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My 8-year-old Mini Schnauzer walks slow, won't jump, and twitches.

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Miniature Schnauzer | Male | unneutered | 8 years and 1 month old | 14 lbs

my 8 year old intact male mini Schnauzer has been walking slow and reluctant to jump up or down onto or from the couch or bed the last day and a half. he's always very eager to go on long walks but that hasn't been the case. he can pee and poop normally. this morning I noticed that the area below his butt and his butt were twitching or contracting. He didn't seem to be sexually excited. he has had his prostate checked in the last year and it is enlarged. never had joint problems.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 15th, 2018

Hi there. Thanks for using PetCoach. It sounds like his enlarged prostate may be causing him some discomfort. It is good that he is having no issues defecating. The other option is that he has some spinal arthritis near his pelvis that is causing his reluctance to jump or possibly a strain/sprain of one of his back muscles. I recommend you get him to your vet for an exam and possibly some x-rays to check his spine/hips and prostate. If you wanted to do something at home you can try using a joint supplement to see if that helps. It may takes weeks though before you notice a big improvement. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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    Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 15th, 2018

    Poor guy. These symptoms aren’t very specific for one disease process or another but there may be some underlying arthritis going on causing general joint pain. Also the prostate is internal so you can’t see it from the outside; however you may be talking about his testicles, which I can see there in the picture. If he was sexually excited then his bulbourethral gland (just behind his penis) can enlarge and cause everything to twitch, including his testicles I would assume. You can try giving him some joint supplement such as Dasuquin or Cosequin over the counter for the next few weeks to see if this makes a difference. However, if his condition doesn’t improve or worsens, it’s best to get Gizmo examined by your vet. The vet should do a rectal exam also since he is intact, just to make sure his prostate is normal size. It is common for small breed intact males to have an enlarged prostate, which can cause difficulty pooping and sometimes overall lethargy and illness. I hope this was helpful and best wishes moving forward with Gizmo. Take care.

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