Spasm of the Rear Legs in Dogs

Spasm of the rear legs as a behavior is uncontrollable, but can be exacerbated by sensory stimuli (neurological syndrome). The hyperactive reflexes lead to progressive muscle wasting in the rear legs, and eventually affect your dog’s ability to control movement in the rear legs. This condition is rare and affects the Doberman Pinscher breed more commonly. It is often referred to as Dancing Doberman Disease, or DDD. Onset can occur from six months to seven years of age, with no preference between sexes.

This type of spasm is different from that caused by arthritis, nerurologic or muscular diseases, or other systemic diseases.  These conditions would need to be diagnosed by your veterinarian to be sure the correct problem is being treated.  

At the onset, a dog may hold one leg up, bent, while standing. Progression to the second limb can take several months, and once it has, the dog will alternate legs, hopping in a movement that can make him look like he is dancing. In further advanced cases, muscle wasting and atrophy will set in (likely on the leg used less often for standing), and affected dogs can begin to lose control over the muscle movement in the affected legs.

There is no known cause for Dancing Doberman Disease, although it is believed to be the result of an inherited recessive trait.

Alternative causes for rear leg spasms are:

• Lumbosacral stenosis (the narrowing of the end of the spinal canal)
• Lumbosacral disc disease
• Spinal arthritis
• Spinal tumors
• Epileptic seizures
• Degenerative myelopathy
• Canine stress syndrome
• Hypoglycemia
• Distemper
• Brain tumors and encephalitis
• Swelling of the brain

Your pet’s breed will go a long way in determining if your dog’s rear leg spasms are the result of Dancing Doberman Disease or another possible condition. Also, the presence of severe discomfort or pain will point away from DDD, as it does not seem to cause pain. Additionally, a complete blood count, blood chemistry profile, and urinalysis will likely be recommended to rule out other causes.  If your dog has DDD, those tests should all yield normal results. If you have a Doberman with the symptoms, your veterinarian may conduct an electromyography, a test that records electrical currents in your dog’s muscles and examines uncontrolled muscle and nerve behavior. Motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity will be measured either by your veterinarian or a nerve specialist, in order to determine how far the disease has progressed. If caught later in the progression of the disease, a biopsy of the muscles behind your dog’s  knees may be examined in order to detect muscle disease and nerve loss.

There is no treatment for Dancing Doberman Disease to control the symptoms or affect its progression.

Despite the fact that DDD cannot be treated, most affected dogs can live happily with the disease for many years. Your dog will likely be able to remain active; however, over the years may increasingly prefer to sit or lie down between activity rather than stand.