Dog Community

Seizures

Posted : 6/19/2006 11:04:21 AM

HI..can someone please give me more info about dog seizures? My (aprox) 4 yr old rescue chihuahua had one last winter and the second time (that I've witnessed)..just yesterday, when we were out for a walk. It is so heartbreaking to witness this...she's such a gentle, sweet little dog. This second one lasted maybe 3-4 minutes (longer than the one in the winter). I really didn't know if I should carry her home or not (I was right around the corner from home)..but it was hot out and I just wanted her inside. (I later wondered if the heat could have brought it on? During the walk though, I stuck to the shady side of the street and we just went around the block and she seemed alright)....

She was totally fine afterwards (I was a different story!). I did ask my vet about it the first time and he said it's hard to pinpoint the cause w/out a battery of tests. He suggested we keep an eye on it, because there's a chance it might never happen again.

Just looking for anyone with more insight/experiences with this. Is there any medication I could have on standby? When should I get tests done, if any? Can my little girl live a full life? It breaks my heart, even though she is fine afterwards and it's likely she just 'blacks out' during the seizure.

Thanks!!

forpaws

Posted : 6/19/2006 11:12:21 AM

What a sweet face... I would take her to the vet and have an exam done on her. They can place her on medication to control the seizures. It is hard to figure out what brings it on cause it can be anything that triggers the seizure, stress, startled, etc....

The only thing you can do is hold her when she is having one until she comes out of it. My little Ziggy used to have them a lot. Breaks your heart. The only thing I could do was talk to him while he was having one and time the seizure, record it and report it to the vet. Eventually he was placed on Phenabarbitol. After he was done seizing, I could just hold him and talk to him softly until he got orientated again.

Work with your vet to figure out what would be the best course of action for your fur baby.

tashakota

Posted : 6/19/2006 11:22:36 AM

I second Forpaws. I had to put Kota on Pheno this past spring because he had 2 in a week. He'd been having them on and off for a couple years. If they're far apart, you can just record the time, duration, surrounding circumstances, and what your dog did during the seizure. My dog would shake and not be able to walk, he would flop over but still try to move. We'd hold him still and pet and talk soothing to him during. He hasn't had any since he started Pheno so we're hopeful he'll never have another. I cry every time it happens too.

agilebasenji

Posted : 6/19/2006 6:06:02 PM

Make sure you get a complete thyroid pannel.

You also may want to research hypoglycemia (that can't be the right spelling, but I've tried it 4 different ways and nothing looked right). Toy dogs are especially prone to this. In order to reduce it, make sure you feed 2 or more feedings a day.

I know of some people who have reduced seizures by doing home cooked or raw or grain-free diet. (Your vet may or may not know about this.) Usually vets won't perscribe meds unless the dog is having the siezures frequently, and, personally, I wouldn't want my dog on the meds for seizures 2 times a year.

Here's some links to get you started. Also keep a seizure jounal. Record what you did the day it happened - include things that involve chemicals (cleaning carpet, changing detergent, waxing the floor, pesticides, etc) and lack of eating.

[linkhttp://www.canine-epilepsy.com/index.html]http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/index.html[/link]

[linkhttp://dogtorj.tripod.com/id5.html]http://dogtorj.tripod.com/id5.html[/link]

[linkhttp://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/site_map.htm]http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/site_map.htm[/link]

[linkhttp://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_seizure_disorder.html]http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_seizure_disorder.html[/link]

[linkhttp://internet.cybermesa.com/~dalcrazy/Emma.html]http://internet.cybermesa.com/~dalcrazy/Emma.html[/link]

sandra_slayton

Posted : 6/19/2006 6:41:51 PM

All I can do is wish you luck. the one time I thought my golden girl, KayCee was having a siezure, it turned out to be a vertigo episode caused by inner infection. It was terrifying to me and I rushed her to the vet, still in my night shirt with an old muumuu (sleeveless hawaiin dress) thrown on, no make up, hair in very direction, tears streaming. They were more worried about me than about her! I know how you feel.

noblewoman

Posted : 6/19/2006 7:44:04 PM

My beagle mix Murphy has seizures and is on PB.
It's a really low dose, and he still has a seizure about every 4 or 5 months despite being on the PB. He just sort of flops over, and he struggles to get up, and usually he pee's, poops, and vomits all within the space of about five minutes. Last summer he had a seizure during one of our walks, and I had to carry him the 4 blocks home. Not an easy feat with a 30 pound dog and the temperature was in the 80's [8D] Now I always carry my cell phone on walks.....