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Kasino · Sep 7, 2012, 03:03 PM

Hello,

I have a 4-month old Queensland heeler / border collie female puppy. She is very friendly and active, but over the last few weeks I have noticed that when she is lying down in a relaxed position, her front-right leg is twitching almost constantly, like some kind of muscle spasm. It's only the one leg that does it. She does not seem to have any pain walking or running, and she has not fallen or been injured in any way.

Any ideas what this might be? Is it serious? She had a case of conjunctivitis about 2 months ago, but we gave her eye drops that the vet provided and that cleared up. I don't think the medicine is related.

Help! :)

Kasino · Sep 8, 2012, 02:45 PM

Does anyone have any advice for me? Below is a link to a video of Luna and her twitchy leg. :(

Luna twitchfoot - YouTube

Alty · Sep 8, 2012, 04:31 PM

I would normally say that your dog is just dreaming. That's still my guess, even after watching the video.

The only thing that makes me think it could be something else is the fact that she woke up, stretched, and then either fell asleep again instantly, or there's something else going on.

Have you seen a vet about this?

I'll have to video the next time my dogs have a dream. They'll actually "run" in their dreams, legs going a mile a minute, howling, growling, barking and everything, all while asleep.

LadySam · Sep 8, 2012, 05:17 PM

Normally, I would also say she was dreaming, and that may very well be the case, but the twitching after the stretch looked a little odd to me.
Keep in mind I am not a vet, he/she would be your best judge.
What happens if she lays on her other side does the left leg twitch like that or is it only the right?
If you have a wellness check or vaccines coming up in the very near future, I would have the vet do a neuro exam, if you don't you may want book her in to get it checked just to be on the safe side
It consists of a quick little battery of tests to test things like deep pain, reflexes and how well and quickly she can right her feet if placed in an abnormal position.
Make sure to take a mobile device so you can show the vet the video we saw.
What is her diet? Is it a good quality puppy chow?
I'm not trying to alarm you, just that the first part looked pretty nomal for dreaming but then the second, not so sure.

Kasino · Sep 8, 2012, 05:57 PM

Hi,

Thank you both for the responses. I should have clarified in my original post that this sort of thing happens while she is awake, not while asleep. In fact I think it happens less when she is sleeping than when she is awake and just lying down. In this video she was awake the whole time.

It is only the one leg, her right front. I'm thinking that it may be a pinched nerve or some kind of spasm, but yes I will definitely be asking the vet at our next appointment. She's a perfectly happy and active puppy with no signs of pain, so I hope that is at least a good sign.

Are there any medical conditions that may cause this?

LadySam · Sep 8, 2012, 06:22 PM

With only one leg affected and I wouldn't jump immediately to a disease process, but rather an injury.
Dogs tend to be pretty stoic and not show pain sometimes like we humans do.
Is it possible that she had injured the leg without you being aware?
Puppies do run and jump and play rough.
What comes to mind is that she has injured it slightly and there may be some inflammation pressing on the delicate nerve tissue.
That is only a guess on my part.
How long until your appointment?
I would keep her rested as much as possible on the chance that there has been some sort of injury to keep from aggravating anything.
You could try feeling up and down both legs from the shoulder to the foot and see if you feel any difference or if you get any kind of pain reaction from her.