I found this info about them........Yes, dogs do get muscle cramps and they can be as painful as the cramps you experience. Muscle cramps are defined as spasmodic muscular contraction and many dogs get them from exercising too much, playing in the sun or because they are genetically inclined.
Most dogs get muscle cramps when they lose large amounts of fluids and electrolytes. This loss can occur during exercise or stressful conditions. A dog can also get muscle cramps after he experiences a heat stroke. In most cases where muscle cramps occur due to exercising or stressful conditions, you can control them by giving your dog electrolytes especially formulated for dogs. In addition, if cramping is severe, you can give your dog a dog massage.
Intervertebral disk disease can cause muscle cramping in the rear legs
There is a nerve pain that is called Neuritis, that is very painful. It can run down the leg (like from the sciatic nerve) or go across the back.
Hypoadrenocorticism can also cause painful episodic muscle cramps.
As you can see there are are several things which can cause leg cramps A good place to start, would be an exam with your vet.
In addition, warm water therapy is being used quite frequently to help dogs to overcome muscle cramps. This therapy creates an environment of weightlessness that allows the stress on the muscles to reduce substantially and thereby helping the dog to relax his muscles. |