{"id":4065,"date":"2014-06-23T06:54:02","date_gmt":"2014-06-22T20:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leemakennels.com\/blog\/?p=4065"},"modified":"2021-08-02T17:47:00","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T07:17:00","slug":"scottie-cramp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/leemakennels.com\/blog\/dog-biology\/dog-health\/scottie-cramp\/","title":{"rendered":"Scottie Cramp"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ResearchBlogging.org\"<\/a><\/span>While reading up on CECS in border terriers<\/a>, I happened upon a condition called ‘Scottie Cramp’. I was keen to learn more, and found the article “Hyperkinetic episodes in Scottish Terrier dogs”<\/a>\u00a0(and, more importantly, the reproduction of its text on the Scottish Terrier Club of America website<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"Scottish

Scottish terriers. Photo courtesy of Argowan Scottish Terriers. (Photo for illustration purposes – these dogs do NOT have scottie cramp.)<\/p><\/div>\n

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What is ‘Scottie Cramp?’<\/strong><\/p>\n

‘Scottie Cramp’ is the popular term for hyperkinetic episodes in scottish terriers. This is a central nervous system problem that causes the hindlegs of effected Scottish Terriers to ‘cramp up’ so they kind of ‘skip’ with their hindquarters.<\/p>\n

This condition is often brought on by excitement or exercise, and gets worse as exercise progresses. Generally a walk of 90m-600m was enough to bring about symptoms in affected dogs in this study. (However, there was one badly effected dogs who displayed symptoms after 10m.)<\/p>\n

Usually a dog will exhibit symptoms before 18 months of age, and this condition does not seem to affect the dog’s lifespan.<\/p>\n

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What does it look like?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The paper does a pretty good job of describing this disorder. So here’s what they say with some added emphasis from me:<\/p>\n

During exercise, the onset of a hyperkinetic episode was usually indicated by<\/u> a slight abduction of the front legs, resulting in an arclike motion of the limbs while extending<\/u>.\u00a0 The back then became arched in the lumbar region, and the hind legs were quickly over\u00adflexed and then swiftly returned to the ground.\u00a0 This motion has been appropriately described as a “stringhalt” gait.<\/p>\n

The front legs became increasingly stiff<\/u>, and while walking were quickly ex\u00adtended then flexed. In rare cases where the back was not arched, the dog walked with a “goose step” gait. Forward movement was usually hindered, and in severe cases was completely absent, resulting in the dog walking in place.<\/u> Facial muscles did not ap\u00adpear to be affected at this time…<\/p>\n

Occasionally, when the younger dogs were running, the hindquarters would suddenly and strongly become elevated, often to such a degree that the dog somersaulted.<\/u> If the inducing stimulus was continued, the hind legs became increasingly resistant to flexion, which finally resulted in a pillarlike stance, with the dog unable to walk. If the dog fell down, it would curl into a ball with its head, limbs, and tail tucked in; breathing would ap\u00adpear to cease. The severe seizure would last approximately 15 seconds, after which the dog appeared relaxed and panting.<\/u> During or just preceding a severe episode, the facial muscles were often affected, and the dog was unable to open its jaws.<\/p>\n

None of the dogs lost consciousness during an episode, nor did they appear to be in pain.<\/u> A short period of rest would alleviate the hyper\u00adkinetic episode in most dogs, but the signs would quickly reappear if the inducing factors were not eliminated.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here’s a video showing a scottie with this cramping disorder, and a ‘normal’ scottie:<\/p>\n