Update on Reina: seizure?

Reina

Well, we took Reina into the vet today to get her examined after having a health problem. The vet thinks she may have experienced a seizure. Either that, or bug bite/sting. She thinks seizure because normally there is swelling with a sting, which there wasn't. If she did have an allergic reaction, there probably would have been swelling. We got a blood test done, and the vet should be calling tomorrow with the results (hopefully)...

What happened: She started off outside, jerking her head up then pawing at her mouth. I brought her in, thinking she just got stung by a bug or something, and assumed she would be okay. She sat down on the rug near our door, and then just lost her balance and fell onto her back. She couldn't get up, so we balanced her. I don't know if this was the actually seizure or what. She growled at my dad when he walked up, which she has never done. We drove her to the vet, and she lost her bowel control on the way, which was sad. She looked tired the entire way. When we got to the e-vet, she was back to normal. That was about a 1/2 hour drive (since it was a holiday - no vets near us open :C)

She got a blood test done, with the reasoning (I think), that when she ate something poisonous outside, it may have damaged her liver and this is the result. Hopefully that will give us good results. However, if it doesn't, the only way to find out is an mri. Do you guys know the estimate for a dog brain mri? Or if you recommend it?

Anyway, the vet told us that giving benedryl once she is able/conscious enough to swallow wouldn't hurt, so I'm keeping the right dosage with me at all times. I kind of wish that she wasn't outside when the problem started, because then we could have ruled out bug bite....

Any of you guys have dogs that seizure? How much does it affect their lives? How controllable is it with meds?

Oscar's Mom

I just found your post while doing a search for seizure. Your description of the seizure is exactly what I witnessed with our dog. He was new to us then, having been basically dropped on our doorstep only a few weeks earlier.

Has your dog continued to have seizures? Our Oscar's are now to the point of happening every three weeks or so. Our vet doesn't want to medicate just yet and I'm trying to check into a diet change, so I'm searching out info from others who are dealing with a similar problem.

Reina

She hasn't had any seizures since, but we are watching out for them.

angel_baby

Angel suffers from epilepsy, it is controlled by meds but she does still have "fits" once in a while though not as severe as when we originally found out. When we found out she was epileptic she had a grand mal (sp?) seizure and barely came out of it with her life. Seizures are scary even small ones. When she has her fits they are normally mid-range and she collapses and shakes (shiver would be a better word, kind of like you would see in a dog that is scared of people I believe the term would be shaking like a leaf) and she twitches some and goes unconscious.

It took a while for me to feel comfortable even going near her when this happens but I have learned how to properly handle seizures and when the vet is needed. I also keep a book with dates, severity, and after effects of the seizures. It's been a hard road but seeing her play and the way she acts, you'd never think there was a thing wrong with her. She is 13 this year and also partially deaf and losing her sight however she is in no way suffering so we have not opted to euthanize just yet.

Oscar's Mom

Hi Reina. Good news for you & your dog! As I said our dog has continued to have the seizures. They seem to always be when he's either resting or asleep. It is not the shaking or foaming at the mouth type of seizure. Rather he lays on his side, body stiffly arched, head thrown back and legs pawing through the air. Yesterday I started him on a 'home made diet', generally following Dr Pitcarin's diet & adding some nutrients that I've read about on-line. Only time will tell if this is helpful. I fervently hope so...it is sooooo stressful watching, holding & comforting him during these episodes.

powjoyce

get the vet to check the liver. mine is having the same thing happening and he done alot of test and found out it was his liver. he put him on a diet can food and no other food (dog or human food)he was getting to much protein and wasn't let his liver work the right way. but he also is a small dog. but check it anyway

Reina

We got her liver checked, and it is functioning normally.

Oscar's Mom

It's now been over three months since I took Oscar off of the commercial dog food. He did have another seizure about 4-5 wks after I started preparing his food, but none since. It is really encouraging. I must research as to just what the protien requirements are for a small dog...certainly don't want to do a diet that will cause liver damage.

bundy

is it similar to what happened to my dog?

my dog was in the vets hospital for over a week both times.
he will never be having the dog food he was on again