13lbs big.
Dexter was at the vet today because he was having a serious muscle spasm in his hind foot that was driving him crazy. It wouldn't stop, and he couldn't even lie still, and kept putting his foot in his mouth and screaming at it.
When we got to the clinic, the spasms had subsided and his foot was barely twitching, though he still kept chewing on it. The vet could find nothing wrong with him, and said to watch that it didn't happen again. When we got home, he chewed on his foot a little more and then he went to sleep. Fingers crossed this mystery problem is just a Dexter Glitch.
Ever seen anything like that?
In other respects, he is "in wonderful shape" says the vet.
Dexter was at the vet today because he was having a serious muscle spasm in his hind foot that was driving him crazy. It wouldn't stop, and he couldn't even lie still, and kept putting his foot in his mouth and screaming at it.
When we got to the clinic, the spasms had subsided and his foot was barely twitching, though he still kept chewing on it. The vet could find nothing wrong with him, and said to watch that it didn't happen again. When we got home, he chewed on his foot a little more and then he went to sleep. Fingers crossed this mystery problem is just a Dexter Glitch.
Ever seen anything like that?
In other respects, he is "in wonderful shape" says the vet.
Piper may take care of that, by Mad Teething(tm) him down a hill.
There may be a slight delay in new posts. I've used up all my blogger photo storage space, and need to purchase more, but it can take 24 hours or more to kick in.
There may be a slight delay in new posts. I've used up all my blogger photo storage space, and need to purchase more, but it can take 24 hours or more to kick in.
So, he'll be bigger than Piper next week? : )
ReplyDeleteMy monkey-dog used to have muscle spasms when she was growing up. They were usually in her hind legs and sometimes they would be bad enough to make her scream. Usually if I could get her up and moving and do a little massage on the muscle they would go away, but she didn't want to move so lamb lung was required to get her up. She grew out of them, although she still Laylaquakes when she's excited about something.
ReplyDeleteDid you know it was a muscle spasm before you went to the vet? And Sara, I want to talk to you!
ReplyDeletePoor little guy. Hope it doesn't come back. Maybe it's growing pains?
ReplyDeleteOMG I just realized he is already half Mellie's weight. I'm sure he will stop growing in a week or two and stay tiny just like you wanted, though.
ReplyDeleteSuch a handsome boy! Today is Arthur's third birthday, I put lots of photos of all the pups as babies up on my blog (also a rescue litter, but on the opposite coast.)
ReplyDeleteI'm loving Dexter's daily photos, very fun!! It will be so much fun for you to go back through once he's all grown up, too!
yes my border collie did that too, it was a combination of growing pains and too much excersize at that young age, when we slowed down on the long walks the spasms/charlie horses stopped.
ReplyDeleteDoes he always have that wide-eyed look at the world? I love the intensity of his expressions.
ReplyDeleteWhat are "growing pains?" In all my years of dogs and puppies, I've never seen or heard of such a thing. I could tell it was a muscle spasm because I could actually see his foot twitching in front of my eyes. We definitely don't do long walks - I know not to over-exercise my pups. We spend a lot of time playing ball, and Dex hangs out around my feet watching the other dogs, so I don't think that's the problem. It was a very creepy experience!
ReplyDeletecharlie horses/spasms in humans are realted to potassium and/or calcium levels. don't know if the same holds true in canines.
ReplyDeletehe is a veritable BUNDLE of cuteness!
"charlie horses/spasms in humans are realted to potassium and/or calcium levels. don't know if the same holds true in canines."
ReplyDeleteI have heard this too, but he gets bone-in raw, and bananas twice a week!
Perhaps his needs are a teeny bit diffrent/more. I am a vegetarian and couldn't put out raw meat for my dogs with a gun to my head. so I feed evo and a lot of fruits and veggies. but I also use a bunch of supplements from a holistic vet in Portland whose website is Naturalrearing.com. Her phone is (541) 899-2080. Her name is Marina Zacharias and she is/was a Basset breeder. I've got 3 shelties here and one has big-time IBD thus I have to be very careful what I feed so he doesn't have an "episode". I add 3 of the NR products... the Seaweed Mineral food, the Herbal compound and the daily health as well as Marina's Special Blend. They are expensive to start with but they last absolutely forever since you are only giving weight/size based "pinches". they are all human grade. Her phone consultations are free. she got my first rescue sheltie through heartworm, but, sadly for my big blue boy, we can only "manage" his IBD. Check her site and if you like what you see give her a call and tell her about your little cuteness' problem. she is very nice, easy to talk to and very knowledgeable.
ReplyDeletethose of us up to our collective armpits in "clay mud" thanks to Ida send Dexter all sorts of good thoughts and wishes!
s and the kids
I wouldn't feed my dogs kibble with a gun pointed to my head :) To each their own.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to assume right away that its a dietary issue and it's not part of my MO to go straight to the expensive holistic thing. It was just one episode, and was just wondering if anyone had seen anything like it before, as I haven't. He's perfectly fine today~
Hi
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so much like when my dogs sting their feet on nettles (not sure if you get them outside of England?). Sulley who is allergic to them is especially bad. His legs jerk and twitch, he tries to run away, bites his paws and yelps and cries. It is really, really horrible to see. It is possible that Dexter has stung his feet on something?
Kind Regards
Michelle
it may very well not be a dietary thing-y.
ReplyDeleteI found Marina when I was looking for a way...ANY WAY... to get one of my rescued shelties through a heart worm treatment which did NOT invove arsenic in any form. She did it with nosodes and other herbs and it was, for me, nothing short of a major miracle. She is very pro-raw and anti-vaccine. where I am I cannot get around the vaccines but for my IBD guy so I get products from her to de-tox them afterwards. her site has lots of interesting info and might be worth a look/bookmark in case you might want it for something else down the rod.
...he gets bone-in raw, and bananas twice a week!
ReplyDeleteFood Lady, I'd love to see a post focused on how you feed your dogs. I've seen a lot of looovely looking raw-fed dogs online, but I've always read a lot about infections and such? According to one vet tech I know, a lot of vets won't have raw-fed dogs in their practices due to these 'risks'. Have you had any troubles with anything like that?
I have never heard of a vet not allowing raw-fed dogs in their practice, what a load of hooey! I have been feeding raw for 10 years, and have no idea what kind if "infections" they are supposed to get from raw. Nonsense!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input. It's nice to hear personal accounts from people I "know" (Well, follow online). I'd be quite interested to hear about the specifics of your feeding your bunch, if you've got the time and inclination. Have you ever had issues keeping around enough food for four dogs plus the occasional fosters? Do you find it easy to find a consistent source of meat in BC, or do you find you have to shop around often? Is there are particular meat/cut you prefer? You mention bananas -- do you feed other fruits/veggies as well, or do you find bananas sufficient? Do you do that occasional-fast thing? I've seen it mentioned on several websites as a way to imitate "wild" life.
ReplyDeleteI find the idea of raw quite interesting -- I wouldn't necessarily say I'd be swapping my puppy now or in future (the fact that she's teeechnically my mother's and I'm away at school also being a major factor), but I am always a fan of considering options, and like I said, it's nice to have other people's opinions.
Have you ever had issues keeping around enough food for four dogs plus the occasional fosters?
ReplyDeleteNo, I buy in bulk and have a deep freeze.
Do you find it easy to find a consistent source of meat in BC, or do you find you have to shop around often?
No there are oodles of raw food suppliers. The main one I use is down the street from me.
Is there are particular meat/cut you prefer?
No, I feed ground meats (usually bone in) in the mornings (beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, tripe, pork, herring, salmon or duck) and whole (turkey necks, chicken backs, pork hocks) at night. They get beef ribs, elk bones, pork bones etc. as snacks from time to time as well.
You mention bananas -- do you feed other fruits/veggies as well, or do you find bananas sufficient?
I feed whatever veggies or fruits might be going off in my fridge. I also feed cottage cheese, yogurt, pumpkin puree, eggs and oils.
Do you do that occasional-fast thing?
No.
Thank you for all your information, much appreciated.
ReplyDelete