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Air guitar? What is it exactly?

Blondiemonster

Well-known member
I know it's supposed to be some kind of neurophatic pain response but what do we know about air guitar?
I mean, mine will do a couple of strokes at her side while playing tug of war or in the middle of fetch and it almost
seems to go by unnoticed. (meaning she will just keep doing what she does which is usually ripping apart a stuffed animal or going crazy for me to throw it) I still don't understand what it is.... Or do we not know exactly? I know with SM everything is a guessing game...
 
I know it's supposed to be some kind of neurophatic pain response but what do we know about air guitar?
I mean, mine will do a couple of strokes at her side while playing tug of war or in the middle of fetch and it almost
seems to go by unnoticed. (meaning she will just keep doing what she does which is usually ripping apart a stuffed animal or going crazy for me to throw it) I still don't understand what it is.... Or do we not know exactly? I know with SM everything is a guessing game...

I noticed it because it was consistent and not sporadic.
 
yeah, but what I wonder is... WHAT is it exactly??? :). Let me clarify: what do they feel when they do that? Itches? Funny scratchy feelings? Pressure? Pain? Is it a reflex?
 
I copied and pasted the below quote from a veterinary surgery practice in Virginia; I found it when I googled for "phantom scratching."

I think that phantom scratching or phantom itching is a more "correct" term than air guitar and is a much better description. Air guitar is what Tom Cruise played in the movie "Risky Business"!!


"The symptoms of CM-SM are variable. The fluid build up in the
spinal cord is suspected to cause an abnormal sensation (similar
to a “pins and needles” feeling). This irritation can cause dogs
to scratch at the neck/shoulder/ear region or side of the body.
Animals often scratch at the air without making contact with the
skin (called phantom scratching). The scratching pattern may
look like they are trying to scratch their ears. CKCS are also prone
to ear problems, so the combination of signs can be confusing."

My presumption is that the feelings that cause dogs to either phantom scratch or truly scratch are variable (from mild to moderate to extreme) depending on how mildly or seriously each dog is affected individually by his SM. In other words - it is different from dog to dog.


Pat
 
I copied and pasted the below quote from a veterinary surgery practice in Virginia; I found it when I googled for "phantom scratching."

I think that phantom scratching or phantom itching is a more "correct" term than air guitar and is a much better description. Air guitar is what Tom Cruise played in the movie "Risky Business"!!


"The symptoms of CM-SM are variable. The fluid build up in the
spinal cord is suspected to cause an abnormal sensation (similar
to a “pins and needles” feeling). This irritation can cause dogs
to scratch at the neck/shoulder/ear region or side of the body.
Animals often scratch at the air without making contact with the
skin (called phantom scratching). The scratching pattern may
look like they are trying to scratch their ears. CKCS are also prone
to ear problems, so the combination of signs can be confusing."

My presumption is that the feelings that cause dogs to either phantom scratch or truly scratch are variable (from mild to moderate to extreme) depending on how mildly or seriously each dog is affected individually by his SM. In other words - it is different from dog to dog.


Pat

Thanks pat. That was really helpful. I have noticed that sometimes the phamtom scratching seems to not bother her at all (during play) and sometimes ( during the night) it seems to cause more frustration. Wha you are writing makes total sense.
 
Thanks pat. That was really helpful. I have noticed that sometimes the phamtom scratching seems to not bother her at all (during play) and sometimes ( during the night) it seems to cause more frustration. Wha you are writing makes total sense.

A similar example regarding chronic pain - I have bursitis in one hip that comes and goes. When it flares up, I often don't notice it much during the day when I'm busy and active and my mind is occupied with work. But at night when I'm trying to sleep, I REALLY notice it and it keeps me awake so that's when I'll take Naproxen for relief. I suspect that milder SM pain might be like that......but it's just a guess.

It's a really unscientific test, but I do pay attention to how my Cavaliers sleep during the night. Both of them are sound sleepers and Tucker gets into one position by my pillow and never moves - except if I turn over, he'll turn over - so we always "spoon" but take turns being spooner/spoonee. Lissie will move from on top of the covers to under the covers depending on if she is hot or cold. But a Cavalier that has trouble settling down at night to sleep I think displays potential symptoms of pain.

Pat
 
A similar example regarding chronic pain - I have bursitis in one hip that comes and goes. When it flares up, I often don't notice it much during the day when I'm busy and active and my mind is occupied with work. But at night when I'm trying to sleep, I REALLY notice it and it keeps me awake so that's when I'll take Naproxen for relief. I suspect that milder SM pain might be like that......but it's just a guess.

It's a really unscientific test, but I do pay attention to how my Cavaliers sleep during the night. Both of them are sound sleepers and Tucker gets into one position by my pillow and never moves - except if I turn over, he'll turn over - so we always "spoon" but take turns being spooner/spoonee. Lissie will move from on top of the covers to under the covers depending on if she is hot or cold. But a Cavalier that has trouble settling down at night to sleep I think displays potential symptoms of pain.

Pat


I agree. For me, it's an important tracker too. Blondie is usually a sound sleeper, and on days I notice she moves more I can tell there is a "flare up". It happens when room temperature gets too hot for instance. It's one of the thing i want to discuss with neuro on next visit.(y) One of the things with our Cavies is that they sure have their ways of letting us know.
 
I agree. Jack always is restless on the bad days and I never get a good night sleep on those nights because I am a light sleeper and also I get stressed knowing he is uncomfortable.

When Jack was MRI'd Dr. Marino compared the air scratching to how we would feel wearing a thick wool itchy sweater without an undershirt.
 
Pat- I agree. I can tell if Scarlett is having a bad night by how easily she settles down to sleep. On nights when she is having more difficulty, she will often dig at the bed like crazy and be very restless. Those are the nights when I give her half a Tramadol and she settles down. Oftentimes, it coincides with a change in the weather- she is much worse when there is a storm.

As for the air guitar-- Scarlett does that in the mornings when her meds have worn off before her morning dose has kicked in. Our poor babies.
 
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