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How much scratching is so much scratching??

Laura&Lia

Well-known member
Hi,

I'm a little bit worried about Lia. She's always scratching. Always on her left side, and sometimes she scratches the air... The vet said that is normal, but every time she's doing it more and more.

LAURA
 
Have a look at the videos on my SM site,

http://sm.cavaliertalk.com/video.html

Number 1 and 3. This will show you how many SM dogs scratch.

I would be concerned about having this checked more carefully if you are noticing air scratching and it continues which is pretty much only associated with SM and is a quite distinctive sign -- and it isn;t normal). That said many dogs will spend their entire lives doing nothing more than this type of occasional scratching and are not really bothered at all. But if things progress to where the scratching is really bothersome or other signs also show up, there are things you can do. My dog Leo, who has SM, is on gabapentin, which controls the scratching, for example. He is the dog in video clip 1.

If your vet can manage the English on these, have him read:

http://sm.cavaliertalk.com/symptoms.html
http://sm.cavaliertalk.com/infosheet.html

And, this gives treatment information:

http://sm.cavaliertalk.com/Treatment%20algorithim%20(Syringomyelia%20made%20simple).pdf

See if your vet can have a look at the SM website as ther is lots of information: http://sm.cavaliertalk.com/

Only a neurologist can diagnose syringomyelia (SM) though. Normally if a vet can find nothing else wrong to be causing the scratching amd other signs, and they keep getting worse and/or the dog starts to show pain, he will refer you to a vet neurologist.
 
First of all Lia is gorgeous!!!!!


Probably the biggest indicator or the proverbial last straw, for me was the "bunny hop" or "air scratching" when we were walking. Once I saw that I knew I needed to get an answer. Molly had never done that before. Fortunately once we switched to a harness, the scratching while outdoors has all but stopped.
 
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