muscle spasms in Jack Russell

Question
QUESTION: Sometimes has muscle spasms when excited or if he swims in cold water.  Has been vet checked, nothing medically wrong. Just high anxiety.  We usually rub the leg until it goes away.  Could we give him anything over the counter to help?

ANSWER: Hi Teresa,

I know you said you've been to your vet, but did the doctor do any blood work to rule out a seizure disorder? A mild seizure can look like a muscle spasm.

If rubbing your dog's leg seems to work, it's a simple, low tech and free solution worth sticking with.
Randomly giving supplements without much research and knowing what condition you are trying to treat is dangerous. Some supplements can build up in a dog's system causing an overdose that could cause complications. If you're set on giving your dog a supplement, talk to your vet about what, and how much, you should give.

You can also try feeding your dog frequent small meals instead of one or two large meals per day may help to maintain adequate blood glucose levels. It might help.

Best of luck,

Patti


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes, we have had a total blood workup, nothing medically wrong.  One vet suggested potassium but it didn't really seem to help. Like I said, he only does this when extremely excited, like seeing a squirrel that he can't get to, or when swimming in cold river water--no problem at the beach when water is warm.  He is very muscular and the vet said it similar to people getting a "Charlie horse".

Answer
Hi Teresa,

Trying potassium was a good suggestion, but you said it didn't seem to help. You didn't say how long you tried the supplements for. It may takes several weeks to a month of daily supplementation before results could have been seen.

If this condition is causing you concern, even though your regular vet thinks the muscle spasms aren't something serious, having your dog examined by a neurologist is something you might want to consider. There are some neurological conditions the Jack Russell breed is prone to, and an exam by a specialist could rule these out. "Scotty Cramp" is one such condition, symptoms are muscle cramps triggered by excitement or exercise.

You can get a referral for a veterinary neurologist from your current vet, or locate on here:
http://www.acvim.org/websites/acvim/index.php?p=3


Best of luck,

Patti