spasms

Question
Hi Nancy, I have a 6 yr old Golden Lab, a couple of months ago she started spasm's about once a month for 3-4 months. Her symptoms are: in a sitting position her front legs stiff and straight out in front, shaking, fixed stare and drooling. Also just before the incidents she would defecated on the floor- which she never dose in the house. The incidents would last form 1-3 min. She hasnt had another episode for about 6 months now, But now she has been getting muscle spasms in her front shoulder and back hip. I have read up on idiopathic epilepsy, but I am not sure if it is that. Now I am worried about the spasms, could it be a deficiency of something?

Answer
Amanda,
This is a very serious thing.  Have you had her to a vet about it?  Convulsions are dangerous and painful and can be caused by many different things.  They can be neurological, or they can be from a cleaning product or nutritional, but you have to determine which one. You must take her to a vet and find out.  Although I don't know if a blood test will tell anything after all this time.
As you must know if you have ever gotten a bad leg cramp, 30 seconds is too much to endure and you are telling me these are lasting one to three minutes.  Your dog must be in agony during that time.  Just because they don't cry doesn't mean they are not in severe pain... A dog cannot show pain because if they do "the pack will attack".  Of course she is not in a dog pack, but instinct will come into play when a dog is sick or injured.
There are medicines out there to treat these things so they are less painful to the dog.  Your vet should examine her and determine which one is the best..
I am sorry I cannot give you  more, but this is more of vet question than a training or dog grooming  or breeding question.
good luck
nancy