what's wrong with my dad's dog?

Is it possible for your Dad or you to get video of one of the episodes?  That could be very helpful toward a diagnosis. If possible he could take the dog to an internal specialist or vet school for a full exam, with blood work.  Some conditons are hard to diagnose but I'd pursue it, if it were my dog. I won't speculate on what might be going on, since I'm not a vet, but it doesn't sound normal. 

ETA It's also helpful (for the vet) to get your Dad to write down the time of each episode and how long they last and what the dog was doing prior to each episode and his behavior afterwards.   

I agree with Jackie 100% -- the two things that spring to my mind are thyroid and high blood pressure (yes dogs CAN have high blood pressure).  Particularly the bulgy eyes.

Not all vets have a blood pressure cuff for dogs - you'd think they would, but usually not.  You could call around and find a vet that DOES have one and see if that vet would examine the dog (honestly another opinion may not be a bad idea).

Bloodwork too -- and man, I'd have a full panel done.

That's not an "old" dog for a malti-poo -- often vets, because they try to 'know' their clients' may not suggest a test thinking it will be declined.  And sometimes giving a push in that direction may be helpful to all.  Would your Dad allow you to go WITH him on the visit? 

 Getting a video would surely be a good thing.

Thank you both for your input.  I agree that 10 is not at all old for a dog his size.  It is for my Lab and my Sheltie but not a little guy like him! 

I have considered thyroid but haven't thought of high blood pressure. I will check into the blood pressure thing. I think there's definitely a lack of oxygen because of the blue tongue and labored breathing.  With his weight problem, I keep leaning towards cardiac issue but I haven't ruled out neurological.  He has had seizure like symptoms before when he was younger.  He was examined by the vet but I think they just decided it was a fluke.

I also haven't thought of videoing.  That's a good idea.  I witnessed an episode myself yesterday and it lasted a least 2 hours.  Once it had passed, he was resting comfortably like nothing had happened.  My dad's retired veterinarian friend also witnessed an episode.  He was very concerned and offered to take the dog to the vet himself but then the episode passed and the dog was once again back to normal.  He told my dad to keep a close an eye on him and take him if it happened again.  Well, it's happened again...and again!

So I'm just researching to see what I can find out from other people who may have had a dog with a similar experience.  I would like to go to the vet with him with some idea what questions to ask to get them to look a little further into the situation. I'm sure they are holding back a little because they know my dad, like a lot of seniors, is on a very tight budget but I think a full blood panel is a must and a good starting point.

If it's petit mal or "pre-seizure" stuff, you honestly don't want the vet to go in and slap him on pheno or KBr.(potassium bromide).  Even at the U of FL they say flatly in several seminars I've been to that if herbs will do the job DO NOT put them on the drugs.

The other thing -- if they even think he **might** have seizure issues I would *not* give him Trifexas.  Trifexas is milbemycin, which is great.  But the flea component is spinosad (it's the drug that is in Comfortis).  The way it works to kill pests is it causes the flea to have seizures until it disrupts it's nervous system so much it dies.  It's quite safe for many dogs, but they DO say in their literature not to use it in dogs that have seizures. 

I would suggest your Dad re-evaluate that -- and you might compare when he's given the Trifexas with when the spells are the worst (altho that drug stays in their body for an entire month).