OT: My dog had a Seizure tonight

[VikingGnome]

I'm so upset. I've never seen a dog have a seizure before. I was working on my computer and Carson was sleeping in his bed just a foot away from me. All of a sudden his breathing sounded really weird, sorta grunting like, almost like he couldn't catch his breath. He was jerking/shaking all over. At first I thought he was having a dream. But the rhythmic tonic-clonic muscle action was a dead giveaway. It lasted about a minute. I just sat and watched so I could describe it to the VET tomorrow. He didn't seem to be conscious during the seizure and when it was over, he just continued sleeping. Having a seizure during sleep is very typical for dogs. I'm wondering if he's had seizures before but because my CPAP and all, I didn't hear him in his crate next to my bed.

He's a 3-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I did some quick goggling and found out that certain breeds of dogs have a genetic predisposition for idiopathic epilepsy (labs and goldens, beagles, cocker and springer spaniels, and colllies). They say if the dog is between 1 and 5 years when they start having seizures, it is likely idiopathic epilepsy. But the vet will do a bunch of blood tests to rule out any other potential cause. (I really don't need a big vet bill right now).

Some vets don't give phenobarbital after the first seizure and wait to see how frequent the dog has them before deciding to medicate. If the dog only has just one a month and they don't come in clusters one after another, they may decide NOT to medicate at all. But usually the seizures tend to get worse over time and eventually will need medication.

I'm still in shock. It is just awful to see your "baby" in that condition.

[portiemom]

I am so sorry to hear about your furbaby having a seizure. My first Portuguese Water Dog, had her first seizure at 3 and you are quite right about the vet not giving medication after the first seizure. My furbaby, began to have cluster seizures shortly after her first epsiode, and yes it is devastating. If you research these epileptic condition, you will find that it is the aftermath post seizure that is the most critical time for dogs. They are disoriented, they will try to climb the walls, (literally), fall down, some even become belligerent which is very out of character. This aftermath is a time to be concerned if brain problems have not occurred. Most times there is no long term damage. My furbaby suffered from these seizures for almost 12 years and we did manage them with 2 medications. Her epsiodes were very disturbing to us and to see a dog who's back legs go completely straight forward and rigid body and rolling eyes is devastating. My dog was very comfortable with me stroking her, and keeping her from hurting herself both during and after the seizures.
The one thing I can say is that timing as many seizures as you can is paramount, and usually the longer the seizure, the more intense and length of the recovery time is just after the seizure.
Please know that this condition is VERY managable and your ability to deal with it will prevail.
I know first hand how you feel watching your "furbaby" go through this, we are Parents to our dogs, but emotionally this is way harder on us than it is them.
My PWD went on to have a wonderful life, she was unexpectedly WINNERS BITCH AT THE UNITED STATES FIRST NATIONAL SPECIALITY, and she was placed in my home as a pet quality dog that I wanted as a therapy assistance dog, she had 2 obedience titles as well at TDI before the age of 1, and after her first and only litter of 5 pups bred for therapy work,is when she had her first seizure. I then decided breeding was not an option. Her 5 pups never had a problem with seizures and went on to become, wonderful loving gifts to a dying breed. they had many titles, and gave much love to their human families. I get messages from all over the world from people with great, great, great, grandfurbabies that are healty, not one of more that 35 pups have had this problem, and although she had no problems during her pregnancy or labor both my vet and I believe just the trama of the birth process, caused this condition.
I wish you luck and and many, many, years of quality time with your baby.
God Bless, my friend.

[Maxie]

I am so sorry to hear about your furbaby and it does sound like the prognosis is good for Carson. I'm sure it was very difficult for you to watch you baby as he was having the seizure and I hope that you will keep us updated. As a furbaby mom, I understand.

[jonnybee]

Do a search on a product labled "CHOLODIN". I am convinced it helped prevent seizures in my dog. I administer it to my older dogs as it helps delay the onset of doggie dementia. I, personally, am convinced it helps in both situations. YMMV.

http://www.drugs.com/vet/cholodin.html

Amazon.com has the best price.

[nanwilson]

My friends have a mini schnauzer that has epilepsy and has to have meds to control it. He is doing fine as long as he has his meds every day. Good luck with Carson, hope all goes well with him. Our min-pin has a disc that slips out of place every so often...it is so painful and just as painful to see her in that condition when it happens. The vet has given us instructions on what to do and of course expensive drugs to help the pain.

[flocof]

I once saw a program on TV and they said that the Cavalier King Charles is prone to seizures purely because they have been overbred to have smaller and smaller heads and the brain no longer fits and it causes seizures. Very sad!

[SleepingUgly]

Sorry to hear this, Viking.

I briefly dated a guy whose dog had seizures. He had to give him anti-seizure medicine and then it stopped happening. This guy used to cry when his dog had a seizure, as it was that upsetting to him. He didn't cry when he cheated on me, though.

[zeleni]

I'm so sorry to hear. It's such an incredibly traumatizing experience. My three year old beagle mutt started having seizures a year and a half ago. We had a hard time controlling them for the first year, with pheno, KBr, and valium (for post-seizure). Finally we took him to a neurologist who put him on zonisamide and weaned him off the pheno. Six months seizure free - acting just like himself. The regular vet was still using the old methods. Get to a specialist if it happens again.

There is a great facebook group for canine epilepsy that is very supportive and helpful. Good luck.

[avi123]

The following is about human beings who contracted Epilepsy. If you know someone with seizures then convey the following message to them. Many physicians don't know that seizures can be cured. But at least you'll know.

My dog said OK:




And what about you:




So now you can imagine a person having seizures. Someone like my daughter who had febrile convulsions at age of 3 month. It turned into Epilepsy at puberty. The cure has been, at age 20, by removing enough tissue from the brain that caused the seizures. If the focal area is in the limbic system part of the brain (hippocampus) then Duke University Medical Center specializes in it. If the focal area is located in other parts of the brain then there are other medical centers in the U.S. and Canada that deal with such surgeries. The group attached to Yale Univ. is one. The cost of this kind of surgery is above $120,000. The cost is hi b/c the patient needs to spend a couple of months for the center to localize the focal point by attaching more than 80 electrodes on the head. Not unlike ours at the sleep study. Next, it takes time to create seizures and record their location. Next, once the location is settled on, electrical voltages are applied to the electrodes over the suspected area. Next, the patient goes thru verbal and thoughts processes testing, while the voltages are applied. This is to ascertain that if the tissue underneath the electrodes would be removed then no verbal or mental deficit would be caused. It's a question of removing just enough tissue for the operation to be a success. After the surgery the patients continue to be medicated. In the case of my daughter who is now at age close to 50 she has not suffered from seizures any more after the operation.

[DreamStalker]

So now you can imagine a person having seizures. Someone like my daughter who had febrile seizures at age of 3 month. It turned into Epilepsy at puberty. The cure has been, at age 20, by removing enough tissue from the brain that caused the seizures. If the focal area is in the limbic system part of the brain (hippocampus) then Duke University Medical Center specializes in it. If the focal area is located in other parts of the brain then there are other medical centers in the U.S. and Canada that deal with such surgeries. The group attached to Yale Univ. is one. The cost of this kind of surgery is above $120,000. The cost is hi b/c the patient needs to spend a couple of months for the center to localize the focal point by attaching more than 80 electrodes on the head. Not unlike ours at the sleep study. Next, it takes time to create seizures and record their location. Next, once the location is settled on, electrical voltages are applied to the electrodes over the suspected area. Next, the patient goes thru verbal and thoughts processes testing, while the voltages are applied. This is to ascertain that if the tissue underneath the electrodes would be removed then no verbal or mental deficit would be caused. It's a question of removing just enough tissue for the operation to be a success. After the surgery the patients continue to be medicated. In the case of my daughter who is now at age close to 50 she has not suffered from seizures any more after the operation.

Problem is -- this won't work for dogs cuz they can't do the verbal/thoughts process.

Sorry to hear about your pet's experience Viking. I too know the feeling. Have a Chinese Crested and he has had about 4 or 5 seizures during the past year ... he was also about 3 years old when they started. Vet suggested avoiding drug therapy unless frequency increased to 3 or 4 time a month or if they lasted more than 4 or 5 minutes. Only thing to do is comfort them as best you can during their seizure.

[Suzjohnson]

That is so scarey!! It's a lot harder on us than our dear pet. Thank goodness it is controllable and your baby can live a long, happy life. Have you recovered yet?

Suz

[howkim]

Oh, dear! Is there an emergency vet clinic near you? You might get to know them just in case you'll need them in the future. One of my cats is diabetic. I've had him to the emergency vet at times like 8 pm on a Friday night and noon on a Thanksgiving Day.

[jab1972]

I totally empathize. It is so tough to watch and feel so helpless. A few years ago, my mini schnauzer mix had 2 seizures in a couple weeks. Ended up at the emergency vet clinic both nights. After the 2nd seizure, our main vet gave us some valium to keep on hand, in case she didn't come out of it on her own. The vet said that during seizures dogs lose the ability to regulate their body temperature, and so it's important to break the seizure if it's still going on after 20 minutes or so. Fortunately (and oddly, and knock on wood), those 2 were the only seizures she's ever had. That was 4 years ago.

I hope it's the same with yours, and it turns out to be an isolated incident.

[neverbetter]

Did he foam at the mouth? Toads will do that. If he was outside he may have bitten into a toad and that's the reaction.

[VikingGnome]

Did he foam at the mouth? Toads will do that. If he was outside he may have bitten into a toad and that's the reaction.

No foam. No frogs in my computer room. His mouth was clamped shut very tightly. (Wish mine would stay that shut while on CPAP)

I'm feeling alot better about this now that I've done some research. Talked to my vet and there is really no reason to take him in to be seen right now. If he has more seizures, then I'll need to take him. A seizure is not life threatening unless it continues for like 20 minutes or experiences a cluster of one after another (status epilecticus). So I really won't be taking Carson to the emergency clinic if he has another seizure. I'll just watch and document. Maybe I'll get lucky and get a video of him seizing so the vet can see exactly what is happening.