[Inga]

I am home today on a day off, doing some cleaning, fooling on the computer. Carsten was just laying here on his dog bed next to me when he suddenly sat up. I looked at him and he was making a funny face as though someone had bopped him in the face. He was shrinking his whole face back and started to back up but was in a corner. I said "Whats up Carsten?" and then he started to foam at the mouth, eyes rolled back in his head, he tried to move toward me but fell to the ground shaking like crazy. The whole thing probably lasted 3 minutes but I am freaked. I was right by the phone and have my vets number memorized so I had him on the phone right away. I managed to stay real calm for Carsten but inside all the terrible things going through my head.

When he started coming out of it, Oliver was looking on from about 5 feet away, wondering what in the world was going on. Carsten started snarling and lunged toward Oliver. I jumped back and pushed Oliver and Eleanor out of the room and put the gate up. Carsten was wild eyed and obviously terrified. I kept talking to him while he snarled. I just sat down on the floor near him and kept my eyes down. I was talking to the vet the whole time. THAT made me most scared. Not that he was snarling as I KNOW that he was temporarily unsettled by the seizure but fear that my wonderful boy could have a personality change. This dog is so attached to me and so tolerant of anything anyone dishes out to him. I need to know why this happened. The vet wants me to wait an hour or so before bringing him in so that the stress of moving him doesn't set him off again. Waiting sucks!

Please, all dog lovers say prayers for my boy Carsten right now. I need him back perfectly alright. Please.

 

[melaka]

That sounds so scary. I hope the vet has some answers for you and everything is OK.

 

[Finkie_Mom]

OMG I hope everything is OK... I can't imagine how scary that must have been... And how scary it STILL is

Hope it's nothing major

 

[Xeph]

Oh that is terrible! I love that Rotten dog! Sending good thoughts. So sorry

 

[Tofu_pup]

I'm so sorry Inga. Give Carsten lots of love for me.

IME, dogs that have seizures don't change permanently. They may lash out during/immediately after the seizure but they're sweet/tolerant dogs 99% of the time. It's a scary experience for everybody involved. Expect him to be very tired.

Hopefully, the vet has answers for you.

 

[spanielorbust]

Prayers are going your and Carsten's way right now. We had a girl here on seizure meds for 5 years. Seizure times always remain difficult and taxing, but more comfort comes when you know that you've done all you can and you see them get through and back out O.K.

SOB

 

[Inga]

Now he is licking me nonstop and hanging close to me. That isn't that abnormal except it is in a bit more excess. He is panting hard and bumping into things. He had a nice big drink of water and barfed on the carpet. Now he and Oliver both ran to the door so Oliver could bark at the mailman. Also normal ish. I am having flashbacks of my beautiful Lulu that blew clot and stroked. She behaved a little like this for awhile and then ultimately had to be put to sleep. Oh God, I hope that isn't going to happen again.


I had to add, he just finished his tylen powder for his loose stool. I am trying to think of anything why a perfectly healthy (seemingly so anyway) dog out of the blue has this happen.

 

[+two]

Keeping you and Carsten in my thoughts.

 

[wvasko]

So sorry, Thoughts/prayers going to you. Thank doG your experience got you guys through initial seizure cause Carsten was not there, he was off in seizure land.

 

[Niraya]

I'm so sorry!! Thoughts and prayers for both you and Carsten!
Hopefully the vet can give you the answers

 

[Moxie]

We're sending best wishes to you and Carsten, what a scary situation. Let us know how things go at the vet.

 

[Inga]

Just got back from the vet. Basically did a CBC to the tune of $190.00 and now we wait. Hopefully it is nothing. It is not a common thing for Rotties to have epilepsy but it is of course, possible. Brain tumor or infection was mentioned. None of the news is anything a person wants to hear about their much loved dog. Carsten should be worn out as he expended some serious energy flailing around and salivating but he is full of it and still incredibly anxious. He wants to go out but freaks if he isn't touching me. I am afraid to go to work tomorrow and am thinking about calling in. Guess I will wait and see how he does this evening. He is currently laying down by me again, in almost the same spot the whole thing took place. Poor little Angel boy.

 

[ZachAttackandWilbur]

Really Sorry and let us know when it comes back. Hopefully it was just a freak one time thing caused by something they can find.

 

[Lunachick]

This made me so upset to read. It brought flashbacks of when Zoe had her first seizure. You were stronger than I was. I balled my eyes out because I feared she ate something bad (a dropped pill or chocolate) and that she was going to die. I had to call in sick to work so that I could take her to the vet, but I was still crying when I made the call so I don't think my boss quite understood what had happened. The vet told me it was likely idiopathic, as that is the most common reason for seizures in older dogs. After doing a blood panel, he told me that it may not happen again, but if it does to just keep track of when they happen and if it happens more often to bring her back in. Well, we kept track of her seizures for months. On average, they occurred every couple of weeks. But we didn't bring her back in until she had a seizure at around 8pm one night and then again at 3am. The vet called this cluster seizures and told me we could put her on the medication. I was concerned it would cause liver damage over time but he assured me that at her age, she would have to be on a high dosage and even then, it isn't very common. So I did it, and she hasn't had a seizure since (knock on wood). I know what you are going through. It quite traumatic to witness our pets going through such a harsh experience.
I must say though, Zoe never acted aggressive when she came out of her seizures. She didn't have use of her legs for a couple minutes, as she was too weak. But she panted heavily and acted scared and confused. She also always went potty during and after the seizure (urinated during and defecated after).
My prayers are with you and Carsten. Hopefully it's a one time occurrence.

 

[BellaPup]

Aaaww...I'm so sorry, Inga! My heart-felt prayers are with you both for good news from the vet. Sending healing vibes your way!!
((hugs)) for you & Carsten.

 

[sassafras]

This is awful, I'm so sorry.

 

[RCloud]

Seizures are terrifying. It's been months since Marlin has had any, but I'm always afraid of it happening again. Marlin was diagnosed with Epilepsy, but given the seizures he had were so minor and they happened around the first month we adopted him and it was only two that happened a week apart, and his previous owners who had him for 5 years said he never had any while living with them I wonder if maybe it was depression or severe stress from his life change. I know Cattle Dogs are extremely sensitive and loyal to their owners, and being taken away from them and handed to complete strangers to live a totally different life probably was a lot harder on him then we realized.

I can sympathize a lot with you. I hope everything turns out okay with Carsten.

 

[Kyllobernese]

I had a Greyhound that had seizures and she was the same way when she was coming out of them. She would growl and was very disoriented for quite a while. We had her on medication but that was years ago and I am sure they did know that much about it.

Remmy, on the other hand, when he had his seizure, he just stiffened out and fell over. His heart was racing a mile a minute and his eyes just stared. He came out of it in about 15 minutes and seemed back to normal. The Vets don't like to put them on medication unless it starts to happen often. Remmy had anothe seizure, a very short one, about six weeks later. Took him into the Vet and they did blood work and came to the conclusion it was his liver. He was on medication (antibiotics and lactulose) for a month and has been fine ever since. I am taking him in for blood work sometime this month to make sure everything is alright before I start doing Agility with him again.

Hope everything goes alright with Carsten and it is a one time thing. Sometimes they never can find out what has caused it.

 

[Inga]

I would be so happy if it was a once in a lifetime event. I will however be leery to take him places that I took him in the past. I hate not knowing. I just feel sad again, he has been my rock too. I hate seeing those I love suffer. He has finally settled in a little bit. He is finally sleeping but every time I move, he jumps up and follows me. I guess that is pretty normal too. I am so afraid to leave him tomorrow.

 

[Zoopie]

Let us know what the vet says.