Hi

As above, I've noticed some very unusual symptoms in my Shih Tzu (he's 12). He gets attacks of shivering chest along with a stiff neck. It first started yesterday morning. I took him out to the toilet and when he came in his chest was shivering a lot and his neck was stiff. It felt like his chest was pounding it was shivering so much. His nose was very cold, so I put him on my knee and put the heater on beside him. He still shivered for a long time even though he didn't feel cold. Then the symptoms went away. But as he has a heart murmur I took him to the vet, but the vet said his heart is not the cause. His murmur is still at the lowest stage, and he has not had any other symptoms. The vet checked his heart and lungs, and said just to keep watch, and that it could have been a muscle spasm.

He was fine again til this morning, when he was on the way to the toilet. He walked very slowly, and seemed not to feel up to actually going out. Once faced with the doorstep he stopped and I had to lift him down. Then he was happy to go on about his business. He was a bit slow in getting back up the step. I went to take his collar off and he yelped. His chest was shivering too. Again the shivering went on for quite a while before it eased, and his neck was very stiff.

Any ideas? I'm taking my puppy to the vet tomorrow, so I'll be giving this a mention to the vet, but I thought I'd see if anyone else had come across similar.

To me it sounds like there is a problem with his neck, like with a disc. The shivering could very well be pain and this is what one of my Papillons did when he had disc problems.

Thanks very much. He has been playing with our puppy, including jumping up on his hid legs to reach the big tall pup. The pup's a Japanese Spitz (8 months old) and twice the height of the Shih tzu.

How did your papillion get on? Did it recover? What sort of treatment do they give for that sort of thing? Thanks again :)

sounds like pain to me, his neck muscles may be going into spasm to protect the neck injury, dogs are stoic when it comes to vets picking up on pain

Yes I think it must be coming from his spine/neck, with him being a short legged and long backed breed. I was reading that Shih Tzus are prone to that sort of thing. Wouldn't have been helped by all his playing, looks like he'll have to take it easy for a while. I was reading

http://www.willows.uk.net/specialist-services/pet-health-information/veterinary-neurology/cervical-disc-disease
and
http://www.veterinary-neurologist.co.uk/spinal_surgery.htm

you need to put him on crate rest till you get him back to the vets for pain meds and anti inflammatories

It could be Steroid Responsive Meningitis....has he a temp ?   Most important to check this....if he has then its Vets ASAP, dont just assume its a muscle or joint thing, it may be something more serious

How did your papillion get on? Did it recover? What sort of treatment do they give for that sort of thing?

Touchwood, at the moment he's okay -he just has to be careful to not overdo things. And no collar for walks, he uses a harness now. He was given various medications and strict cage rest and although it did come back again, it's now been a few months since it happened the second time and he's not doing badly. I definitely recognise the stiff legged walk etc, and what you said about not liking to be touched around the neck really does make me wonder. One of the first things we noticed with Bobby (before it got worse, as then he'd scream -but he is a wuss!) was that he didn't want to bend his head down to eat.

Thanks all for your replies :)

He's been to the vet today, and the vet confirmed that its a slipped sick in his neck. He said its not too bad/advanced as he's not showing the signs of pain all the time. I think he said some dogs have the stiffness all the time. Anyway, he gave him an injection for the pain and to bring down the inflammation. I think it might have been Colvasone. He has to rest a lot now for a while.

Glad the problem was found, fingers crossed for a good recovery now. :)

He had a bit of mild shivering earlier this evening, so I kept him on my lap for a while til he dozed off, then put him in his bed. It eased off after a while. Don't know what to expect tomorrow.

Have you been given meds to maintain the pain relief, the injection will have a limited life?

No. I can see the effects of the injection wearing off as he was shivering one time today, and a bit stiff on his neck. I'll be in touch with the vets again tomorrow.

You say it was confirmed as a slipped disc.  Was your pup x-rayed to come to that diagnosis ? I know I'd want an x-ray done before accepting that diagnosis. For the vet not to give follow up analgesia would not make me happy but then I'm very sceptical of a lot of vets.

He's had the all clear now! The vet was saying he was glad he was glad he didn't need the operation at his age. Luckily rest and medication was enough :)

Brilliant! :)