I have a 16 week old puppy that i recently rehomed from a stray i'm unsure of the breed but looks like a doberman cross dachshund (dont know if it is that is the breed), I wasnt really aware of the term lockjaw when i looked up further i found it is a symptom of tetanus. when taking the new pup on a walk she plays with her ball and her mouth seems to lock around the ball, she paws at her mouth as if uncomfortable and my boyfriend manages to get the ball out of her mouth but then her mouth stays in the same locked position. I am aware that dogs do not have the ability to lock their jaws…but what is my pup doing??? her mouth returns to normal after a short while so do think it is tetanus as she seems well otherwise and has been checked over by a vet only recently. My boyfriend is convinced that all SBT, APBT etc lock their jaws i explained that they just use their strength, but he says the same thing happens they bite onto a stick and even when removed cannot move their jaws.. has anyone any answers as to what it is and hy it happens!!

I say it's something for the vet to look at.

For the record, APBT do NOT have "locking jaws." The only reason they bite and don't let go is because that is what they where bred to do – be tenacious, stubborn, and strong. TO please their masters. Back in the day when they where used for dog fighting and bull baiting, letting go meant sure death.

If your dog's jaw gets "stuck" in any position it is a question to ask the vet. Period.

thats a common feature that dobermans have, being able to lock their jaw around something and not letting go. it sounds like ur puppy just isnt used to it yet. a doberman i know does the same thing but as he got older he was able to unlock his jaw faster. i think ur puppy will grow into the ability to unlock her jaw again, but if you really think its something more serious than take her to a vet so she can get checked out

VETS are urging dog owners to vaccinate their pets after a surge in cases of parvovirus across the north.

Clinics at Elizabeth, Paralowie and Smithfield said cases of the potentially deadly disease had risen sharply in the past six weeks.

Dr Michelle Starr, of the Smithfield Veterinary Clinic, said the virus was generally more prevalent in summer, perhaps because more people were out and about with their dogs.

Dr Gary Stevens, of the Elizabeth Park Veterinary Clinic, said the clinic was diagnosing three or four dogs a day with the virus, compared with the usual one dog every two to three weeks.

Parvovirus is a potentially deadly virus that attacks a dog’s stomach and intestines. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy and loss of appetite.

The highly contagious virus can live outside the body for up to three years and is passed on by a dog’s hair, paws and faeces.

“Even dog owners can transmit the virus by stepping on the pawprint of an infected dog,” Dr Stevens said.

“the bottom line is you have to vaccinate your dogs. if you don’t, it is a significant risk.”

Puppies should be vaccinated at six to 14 weeks and then again each year.

Up to 300 dogs died in the northern suburbs in 2005, the last time there was a major outbreak of the virus.