Puppy & Dog Cramps

A cramp, as most of you know, is a painful and involuntary muscular contraction. It happens to you, and it also happens to dogs. Dogs can also get abdominal spasms or stomach cramps. These can be as a result of an effort, cold, fatigue, circulatory deficiency in one of his extremities, or temporal lack of oxygen in the muscles. In minor cases, the animal drags his hind legs and bends them. In serious cases, he might collapse and struggle on the floor. Race dogs are very prone to suffering these cramps. With the help of massages and rest, the animal can recompose within 15 to 20 minutes. If he's on the ground, it also helps to help him stand up and encourage him to walk. That way, the circulation reacts faster. The " Scottish Cramp", apparently limited to Scottish Terriers, manifests itself for the first time when the puppy is around four to eight months old. There are certain cramps that occur after exercise. In minor cases, the animal shows certain difficulty, by extreme cases, a 100 m run can make him collapse. Minor attacks usually get worse, reaching its peak around when the puppy is 12 to 15 months old. Animals that suffer from cramps should be under veterinarian treatment.