Hi

Our 2 year old Miniature Schnauzer, normally a very healthy chap, is suddenly displaying odd symptoms.  I have 2 other dogs and they all sleep happily together each night in the kitchen without a murmur.  Otto the schnauzer who is two always sleeps like a log.  However last night he was barking and whining all night so we took him upstairs into our room so as not to upset the other two (one is 17).  However the problem whatever it is seems to be making him very twitchy so that he has become very jumpy today.  On my lap tonight now and again he is giving a huge sort of twitch.  He is up to date with flea treatment and obviously vaccinations and has never had a moment's ill health.  He keeps sniffing the kitchen floor (I do have two young cats) which I have washed and he has had a bath tonight.  He still seems very on edge and jumpy.

I have no idea what the problem is - wondered if anyone else can help?  My husband did fertilise the lawn the other day - could it be something to do with that?  Otto is eating and drinking and pooing normally.  Obviously if it persists I will take him to the vets but normally one would have some idea as to what the problem could be!

Thanks for reading this folks.
Snowflakex

Could he have knocked something out of place, like having a trapped nerve, so a chiro or physio could help with that?

> My husband did fertilise the lawn the other day - could it be something to do with that?

Have you checked the package?

Give a quarter of a anti-histamine and keep him off the lawn for at least 48 hours and only let dogs back on if the fertiliser has been well watered in.  Horrid stuff, I keep mine off for a least a week and water in well.  One of mine suddenly started being very jumpy and chewed his paws a couple of hours after walking on a grass verge which I suspect (after the event) had been treated with something.  Two foot baths later and the anti-histamine sorted it.

Careful.giving antihistamines  unless the vet advised or you know which are safe. Loratadine is not for example .all need to be tailored to dogs body weight . Pirton is the only licensed one for dogs although others are ok if u know which
Personally I would have a vet check if he still behaving differently before giving anything

Always and only piriton for dogs.

You say he was distressed in the kitchen during the night and has since been sniffing the kitchen floor. Is your floor solid or floor boards with a space underneath? Could a rodent have got in there? I had a rat under my floor boards once and my dogs could smell it. They had their noses to the floor as they followed its route across the room.

Nettles? They are evil this time of year. None of my labs are too bothered, but i have a spainel who goes nuts. Can't settle, digging etc. 1/2 a piriton works wonders if it is nettles.

Yes Gundogs, I forgot about that and is it called cow parsley, that is a devil at this time of year for stinging.

Thanks for your replies which were very helpful.  We think it was definitely the lawn fertiliser as others  suggested.  The other two dogs seemed fine but Otto has big hairy feet of course.  We feel bad for not realising that we should have kept them off the grass for a few days.  However Otto after bathing was absolutely fine and is back to snoring peacefully again all night!!


Yes Gundogs, I forgot about that and is it called cow parsley, that is a devil at this time of year for stinging.

WHere are you Whatevernext? Here cowparsely is something very different to nettles.

> cow parsley, that is a devil at this time of year for stinging

Cow Parsley certainly doesn't not sting. Nettles(stingers) does however ;)

Hog weed which looks similar is the nasty one

Lol, cow parsnip maybe... oh I can't remember now but something is toxic somewhere and it has cow in the name.

Cow parsley looks a lot like hemlock which is toxic.