# Stiff Walk with an Arched Back



## Fornswere (Apr 3, 2014)

I took Heaton out for a bathroom break and I noticed he was walking very stiffly and his back was arched. I've had him for only a day and I've never seen him do this before. It lasted about 10 minutes and then he started walking normally again. When we came back inside he just plopped back in his crate and fell asleep. I want to take him to the emergency veterinarian, but my wife thinks I'm overreacting. He drank a lot of water today I noticed. My wife thinks he's just dehydrated. I'm hoping somebody could give me some advice. By the way, he is a Cretan Hound, which is a large breed dog. We live in a large home and his crate is in our bedroom on my side of the bed. My wife doesn't think this is worth going to the e-vet for, but I'm not sure I agree with her. Could this have been a seizure? I want to get him to the vet and have them do blood work on him. I'm scared that he could be epileptic. My last dog, a Pekingese, died of a seizure one day after exercising when she was 12 years old. My wife drove to the vet while I did CPR on her in the car, but the vet pronounced her dead on arrival. They vet said she had overheated and her brain got too hot and it killed her.


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## Firedog (Oct 19, 2011)

I don't really know but sometimes one of my dogs walks like this when she has a tummy ache but she is a small dog. I know big dogs stomachs can twist but I wouldn't know what to look for. Hopefully someone will be along soon that might be able to help and hopefully it won't be anything to worry about.

Hope thing are okay.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Stiff gait with the back humped can be a sign of abdominal pain or pain in the spine.

Is he otherwise behaving normally? Is he eating, keen for his walks and pooping normally?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Fornswere said:


> I took Heaton out for a bathroom break and I noticed he was walking very stiffly and his back was arched. I've had him for only a day and I've never seen him do this before. It lasted about 10 minutes and then he started walking normally again. When we came back inside he just plopped back in his crate and fell asleep. I want to take him to the emergency veterinarian, but my wife thinks I'm overreacting. He drank a lot of water today I noticed. My wife thinks he's just dehydrated. I'm hoping somebody could give me some advice. By the way, he is a Cretan Hound, which is a large breed dog. We live in a large home and his crate is in our bedroom on my side of the bed. My wife doesn't think this is worth going to the e-vet for, but I'm not sure I agree with her. Could this have been a seizure? I want to get him to the vet and have them do blood work on him. I'm scared that he could be epileptic. My last dog, a Pekingese, died of a seizure one day after exercising when she was 12 years old. My wife drove to the vet while I did CPR on her in the car, but the vet pronounced her dead on arrival. They vet said she had overheated and her brain got too hot and it killed her.


Is he an unneutered dog? Are there any signs of straining to urinate, taking a long time to urinate, any signs of trouble defeacating constipation or thin ribbon like stools? Dogs with enlarged or inflamed prostrates will also walk with arched back and rear stiff legs. I don't know for sure if the actual urination gives relief once the bladder is emptied, but Im pretty sure an enlarged prostate can press on the bowel or bladder insome cases I should imagine it would cause pain more when the bladders full. Its more common in un neutered dogs it doesn't have to be sinister caused the can get the problem through infection and inflammation of the prostrate. They can get lethargic and even fever with it too I believe.

Other causes of an arched back or standing arched back can be abdominal pain for one reason or another, or back pain.

I only thought of the prostrate as you mentioned a toilet break too, prostrate is more common in unneutered dogs but can be known in neutered dogs also although not usually so common.


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## Leanne77 (Oct 18, 2011)

Does sound like a discomfort in the stomach.

Something I am taking a big interest in at the moment is Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome as I believe one of my own dogs suffers with this (it is also known as Spikes Disease). Symptoms of that include arched back and a stiff gait, there are videos on Youtube of dogs having an episode if you want to Google. Most are Border Terriers but it has been known in other breeds too.

There is a Facebook page too if you want more info.


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## Fornswere (Apr 3, 2014)

It's probably his tummy. I hope he doesn't have any serious disease! I found a video online of a dog with Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome and it looks like what Heaton was doing. Has is ever been seen in Cretan Hounds? I read some pages about it, too. 

Heaton hasn't been castrated. He has no trouble urinating or defecating. I think he is too young to have an enlarged prostate, but I guess anything is possible. I wanted to use him for breeding the first litter of Cretan Hounds in Australia, but if he has a prostate problem, I would sooner castrate him. He did seem very tired when I brought him back in, though. So, I'm thinking it's either his stomach or his prostate. He was walking stiffly with an arched back when he got up from sleeping in his crate and it lasted about 10 minutes. 

I hope his stomach is okay. He does seem very, very sleepy. But, he is eating normally. 

Everybody is mentioning his stomach, so I'm thinking that's probably what was going on. He is a large breed pup, so I hope it's not bloat or anything. He seems fine now and is sleeping, so I don't think it's anything really serious. Thanks for the information everyone!


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Fornswere said:


> It's probably his tummy. I hope he doesn't have any serious disease! I found a video online of a dog with Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome and it looks like what Heaton was doing. Has is ever been seen in Cretan Hounds? I read some pages about it, too.
> 
> Heaton hasn't been castrated. He has no trouble urinating or defecating. I think he is too young to have an enlarged prostate, but I guess anything is possible. I wanted to use him for breeding the first litter of Cretan Hounds in Australia, but if he has a prostate problem, I would sooner castrate him. He did seem very tired when I brought him back in, though. So, I'm thinking it's either his stomach or his prostate. He was walking stiffly with an arched back when he got up from sleeping in his crate and it lasted about 10 minutes.
> 
> ...


Usually, if a dog has abdominal pain, they won't eat, I know my Rosie won't.

I know this might sound stupidly obvious, but, is his crate roomy enough for him? If he had been in his crate for a while before you took him out, I wonder if he was just a little stiff and loosened up once he began moving around?


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## Leanne77 (Oct 18, 2011)

The fact the crate was mentioned makes me think if it's discomfort in the back.

However, when my dog has one of his suspected CECS episodes he still eats eagerly and his appetite is normal before and after.

I have never heard of a Cretan Hound so have no idea if the illness has been seen in them before i'm afraid.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Fornswere said:


> It's probably his tummy. I hope he doesn't have any serious disease! I found a video online of a dog with Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome and it looks like what Heaton was doing. Has is ever been seen in Cretan Hounds? I read some pages about it, too.
> 
> Heaton hasn't been castrated. He has no trouble urinating or defecating. I think he is too young to have an enlarged prostate, but I guess anything is possible. I wanted to use him for breeding the first litter of Cretan Hounds in Australia, but if he has a prostate problem, I would sooner castrate him. He did seem very tired when I brought him back in, though. So, I'm thinking it's either his stomach or his prostate. He was walking stiffly with an arched back when he got up from sleeping in his crate and it lasted about 10 minutes.
> 
> I hope his stomach is okay. He does seem very, very sleepy. But, he is eating normally.


Didn't realise he was a pup as only a small photo and he looked more like an older dog, probably due to the size of him. Prostrate is usually a problem in older dogs.

With bloat the stomach is usually distended, and tight like a drumskin, and they will worry at it or not like it touched. You often get lots of stretching, arching of backs, standing roached back with and or spayed legs. They may be come unsettled, and if they do actually settle they will often lay spinx like rather then stretched out and relaxed on their side. Trying to vomit and not producing anything can be another sign. Bloat is an emergency and needs immediate veterinary intervention as it can lead to gastric tortion.

If his lethargic he may have picked up a bit of a bug, keep and eye on him and see how he goes. I take it at the moment there is no sign of vomiting or diarrhoea as you would have mentioned it.


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## Fornswere (Apr 3, 2014)

Cretan Hounds range in size from medium to large, but Heaton is a large boy. His stomach is not distended. He is not stretching. He is just sleepy. He has not been vomiting or trying to vomit. It doesn't sound like bloat at all. He just seems very sleepy. No vomiting or diarrhea.

Maybe I will purchase an orthopedic bed for his crate instead of the crate mat. He is eating normally. According to his breeder, Cretan Hounds aren't susceptible to any genetic illness and are very healthy dogs. 

Heaton is eating just fine. He has a 36 inch crate. He could have been stiff from lying in the crate.


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## LaceWing (Mar 18, 2014)

Sounds like constipation. Make sure he gets enough water. You may need to wet down his food.


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## Fornswere (Apr 3, 2014)

It could be constipation. But, he does drink a lot of water. I'll start adding water to his food, just in case!


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

Fornswere said:


> It could be constipation. But, he does drink a lot of water. I'll start adding water to his food, just in case!


When was the last time he had a proper and thorough check at the vets including bloodwork?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Fornswere said:


> It could be constipation. But, he does drink a lot of water. I'll start adding water to his food, just in case!


When you say he drinks a lot do you think it could be excessive amounts, sometimes if dogs are drinking excessively that can be a sign something isn't right too.

You can actually do the test yourself by keeping a note of water intake. If you measure everything you put in his bowl, then at the end of the day total it up, minus any that still remains and keep a record for a few days that will tell you if its excessive amounts or give you an idea.

Textbook normal reference range for dogs is about 20/70ml per Kg Body weight per day. Obviously your going to get some variation as regards individuals, what food they eat (kibble/dry they usually drink more then wet food for example) and fluid lost through exercise and how hot or humid the weather is but normally text book anything over 100ml per Kg body weight per day is classed as increased or excessive.


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