Can Dogs Have Turrets (Tourette’s)?

Dogs can have many of the same diseases as humans, including diabetes, heart diseases and neurological problems. Can dogs have turrets syndrome as well? Let us find out!

It is highly unlikely for dogs to have Turrets syndrome. 

Tourette’s syndrome is a condition in which repetitive body movements can be seen in a person. Another common symptom is that the person affected by it will also start making unnecessary sounds.

If you have this syndrome you might blink your eyes rapidly, can shrug your shoulder, or can also make undesirable sounds from your mouth.

Can Dogs Have Turrets

On the other hand, dogs can have tics. Tic is an involuntary body movement in which the dogs produce sudden sounds. They twitch their body or move a part of the body over which they have no control. 

What are Tics?

If your dog has this syndrome it might blink eyes rapidly, can shrug the shoulder, or can also make undesirable sounds from the mouth. 

All these unwanted movements are known as tics, and usually, the affected dog will start showing symptoms of Tics syndrome from an early age. These symptoms are very similar to the humans affected by Tourette’s syndrome (TS) but not as complex as TS.

Male dogs are more likely to get affected by this condition than females. There is no permanent cure for tics, whether the patient is a dog or a human being but with time its symptoms fade away. 

Depending on the severity of the syndrome, you need to take your dog to the veterinary clinic for treatment. With proper treatment, the number of tics can be reduced. 

Symptoms of Tics Syndrome

Tics are the primary symptom of Tourette’s syndrome. As mentioned earlier, tics are sudden body movements and sounds that usually last for a short period. The severity can range from mild to extreme.

Can Dogs Have Turrets

When it becomes severe, it will affect your dog’s behavior and daily communication. The tics can be broadly divided into two categories, and they are

  • Simple Tics: Only a few muscles are involved in this type of tic, usually short-lasting. Simple tics happen suddenly and mainly occur repetitively. 
  • Complex Tics: On the other hand, complex tics occur when several muscles move-in coordination. 

The frequency of these tics may vary, and this solely depends on the severity of the syndrome in the dog’s body.

The condition may worsen if your dog is going through stressful situations, getting anxious, and in case of excitement. It has also been seen that the symptoms of tics can also occur during your dog’s sleep time. 

Can Dogs Suffer From ADHD?

Just like humans, dogs can display signs of ADHD. Some dogs are more inattentive, impulsive, and hyperactive. All these are traits of ADHD in dogs. However, what leads to ADHD in dogs is still unknown but a recent study proves that it is mainly due to environmental factors. 

The study also proves that sex and age play a massive role in it. Small puppies show more signs of ADHD than adults and more males than females.  The dog’s breed is also one of the factors behind this disorder in dogs.

Some breeds like Border Collies and German Shepherds are found to be more hyperactive, impulsive, and inattentive than other breeds of dogs. 

Can Dogs Have Turrets

It is also a fact that dogs who spend most of the time being all alone or do no-to-minimum physical activities exhibit ADHD-like behavior. 

If your down is exhibiting ADHD-like symptoms you will have to take extra care of your dog. Take your dog for outdoor activities and encourage it to socialize with other dogs. You can also spend some time with your dog at home to give it some company. 

This will certainly improve its mental health. However, if you see that nothing is working you can take it to the vet for further diagnosis and medications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my dog keep twitching?

It could be due to neurological damage, physical injuries, dehydration or even hypoglycemia.

Twitching is nothing but trembling movement in your dog’s body, which is involuntary. Various reasons can cause twitching in your dog. The possible reasons are: 

Neurological damage: Both central and peripheral nervous systems can get damaged. Any type of neurological damage and neurological disorders which are caused due to trauma may cause twitching to your dog. 

Dehydration: Twitching or spasms can also occur when your dog gets dehydrated after running and playing during summer. 

Physical injury: A strained muscle or damage to the muscle can result in twitching as this type of injury is capable of causing neurological damage. 

Hypoglycemia: When the blood sugar level drops in your dog’s body, it is known as hypoglycemia, which causes endocrine or hepatic disorders. Twitching is a symptom that might develop in the case of dogs suffering from hypoglycemia.

Can dogs have a nervous tic?

Yes, just like humans, dogs can also suffer from nervous tics. Mostly tics can occur in a dog’s body if it is suffering from muscle or nerve damage. 

What are the symptoms of anxiety in dogs?

Any behavior changes such as excessive barking, howling, panting, running away etc. should be a warning sign for anxiety.

You, as an owner, need to take care of your dog’s mental health. But if you are wondering how you are going to know whether your dog is anxious or not, well, you should look for the following symptoms in your dog,
Barking or howling when you will not be close to it.
Panting during not-so-hot and humid weather. 
Shivering.
Running away from you and even hiding when you are around.
Digging on the ground.
Destruction of objects around it.
Causing self-harm.

Is my dog having seizures or muscle spasms?

Seizures last longer and may also bring vomiting with them.

There is a difference between muscle spasms and seizures. Seizures usually last longer than muscle spasms. In case of seizures, your dog will also start vomiting, which is not seen in muscle spasms.

Final Words

As we have reached the end of this article, we hope that you have found the answer to your question. If your dog is suffering from Tics syndrome, then there is nothing that you can do about it, as there is no treatment available for this condition. 

It will, however, fade away with time. But you can take your dog to the nearest veterinary clinic to prevent the condition from getting severe. Thank you for reading this article, we hope it would have helped you in deciding your course of action in case your dog shows symptoms of tic.

You might also like to read: How To Wean A Dog Off Prozac.