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Other symptoms of SM??????

jld

Well-known member
Ok, I am now joining the group who is concerned about SM symptoms. Dixie has been doing some things that I haven't seen others mention, at least while I have been reading these posts. When she wakes up in the morning she yawns about 4 or 5 times in a row. She will also yawn when I scratch her around the neck. She scratches, but not excessively problably about 5 seconds and on either side a few times a day. When she is has on her harness, on a walk, she does not scratch or bunny-hop, but she does shake her body every now and then throughout the walk. I have also heard her swallowing or licking her lips during the night. She is still playful, has never yelped when picked up or touched. So....have others who have dogs with SM, or suspected SM had these symptoms? Should I consider an MRI, or take her to a specialist with these symptoms? It just seems like so many of us on this board have cavaliers recently diagnosed with SM. I don't want to overlook anything. Thank you in advance for any info. Judy and Dixie
 
Those sound pretty normal behaviours. Shaking off when on a walk is just a relaxation technique -- Lucy does this all the time and she scanned clear. I'd have her ears checked for the scratching -- but 5 seconds isn;t that long. Watch the videos I have on www.sm.cavalier.com -- SM scratching tends to eventually become pretty obvious -- to go on for 30 seconds or longer nd you can;t distract the dog away from doing it. Yawning may well be any number of things -- Jaspar has a good scan and he yawns all the time but had PSOM.

I'd want to see a lot more going on before I'd be concerned that these are SM symptoms. (y) The first step at any rate would never be to go straight for an MRI -- you'd want to have a vet check for other causes and to gauge if any of these things are a cause for worry. If you feel your vet isn;t familiar enough with Sm then you might ask for a referral to a neurologist for a clinical exam (not initially an MRI). But again -- I wouldn't be doing that on the basis of what you are describing.
 
phew, am i releived you said that karlin, harley does most of this too and excess drooling is anyone elses dog soaked with dribble after a walk. di
 
Harleyfarley, my dog drools a lot if we go to the park, I think it is from excitement, I said it to my vet and he wasn't at all concerned. I think it is just one of those things. I didn't expect to see this in a Cav, thought it was only the bigger dogs that slobbered :rolleyes:
 
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Drooling, ewwwwww and then they shake when they get in the car, i must remember to put a towel in my glove compartment, glad hes not the only one. di
 
Yes, I have looked at several SM sites and looked at all the symptoms. That is why I was a little concerned as I read on one of them that yawning may be a sign of trying to relieve pressure and I had also heard that licking their lips and swallowing is a soothing technique, so that is what started the red flags. But, I also have read that those could be symptoms of PSOM. I am so glad to hear that body shaking may be a form of relaxation. I did mention these things to my vet, and he gave me the name of a neurologist if I wanted to go that route. I think I will give her a call, and just ease my mind. Thank you for all your responses. Judy
 
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