My dog suffered a seizure this morning. To say that it was scary is an understatement. I was terrified.
I took her to the vet immediately, where they took some blood to run some tests. The vet did not seem terribly worried… I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. That is, was he not worried because this is not life threatening, or was he not worried because he just doesn’t care? My gut tells me it was the former, which puts my mind at ease some.
If you’ve ever had a pet suffer from seizures, I’d be interested to here about your experiences.
50 users commented in " Dog Seizures "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackMy dog Symon is a Jack Russell/Beagle about 4 years old, 35lbs and has been having seizures for roughly the last two years. The first time it happens can be very traumatic; but I think the vet pretty much responded the same way to me as they did to you above.
From my understanding, the seizure is not really life-threatening unless they have continuous (little or no recovery time between siezures) or multiples (two or more siezures over a short time period). Just because he had one doesn’t mean that he’ll have more, but in Symon’s case he did have more and he takes medication for it.
The Vet originally put him on phenobarbital which I think is usually the first preferred choice. The pheno worked great for approximately 6 months (no seizures) until he got really anemic and sick. His neurologist said that it could be a side effect of the pheno, so they weaned him off of it hoping he would just not have any more seizures. He got healthy, but then started having seizures again (6 in one day). They started him on Potassium Bromide; which he’s been on for the last 1-1/2 years. Every so often (4-6 months) he’ll still have a siezure or two, and they’ve upped his dosage. He had one approximately 7 months ago, and I was just thinking that maybe it was done, but then last night he had two and I had to call the vet…
I wish you the best of luck.
Thanks for sharing your story Brian. It’s somewhat comforting to know that the seizure itself is not life-threatening.
As it turned out, my dog ended up having another seizure later in the same day. I returned to the vet where they prescribed phenobarbital but told me I should not give it to her yet. I think they basically wanted to get an idea for the frequency of the seizures. Fortunately, there haven’t been any more seizures and I haven’t started her on the medication. I’m hoping that it was a temporary thing.
One good thing has come out of this situation. The thought that she might die that day made me realize how important she is to me, and how I take her for granted at times. I’ve started spending more time playing with her and giving her more attention. For now, I can hope there are no more seizures, but I’m actually grateful for the 2 she had already.
It’s a wonder that with all the technology we have these days that we still seem to be in the stone ages with regards to biological sciences. We can treat the symptoms in many cases (often at the expense of other side effects), but not remove the cause.
Anyway, thanks for your story and I also wish you the best of luck with Symon.
Thanks for sharing both your stories Peter and Brian.
My dog Prince, is a collie of a little over 9 years old. Ever since he was born, he has always had seizures. We never thought it was a big deal because my father had a dog that used to have seizures too and they are more common in larger dogs anyway.
So when things started to get out of hand, we took Prince to the vet and he prescribed phenobarbital which worked pretty well. He would have a seizure about every 5-6 months which isn’t too bad. But then, he started having them again, so we started to give him 2 tablets a day. Then, we finally got to 2 1/2 a day which has worked very well for about 8 months now.
So this morning, all of a sudden i heard this banging from the laundry room where Prince was sleeping, and he was having a very bad seizure. He continued to have 2 more, but now he seems to be stabilized and is resting. Hopefully, he will be better by tomorow.
Well anyway, i wish you both the best of luck, and thank you for letting me share my story.
Thanks Jen.
This weekend my dog had 2 more seizures. The first one happened when no one was home. I think we walked in the door just minutes after it had happened. She was wet with drool and urine and some furniture was knocked out of place. Then later that night she had another one. This time, she was on the couch (yes, we let our dog up on the couch with us). I was able to catch her before she fell off, but I took a pretty good punch to the face from her flailing paws (the force behind it can be quite surprising).
My wife and I soothed her as she came out of it and I think that made it less scary for her (I imagine she must have been scared when it happened and she was alone). This brings her total seizure count to 5 in just over 2 months. Our vet still advises that we don’t put her on the phenobarbital yet.
I’ve been trying to determine what might be the cause. She’s not getting into anything (chemicals, etc.). We’ve changed her food since the first seizure. But I’ve also read that any dog food you can get in the grocery store is not really very good, and will probably contain preservatives like BHA that can cause seizures in dogs. Even the more expensive brands (Science Diet, Eukanuba, etc.) contain these same preservatives (or so I’ve read). So I’m considering switching to something like Merrick, Innova, or Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul. They are harder to find and more expensive, but much better for my dog’s health.
I wish you the best with Prince and thanks for sharing your story.
My toy fox terrier has had 2 siezures in 2 weeks… they are mild, his body gets stiff and his eyes dialate. He is aware of us, but scared and his eyes water and his jaw clenches. I think I’ll take him to the vet today. I’m worried about cancer…
How old is your fox terrier, Molly?
I was really surprised to learn how many dogs have seizures. My dog has continued to have them, but we’ve decided to start her on the seizure medication. My vet has said that she’s too old for it to likely be epilepsy, but that’s not very comforting because we don’t know what (besides a brain tumor) might cause seizures, and we can’t afford the expensive tests and MRI’s to find out. But (I hate to say it) it is slightly comforting to know that it’s not as uncommon for dogs to have seizures as I had thought (and it’s often times unknown what the cause is).
One thing that I am suspicious of is diet. Could it be that all that processed dog food is worse for dogs than we consumers realize? Are there preservatives and/or chemicals in these foods that could be building up in our dogs bodies, causing them to have these seizures? I’ve read alot about going to a more natural diet, and the BARF diet (mmmm… appetizing acronym). I think we’re going to try switching to a more natural dog food, like “Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul”. I’ve read good things about it. At the very least, even if it doesn’t affect her seizures, I will know that I’m feeding my dog more healthy meals.
The quest for answers continues…
Hi - Glad I found this site. An adorable little dog came to my door yesterday. Jack Russell mix I think. She had an owner I’m sure - she’s been spayed, nails clipped etc. She is a true joy and very well behaved and loving. I was thinking I’ll call the local vets and pound to see if anyone has listed her as lost. She slept with me last night and had two seizures. Scared me to death I’ve never experience anything like it. Took her to vet this morning they wanted to do extensive ad expensive blood work - I’m not willing to spend this kind of money on a dog someone may claim. Just wondered if anyone’s vet had given medication without appropriate blood work. I’m feeding her Science Diet same as my other dog. Peter mentioned in an earlier msg even you better foods contained BHA I checked my science diet ingredient list and couldn’t find a BHA wonder what it stands for - any help would be appreciated.
I have had greyhounds AKC and NGA and now 3 Italian greyhounds.
I know meds are a big problem, because they have no fat content. (this was in June.
My 11 yr old male went on a med that containted both penicillin and pain elements and within 8 hours went into his first seizure. Yes, my children and I freaked out and cried and cried. NOthing seemed out of the ordinary after the vet immediate vet visit. That night 5 hrs. later he had another milder on (of course on the couch, we too believe what is good for us is good for them!) None since that time. Today at feeding am time, he had another one and there was no reason, as he is not on any meds or food change. I am wondering if this is an age thing? I just read on a natural homapathic treatment other IG’s have had seizure, is this common?
I agree with you on the foods and chemical things put in both human and dog that there must be some effects!???!
I know you all love your dogs and thanks for this info, I was truly lost.
Excuse my spelling errors-My (ME) spell checker brain is out on Saturdays!
@Rita
I wonder if someone abandoned that dog because of the seizures? I certainly hope not, but there are some people that would do such a thing.
Anyway, the blood work is the first step (or at least it was with my vet) when evaluating a dog with seizures. My understanding is that this measures the amount of a certain hormone to determine if the seizure was caused by epilepsy or another disorder. I’m not sure whether your vet (or any vet) would prescribe medication without first checking the bloodwork to better identify a cause for the seizures, but I understand your hesitation to spend money on a dog that you might only be baby-sitting.
Also, I’m not sure if they can give out this information, but you might check with your town clerk to see if you can find out who has registered that type of dog in your area. Perhaps from there you could try calling those people to see if they are missing their dog?
BHA - Here is a good resource that explains what it is (essentially it’s a preservative): http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa082101a.htm
Does Science Diet include BHA? I’m not sure. This site lists BHA in the ingredients for the Adult Original Dry dog food:
http://www.doggyfriend.com/store/store_detail.asp?p=591
But the Science Diet website lists “mixed tocopherols and citric acid” as the preservative:
http://www.hillspet.com/hillspet/products/productDetails.hjsp?PRODUCTprd_id=845524441760616
I’m not sure if that’s the same thing as BHA.
@Jo S.
Did you continue to treat your dog with that medication? Did the seizures stop if/when you discontinued treatment?
As for food, we’ve switched to a more natural food in the hopes that it might be better for our dog (even if it’s not the cause of the seizures). It’s certainly a little more expensive, but I suspect it’s a small price to pay (especially if it saves us later trips to the vet).
I am very glad I found this site.
This morning my toy poodle Sophie went into a seizure, waking me up; she had been sleeping on my feet. She has had a few before, but it’s been a while since she has. Sophie is only three, and a good friend of mine said her toy poodle started a period of seizures around the age of three that lasted for a couple years. I definitely hope this is a stage, and I am also relieved to learn that this is actually quite common.
My boyfriend told me the story of his childhood dog that had seizures: One day laying by the pool, his dog began having a seizure and slipped over the edge into the pool. It immediately snapped out of the seizure, so every time the dog had one from that point on, my boyfriend would apply cold water to the dog during a seizure. I tried that this morning, and Sophie snapped out of it pretty quickly.
I’m going to notify the vet and see if starting Sophie on meds is advisable. And I will also look into this preservatives business. Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories and taken a huge weight off of my mind.
I have a sweet bichon that has been having seizures. He has been with me since July. He seems to go about 2 weeks without any seizures and than has several over a two day period. Of course, he had some over the holiday weekend. He is currently on phenobarbital and I suspect he needs a medication change/increase.
This is all new to me. I took him to the vet in July and he vet didn’t seem worried about the seizures, but since he has had several, I am worried.
I am trying not to overreact, but think it’s time to go back to the vet. Does this situation sound “normal” for a seizure dog, or is there a chance of reducing his seizures. I am worried that he will have one when I am not home. I have tried to seizure proof the house as much as possible, but think he can still get hurt.
@Jane
My dog began having seizures back in March (the reason I first posted about it). She’ll go about a month between “episodes”, where each episode usually includes several seizures over a 1 or 2 day period. Her last episode consisted of 8 seizures over a 2 day period, the most she had ever had. We decided to start her on the medication at that point. It’s been about 3 weeks since that episode, so at this point it’s just “wait and see”.
Your situation does sound “normal” for a seizure dog (from what I’ve learned). I agree, you should take him back to the vet for a possible dosage adjustment.
As for seizure proofing the house, I understand your concern. Our dog had a seizure on the couch once and would have fallen on the floor had I not been there to catch her. She also had one where she fell off the end of my bed. Luckily, she hasn’t hurt herself yet (except for some lacerations to the end of her tongue from biting it during a seizure). But I have a large staircase that she sometimes sleeps at the top of, and I’m concerned she could have one and fall down the stairs.
Hi All:
I was just searching for seizure information as our 4 year old boxer just had one and it scared the daylights out of me. I was home alone with him and our other boxer. He threw up his dinner tonight also, and was very thirsty, but seems okay now. He seems a bit nervous though. He also foamed at the mouth while having the seizure, does this sound familar to anyone? I called the emergency vet and they wanted to keep in overnight for a seizure watch. I just can’t take him there and leave him and it seems as though this seizure thing is somewhat common. I will take him to the vet tomorrow. Any thoughts?
Thanks.
@Ann
It’s very common for them to be very thirsty after a seizure. Our dog will drink and drink. As for foaming at the mouth, our dog salivates and drools a lot during the seizure, but she’s never really foamed at the mouth.
Be prepared for more seizures tonight. It’s quite possible that she will have more. Usually, a seizure watch is needed when a dog is having multiple seizures and they need to control it for the dogs own health and safety. I’m not an expert, but I would tend to agree with you that a seizure watch is not yet required. I would take your dog to the vet first thing in the morning though.
I have an 8 yr old pomeranian, who has been having seizures for the past couple of years, last summer we would see her have 3 or 4 per day, this slowed down as the weather got cooler so as they seemed to stop we did not take her to the vet, but now she has started to have them again. The weather is still cool but we see her have 2 or 3 a day, then she might miss a couple of days then they happen again. We spoke to the vet but they want to do lots of expensive tests that we cant afford. what do we do ? do we let her keep having them, will whe she die from them, it cant be a tumor if it has been going on for so long can it, it must be epilepsy, does anyone know if the meds for epilepsy are expensive, we live in Australia. Our dog drools, goes glassy eyed, vomits and goes shakey and stiff during a fit and she is aware of us while its happening and it usually lasts for about a minute.
On Sept 3rd, I posted about my bichon Isaiah. He goes 14 to 16 days seizure free and then has seizures for 3 days (give or take a day). He currently takes Phenobarbitol. I just spoke with his vet and she agreed that every 14 days is to often. She gave me a prescription for Potassium Bromide. Now Isaiah will be taking two medications. Does anyone have a dog that takes both medications? I don’t want to over medicate Isaiah, but I don’t know what else to do.
Kelley - In the US - the cost for a month’s supply of phenabarbitol for a 10 pound bichon is only $12 and the potassium bromide is $22.
I have a 3 1/2 year old Rott n Lab mix Roxy. She has been having what i think are seizures since she was 1. She averages 1 a month, and they usually last 1 to 2 minutes. But her most recent and most scary lasted around 3 minutes too long. She was in my bed sleeping with me. What woke me up was her falling out of the bed and hitting the floor. Where she landed was directly at the top of the staircase!! Her eyes get glassy and she drools, her body gets stiff but also shakes. She hasn’t lost control of her bowls, or urinated on herself. And i dont think she has bitten her tongue [ that i can tell ]. And yes her food does contain BHA. I also have 2 Rotts one is 8 /12 and the other is 4 1/2, neither one has ever suffered from seizures that i know of. But when the Rott n Lab mix does have one the others do seem very concerned for her, they sniff her alot. I never thought she was alert as to what was going on around her during the seizures but this last time when the other dogs were sniffing her she growled at them for a moment. I dont know if she was just scared or if maybe she thought they were going to hurt her. I have not talked to my vet about her seizures yet. They are very scary and i have cried during everyone of them. Sometimes there is no one home with the dogs, i haven’t seen any signs of her having them when we’re not home . But i can’t believe she only has them while in my presence.. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
my dog copper has been having seizures every 1-2 weeks since late may/early june.pretty severe lasting 2-3 minutes,lots of foaming,and very stiff legs.he was on phenobarb(it didnt help at all even when we increased the doses)and then potassium bromide.these made him very weak and thirsty and didnt help at all.so we are gradually taking him off the meds,he switched to a better food and the seizures still continue,i really am scared and worried and the vet says there are no signs of a brain tumor.
My dog was having seizures. Did the lab tests thru the vet. Told my vet that I’d read on a website that PBT, ABT perservatives in dog treats may cause it for some four paws. My vet said she hadn’t heard of it but to try it out. My dog had 2 mild seizures shortly after taking her off all treats with the preservatives and hasn’t had 1 since. It’s been 6 months and no seizures. I wish to get this message across to others. It’s not to say ALL seizures are caused by this, but it’s clear my dog’s seizures were caused by the treats. I now only give her all-natural treats with no preservatives. Try it out!
I’m sorry, the preservatives are BHA and BHT… sorry about that. I had to re-look it up since it’s been a while since I’ve had to worry about it.
Read the labels - you’d be surprised by how many dog treats have
these two ingrediants..
Update on my dog…
We’ve switched her over to a more natural dog food (the Merrick brand). She’s also on the phenobarbital (though the vet said her levels are low and that we should increase the pheno dosage). She has had 2 “episodes” since we’ve made these changes, which means the frequency hasn’t really changed at all yet. On the positive side, though, her episodes have consisted of less seizures, so I still remain hopeful.
I have considered switching her to all natural treats as well, but I haven’t made that change just yet.
Hello I have a 2 1/2 yr old boxer female two days ago she had a seizure in the morning flailing paws and foaming mouth ect. from the way it sounds pretty common. I think that she may have injested some chems. in our laundry room. She has acted sickly yesterday and today. I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience? Thanks Donald
I have a 4-5 year Treeing Walker Coonhound that I rescued from a gas shelter in GA who is the love of our family. He had his first seizure in June which sounds exactly how you are describe it…terrifying. Brought him to the vet the next day and they said to wait and see if it is an isolated incident; sadly he started to have them pretty regularly after that (about 3 a month). We did the blood test which showed no poison or anything alarming. He is now currently on 1.5 mg of Phenobarbital and 6 ml of Potassium Bromide and to say the least our lives are miserable. I have let it consume me as he reverts back to no house training even after hours of play outside. I have 2 other dogs so I have to now crate when alone so he doesn’t have a seizure and the other dogs approach him and get hurt. Plus the stage after the seizure seems to be the worst part as he paces the house for hours looking to replenish his loss…they say they are very hungry and thirsty. He has become very vocal and just whines and cries all day. If I pet him to sooth him he only gets worse. It is heartbreaking.
My husband and I are that point where we may have to consider putting him down due to his quality of life being less and less. He is not the same dog on the drugs, though I am scared to take him off due to the possibility of increased seizures.
Did any of you ever get to this point? Are you dogs suffering after each seizure from deafness or brain injury?
Thank you.
@Dara
Be sure you have his levels checked to make sure the dosage is correct. My dog just recently had an increase in dosage. While she does sleep more than she used to, she is still happy, playful, and loving.
I know what you mean about the post-seizure stage. Whining, pacing, and drinking. And I know what you mean about it continuing or getting worse when you try to sooth him. For my dog, I feel as though she recovers much more quickly if someone is there to sooth her DURING the seizure. If she has one when I’m around, I’ll pet her and talk soothingly while she’s having one, and then once she comes out of it I try to clean her up as soon as possible (excessive drool and/or urination). I’m not sure, but I feel as though this helps her to move past it quicker.
I also sometimes try playing with her (she likes to fetch) once she regains her balance and some of the clumsiness has subsided.
I’ve never noticed deafness or brain injury. From what I’ve read, deafness or blindness can be symptoms of a brain tumor, so if you’re seeing that then you should probably consult with your vet.
Sorry to hear your story, but hopefully (like me) you will find some comfort in the fact that this seems to be much more common than you might think. I hope you never have to put him down.
Thank you Peter. It helps to know that I am not alone as in the wee hours of the night when you dog is having a seizure one feels desperate and alone.
My dog doesn’t seem to want anything after the seizure but to go outside, drink and eat. I have a hard time getting him to settle down at all. It really does help to know though that others react this way as I haven’t been able to find much about this last stage; I think they call it the Post-Ictus.
He does appear to be deaf after a seizure but it only lasts until morning. When he wakes up the next day he is his old self again. I would love to get a cat scan to check for tumor but I can’t afford the 2,000.00 they quoted me for the procedure. Very frustrating.
I will call the vet today and schedule a recheck on the blood levels.
Glad I found this website. Thank you
My Boxer “Max” is 13yrs.old. Started having Seizures 3 months ago. They have all been during the night while sleeping. The First time he had 5 consecutive seizures in a row at 1:30 A.M. in the morning. No vet or help available. Got on the computer & found a Vet in Austria. He advised me to take a ice pack or Fill plastic gal. zip lock w/ ice cubes & gently rub the ice up & down his spine & around his stomack area. This will & did bring him out of the seizure quickly & gently. Told me to find a 24 hour drug store & getsome “Benadryl” & B-100 Vitamines W/ Pantothenic Acid 100mg. I gave “MAX” 1-Tab each. Then I him 1-Tab of Benadryl each night til monday A.M. & 1-Tab in A.M. & P.M. of the Vitamin B-100. Monday A.M. the Vet did Blood work & Brain scan. Results all Negative. He Prescribed Phenobarbital A.M. & P.M. w/ General pet Multi-Vitamins (8 in 1 @ Wal-Mart) & continue the B-100. This worked til the following month & he had another seizure @ Night. I followed the same instruction the Austrian Vet had previously gave me & he came right out of it. I Started doing alot of Study & research. The other night (month after previous seizure) “Max” had another seizure, Followed the same Emergency Procedure & he came right out of it. The Austrian Vet had also told me to give him small amounts of food after the seizures because they extract alot of energy during seizures. Also, Max has a great thirst. Give them what ever water they want. After this put them on a leach & take them for a short walk, if they are willing. This will keep their joints limber & not tightning up. Let them rest afterwards. Important to keep a date & time journal of ALL seizures w/ treatments given. Reason being I Think, I have found “Max” problem. I changed monthly flea Medication to a external application brand. Max on that same day or hours following the treatment went into seizures. I have NOW stopped the application of this medication Immediately. We are watching Max very carefully. I don`t like giving Max Phenobarbital due to the adverse reaction to internal organs. Also this is NOT correcting the problem. It is Important to find the problem & correct it instead of treating a symptom (seizures). I`m also researching Natural foods & treats WITHOUT PERSERVATIVES.Stay tuned folks more to come…..My Heart, Feelings & PRAYERS go out to you all…….. Mr. Bob “D”
@Mr Bob D.
The ice pack treatment is interesting. I may give that a try the next time my dog has a seizure. And that sounds like good advice (some food, water, and a short walk) post-seizure.
Especially important: Keep a seizure journal!
That’s also very interesting about the flea medication. If you find that after stopping that treatment, please report back with what brand/product you were using.
I agree, I don’t like relying on Phenobarbital (or any drug for that matter). Keep us informed of your progress.
Best wishes,
Peter
I just found this link with some interesting information:
http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/epilepsy.html
Very interesting about the flea medication and I really hope that is the source of you Boxer’s seizures. I hate give my dog the anti seizure meds as well (Pheno and Potassium Bromide) but I can’t find the source of the seizures and afraid to take him off of it.
I have kept a seizure log since his first one and it does help to be able to track them. You can also note any medicine changes there as well.
Has anyone tried any natural approachs such as this multi vitamin?
http://www.cellhealthmakeover.com/productsforpets.html
or http://www.nzymes.com/
Thank God for the internet. Thank you all for all of your stories, my little Babe’ he’s a 10 lb. pomeranian, and he had a seizure once last year for 5min, and 1 other time within that week, and just now this year, around the same time of year, I am freaked because he is the absolute love of my life, I’m glad to know that it hasn’t been as frequent as these other stories; however I am praying that it won’t get any worse. God bless us all for being blessed with such an amazing creatures.
Hi everyone, my 10 year old maltese started having seizures in her sleep in March. She had two in March and for 6 months nothing. Now 1 in September and One in November and one in December. Of course the vet says probably brain tumor because of her age. I was so glad to read kellys post becasue like she said her dog has lived two more years after have seizures so it probably is not a tumor. I dont want to put her on the medicine because she has alot of energy still and is a happy dog and im afraid the meds are going to change her. Also she shows no other signs of brain tumor. Confusion, pacing, head tilting. For those pets on meds how often do your dogs have seizures? Thanks Mindy
@mindy10
I too was hesitant about putting my dog on the medication. I was concerned about her energy level dropping and that the meds would change her. I’m happy to say that she is still the same loving dog. She sleeps a little more than she used to, but not to the point where she’s a zombie or her personality has changed.
If your dog is only having an episode once per month, and if the episodes aren’t too severe, then if I was in your shoes I’d probably not start her on the medication either. My dog was having about one episode per month, but then she had a really bad one with 8 seizures in one episode and that was the deciding factor for us. Since starting her on the medication, her episodes have certainly been milder. And since we increased her dosage at the beginning of November, she has not had another episode yet (keeping fingers crossed).
Hi Peter, Thanks for your response. I was wondering how old your dog was? Does your vet think it could be a tumor to? Does he show any other signs or problems besides the seizures? I just noticed my dogs treats that she loves has BHT so Im going to stop them even though she has eaten them for years now. Its funny how you said you give him more attention I have a three year old so Lizzie doesnt get as much attention as she use to but today I bought her a new toy. Also after she has one in the middle of the night im up and playing with her for an hour hoping she won’t have another one. Now everynight I wake up around 6 times checking on her. I need to really get some sleep!! Mindy
@mindy410
My dog is about 6 and 1/2 years old.
My vet did not say he *thinks* it’s a tumor, but he did say that this is certainly one possibility. He did say, though, that he thought she was too old to get epilepsy (that is, she would have had it when she was young), so that certainly isn’t very comforting. But I think there could be other reasons besides a tumor, and my dog has not had any other problems besides the seizures.
I’ve switched my dog to a much more natural dog food (I get the Merrick brand), and just recently we switched over to more natural treats as well. At the very least, I do find some comfort knowing that she’s eating healthier now.
I know what you mean about waking up in the night. I think that will eventually subside (it did for me anyway).
-Peter
My dog had his first seizure in late Oct and his second/third in late Dec. I then had him on Phb and I absolutely hate it. My dog eats a ton, urinates and deficates much more than normal. I am trying to ween him off the meds as he has been on them for a short time. He constantly whines at all hours of th enight and I cannot take it anymore.
My 6 yr old chocolate lab (Charlie Brown) has been having seizures since he was 6 months old! The 1st one was on July 4th and we thought he was dying! By the time we took him to the only vet that was opened, he was his old self again and we didn’t know what had happened. They told us about seizures and to contact our regular vet the next day. He has been on potassium bromide since then with seizures still happening on the average of every 6 weeks. We keep changing the amount we give him but when he gets too lethargic, I lower the dose. I believe it is not fair to have him so drugged up since he is normally a happy doggie who gets alot of exercise! But I get nervous everytime I’m home alone with him because I’m afraid a seizure will start! His seizures last a bit longer than others I’ve heard of….about 20 minutes from beginning to end and it’s the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. The doctor did tell us to try to talk to him during the episodes and to take a cool cloth and rub him paws with it since a seizure will raise his body temp. I think after all these years we have finally gotten his seizures under control - it’s 1/1/08 (Happy New Year!) and he hasn’t had a seizure since last April. That is when he had cluster seizures and we had to give him Valium to stop them. He had had them once before and I made the doctor give us Valium to keep at home if they ever happened again. I was so glad we had it! But since that last seizure, we upped his potassium bromide to 8 ml and to our surprise, he’s been seizure free! I am finally starting to relax at night with him. We also switched his dog food around that time so I’m not sure if it’s the old dog food that gave him the seizures or what. The vet told us we could start lowering his dosage to see what happens which is what I wanted but now I’m not so sure….why change something if it’s working! Any thoughts?
My dog got bit on the leg by something on New years day. I think it was a spider. We were walking at the park, then she started shaking her back left leg - like she wanted to get something off her leg. Then she went into anaphylactic shock and had a horrible seizure. With it being New Years Day I had to take her to the emergency vet and he was a jerk. He did give her bendryl and steroid - which is what they give for a bite. She had another seizure later that night - and then I took her to a different emergency clinic and they said she has epilepsy. Both refused to believe she had been bitten - even though she had a bite on her leg and it was bleeding!
So her regular vet said yes she probably go bit. She had a few more convulsive seizures since then and she is on valium - and since being on valium she is just having baby seizures. She is having odd behavior and I don’t know if it is the post-seizure stuff or if it is the valium. The valium ends today so I am worried about what happens when the valium wears off. Will she have another grand mal? The two I eye witnessed were horrible, horrible, horrible. She stopped breathing, her tongue was purple, teeth clamp body rigid after convulsing with teeth banging on the cement, lost bladder control, eyes bulge like they were going to pop. So I think sometimes our dogs get a spider bite or something and it makes them have seizures and I am surprised at how little literature is out there about getting bit by a spider - I think my dog got bit by a black widow - or a wasp or bee or snake.
Hi everyone
Thanks for sharing this information my dog is about 3yrs old he had his first seizure in sep which sounds exactly how you are describe it.I have taken to the vet then it was given some treatment by the vet.The vet has give some suggestions during these type of diseases.I found some sites in which they have provided complete details regarding this
http://HealthierDogs.com
http://www.Dog-Health-Care-Information.com
http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com
I am so glad this info is here i have a 4 1/2 year old australian cattle dog/sheltie mix and i think she had a seizure last night i talked to my sister in law who is becoming a vet and she said that is what it sounds like i am very worried but really dont have much money to get all of that blood work.She was just laying on the floor and suddenly tried to get up but couldnt move and her mouth kinda puffed up around the edges and her eyes got really big and glassy and she dragged herself about 2 feet to the back door where i let her outside and after about 5 minutes she totally snapped out of it and was fine. Is that what happens? I am calling the vet today to take her in to get checked out.Thanks for being here.
Well after she came off the valium - she wasn’t having seizures, but she had another one this morning. I was getting ready to leave for work and heard some noises in the living room. It was like a door banging noise. So I went in there and she was laying in the floor with her back up against the door. Full seizure. It lasted about 2 minutes. It was a very violent seizure. She paddled her legs for about 1.5 minute then for the last 30 seconds or so, she pulled her legs up, toward her, they were all bent up and she was rigid. It was odd. I was calm this time - since I knew what it was. I just was trying to make sure her head didn’t hit the wall, and that she was breathing and I watched what she did more closely because the vets said to try to remember what she is doing- like did she paddle her legs.
Her spider bite - has healed. We are guessing (me and 3 vets) that it was a black widow bite. If it were from a brown recluse, her tissue probably would have been rotting off, or she would have more of left over area. However, she does have a scar, her hair is burned off her leg , like down her vein, where the toxin ran through her vessel down her leg. She got bit up at the top of her leg, like in the groin area where the leg comes over the abdomen. The bite area itself has healed, but where there was a long scab down her leg -which oozed for about 36 hours after the bite - her hair is gone and you can see this completely white line of skin.
So we are going to put her on Phenylbarbitol. They still think this is just related to the bite and that her seizure threshold just got lowered and we just need to get it back up.
On a good note - she came out of this one fairly quickly. After her 2nd seizure (day of the bite) she was blind and confused and wobbly legged for about 20 minutes. Today she was blind and confused and only slightly wobbly legged for about 5 minutes, and once the 5 minutes were up, she recovered really well and was really back to normal. She also did not get thirsty or hungry after this seizure.
I too was told that my dog was too old to just develop epilepsy. At six and a half, she would have already had symptoms.
I just hope she recovers. She is such a sweet dog. On Sunday I had been down in the floor doing yoga and I swear to you, she laid down and did some stretches too! I wish I had it on video.
hello:
i have a male pomeranian named bear who is three years old. For the first year and a half of his life he had about four seizures. He doesn’t have seizures anymore (which is good) but, now he has a really hard time walking, and he seems to shake all over a lot. we took him to the vet and got x-rays and nothing came up in the x-rays, and we really dont have the money for neurological work..so if anybody has any idea what might be going on Please comment back.
thank you.
Hi i have a 17 year old pom—-my luvees–to the rest of the world the one and only “Mr. Littles” He has been having these nasty fits since age 7, tested neg for all possible reasons. Usualy about every 5 to 6 months sometimes longer periods between he’ll have 2 to 3 a day for a period of 2 to 4 days (Varies). Ive learned to just talk him thru them get him into the tub as soon as i can(he loves looking handsome anyway)the water does seem to help them be shorter and just let him ride it out, there really isnt much more you can do. He is dazed and confused for approx. 20 minutes after walking laps around the house,walking into things,stumbling and panting , he gets very hungry and thirsty.i was just wondering— could the level of “my” stress be causing these awful fits to my little buddy?He seems to have them when im stressed out — and tonight he has had 3—i have been extremely stressed the past few days——also 3 months ago when he had his last fit—i was very stressed -am i nuts or could it be?
Hello,
About a month aga my dog had a seisure that lasted about three minutes. This was the first sseizure I ever saw. I took my dog to the Vet and she told me after examining the dog that the dog looked fine. She said if the dog experienced another seizure we would have to do some tests and possible medication. Last night my do had a seizure that would not stop. It lasted over one and a half hours.I took the dog to the emergency clinic were they told me they could do some tests but the prognosis looked grave. I put my dog dolly to sleep. Did I do the right thing please comment thank you Nancy Davis
@Nancy
Hi Nancy. That’s rough. I can’t say whether or not you did the right thing, but I think the vet probably would have advised you if it wasn’t the right thing to do. I’m sorry for your loss, and I think your decision is certainly understandable. I know 3 minutes is scary enough… I can’t imagine what I’d do if it went on for an hour and a half. My sincerest condolences.
-Peter
Nancy, you did the right thing. Even on the medication, life becomes unbearable for all, at least in my case. I am almost certain my dog had another seizure today.
My dog has had epilespsy for about two years; he is a 5 year old German Shorthaired Pointer. He had been doing well on Phenobarb. The original dose had to be increased in the first year due to having another seizure. Dash now has had one seizure in February. 2 weeks ago in March, he had another one. This morning, about 2am, he had another one, followed by one at 4:00am, and another at 8:30am. My husband is with him at the veterinarian right now and I am waiting to hear from him (I am at work). I am worried sick. What can this mean? Possibly only just needs an increase in Phenobarb? Try a new medication. My worse nightmare is that he has a brain tumor. I am sitting here on pins and needles. Thanks. Jan
I have recently put my dog on a bromide for her seizures — the cure seems worse than the seizure — has anyone else had a problem with too much potassium bromide? she has most of her coordination, she pants, and paces and her breathing and heartbeat seem extremely shallow — AND she is horribly miserable — the vet just tells me they are just sideeffects — any experience to tell me
@oldsurfrat
We noticed that when we put our dog on Potassium Bromide that she became much less active (very tired/weak). Our vet then recommended that we split her dosage and give her half in the morning and half at night (vs. a full dosage once a day). That seemed to make a difference. She is still not as energetic as she was before the medication, but at least she’s not totally wiped out.
Also, your vet may adjust her dosage up or down, so if it’s really wiping her out you might want to ask your vet about a smaller dosage and/or splitting it into smaller servings.
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