ease the jerks and I'll
look around here in Aus. Have tried a chiropractor
and acupuncture with little noticeable effect 🙁

Re: Older dog has jerking movements

it is really upsetting, I agree! but my vet said she's not in pain and they don't seem to bother her, but they do bother me :( and my girl is just like your guy, she's very spunky too! I'll post when I see how things are going w/ the addition of the antioxidants and dietary changes.