What could be wrong with my dog???

[Jess in CA]

I have a 3 yr old male (n) Bichon that I got from a rescue. He's a darling, wonderful boy, healthy, loving and well-behaved!

Just about every other day, the weirdest thing will happen. He'll be lying down on the chair next to me, or in the bed with me, or sometimes sitting, and all of a sudden, he'll kinda jump up as if something had poked him! It rarely happens when we're walking or playing or when I'm petting him.

He doesn't seem to "focus" on any area of his body when this happens (unlike our lab mix when she passes gas--it's a *surprise* to her and she focuses immediately on the area where the gas passed because that's where the noise and vibration came from).

Any ideas or suggestions? Has anyone ever had this happen with their dog?

Thanks!
Jess

[davet]

quick questrion.does thi happen at the same time of day or there is no patern??

[Jess in CA]

No pattern whatsoever.

[Traci]

Does he have fleas or mites?

Is there outside noises that are contributing?

[Jess in CA]

No fleas, no mites, no skin problems, no ear problems, no eye or teeth problems, no knee, joint, spine or other problems...just the "leaping lizards" jump-up as if poked! Not connected to any time of day, not connected to any environmental noises either inside or outside. Most likely NOT a dog whistle that only dogs can hear because then the other two dogs would start howling or something if it was that kind of noise.

I'm baffled.

[k9Karen]

I also suspect a noise of some kind that you can't hear. Maybe a dog barking in the distance? Could be almost anything, but most dogs have very acute hearing, and that would be my best guess.

[davet]

eloiminating all the external sources it could very possibley be a vertebra being a little collapsed or impinged any only hurts with some particular tiny movement...if so it would show up on an x-ray

[Ash]

My first hunch was trapped gas.

[k9Karen]

Another thought. Any chance you have 'critters' in or around the house?

We used to have mice get into the house when we lived in sugar cane country. Our sheltie, Leah, would react similarly if she heard the mice. Sometimes I could hear them too, sometimes I couldn't. Angel used to react that way to bird noises, but as she's aged, she's mellowed a bit and now only gets annoyed when she actually sees the bird. For some reason, she really hates birds.

[Jess in CA]

Thanks for all the input! I guess I should stop worrying. )
Jess