Any ideas please?

Just been round the block with Ollie and we met our dog walking friend who is also a groomer and rescue co-ordinator and keeps mini Schnauzers.

Ollie loves Natalie and Natalie loves Ollie and she noticed the stop on his head was very large which I had noticed recently too and have noticed it is getting more pronounced she did tell me the name for this but I have forgotten in the 5 minutes it has taken too get home.

She says it feels like muscle wastage this can happen too Schnauzers too she asked me how his back legs were and I said if anything although sometimes hard too notice because of all his fur they do look thinner than they should be as he should have sturdy back legs.

Googled couldn't find much I Know it is called muscle atrophy but there is only stuff about his hind quarters not his head area. He is back too the see the vet in 3 weeks so I will mention it too him when we go back.

Thanks for any ideas or any experiences.

I've never heard of it Lynn, but I hope he will be ok xx

Thanks Sheree. Spent the afternoon googling probably not a good idea and not sure if this is what he could have but there is something called masticatory myositis it is something to do with the jaw bone and auto immune problems or ear infection. Apparently loss of muscle is called atrophy there are so many different types and he probably hasn't any of them hopefully he doesn't seem too fit the symptoms.

I will speak too the vet about it when we next go and see what he says but I really do not want too go down the road of sedation or GA for any and every little thing not if he is happy and enjoying life.

I know the stop on his head is larger if it due to muscle wastage or not I am not sure time will tell apparently it is manageable with medication.

I shall get him through this first hurdle of possible testing for hyperthyroidism before thinking about anything else and testing.

Hi Lynn

I think it is wise to get a proper diagnosis befoe you start worrying too much. The most likely cause of a pronounced occiput or stop is an injury. Our Blodwen clocked her occiput when she was about 10 months old and it seemed to grow and grow until it eventually subsided to normal several months later.

I have a dog with extra-ocular(masticatory) myositis and the muscles that atrophy are only those that operate the eyes and jaw. She was treated for this over four years ago and there has been no recurrence(touch wood)

There is also a general muscle myositis- polymyositis - which is a wastage of muscles like the thigh/second thigh and there has been an article in one of the dog magazines about 3 years ago where they believed it was occurring in Viszlas - which of course I cant find right now.

These are all treatable auto-immune illnesses, but not curable. My bitch can still open her mouth wide enough to snaffle a whole chicken !

So please speak to your vet.

Thalice's Mum

Thank you for all that useful information. I know he hasn't done any damage. I am going too speak too the vet when we see him in 3 weeks but at the moment we are looking into his unpredictable behaviour and his weight gain which he thinks could be hyperthyroidism and he will have too be sedated for these procedures and his possible leg manipulation not sure when he will do these as this is a new vet at a new practice as we really found CC were really not interested in Ollie because of his unpredictable behaviour and did not put themselves out too make any suggestions too help him.

I don't want too pile the stress on with too many things being investigated at once. I would like Ollie too get the know this vet and possibly learn too trust him.

Nothing wrong with his jaws at the moment he can open them really wide too when he finds something out that is tasty and can clamp them really tight when he wants too as well. But yes I will have a chat too him about it.

I'm sorry I cant offer any help, but just send some hugs for you all

xxx

Awww thank you.

Aww Lynn, I think you are wise to wait and see what the vet has to say as you may just worry yourself sick reading up off the net.

Just want to send you my love and support. XX