Dog having seizures!! HELP

[Jenna]

So today my father called me to tell me that my 13 year old (will be 14 June 15) Golden had a seizure this morning. He had another at 1:15 and was rushed to the vets. They did some testing and sent him home with meds...he had a 3rd seizure at 6:20 this evening. I'm extremely distraught as I am two hours away and this dog has been my best friend and the thing that I've cared about most since I was 8. I'm going to post the test results and am wondering if anyone can help me decipher them and explain?! Please and thank you.

 

[Marty]

I'm so sorry and don't know why this happened to your dog. I have no idea what the chart means but Its great that he was taken to the vet and was treated. Many dogs have seizures and now a days there are so many meds now on the market that will help control it. I know you don't like it at all and maybe this is something that will go away completely. But do know that this is not a death sentence like it used to be a long time ago and there is a variety of meds now available. .

Back in the late 70's, I accidently backed over my dog, not knowing she was there of course and the result was grand mull seizures and a busted pelvis. She was put on seizure meds and it took quite some time to adjust her dosage to where it would actually help. The seizures continued for years, I constantly had to adjust the meds. Then after about 5 years, the seizures stopped completely.

Best wishes to a good turn out.

 

[izmepeggy]

The high PLT are Platelets.He has a high Platelet count.Maybe a low grade infection? But,I don't think that would cause seizures,.You and Bryer will be in my prayers.

 

[Norah]

sorry to hear this ... sometimes it means they are at the end of their time with us . My doggie Izzy had a lot more seizures toward the end , she was 16. I am sorry to have to give you this news , I hope its not the case for you and your doggie

 

[shorthorsemom]

I have a seizure dog in my house right now. My collie Gabrielle. She is getting old..but young at heart. Started with seizures a year ago they were horrible and I was convinced every time she was dying. Horrible to watch your dog go through all that. Gabrielle did not handle the phenobarb very well. Got to the point where I considered putting her down and then my vet suggested I try the drug gabapentin. She has been seizure free and doing great on this drug for 8 months now. My point of writing is to tell you not to give up hope and don't be afraid to try different things. Lots of excellent choices out there for seizure treatment. I also have a Chinese crested that looked like he was seizuring but it turned out to be his heart causing him to completely collapse. Went to a cardiologist and he has been fantastic on heart meds for 5 years now. Different things can also cause the appearance of seizures. Work closely with your vet..write down times and duration of the spells. You can videotape too. Don't be afraid to try the drugs. You can ask your vet about the gabapentin for your dog. Does not sedate and my gabby is her normal self except for having the munchies and becoming a bit of a food thief. That's a manageable side affect.. with the phenobarb she was too sedated and kept losing control of bladder and bowel. Every dog and treatment is different. I had a minpin well managed on phenobarb for flycatching seizures. The neuron specialist didn't give her much of a chance.. she was on medication for a year..I tapered off and she lived to be 18 years old. You never know. For the minpin she didn't appear to need the medication after I moved and had well water instead of treated city water. Go figure. Many mysteries of living with pets. Best wishes. Ask your vet for a conference to explain the bloodwork to you. My vet does that for me because she knows I would be searching the internet for answers if she didn't tell me every single thing and what it means.

 

[Lil Eowyn]

I'm so sorry! Praying that everything works out for you all.

 

[Sonya]

My lab started having seizures when he was about 3. He was on phenobarbitol for about 5 years. While on the pheno the seizures went from very rarely to then months without anything so we weaned him off of the pheno. He lived out the rest of his life (another 4 years) seizure free. Sometimes they are just unexplainable, as was Brutus' so it was determined he had epilepsy. Why the seizures stopped who knows. Many seizures are from trauma. Hope they can find a med that will work for him...many hugs, I know it's very scarey.

 

[Jenna]

Thank you guys for your responses. My dad is doing everything he can since Bryer is his boy too. It's heartbreaking to hear my dog is going through all of this and I can't go home to be there with him, although I did make my dad promise to do everything in his power to try and have me there if The Decision has to be made, this dog has been my best friend through many tough life stuff and it's the least I can do for him. That being said, I'm looking in to everything I can to help my pup.

 

[chandab]

. For the minpin she didn't appear to need the medication after I moved and had well water instead of treated city water. Go figure.

This is interesting about the city water/well water. I moved back to this area, lived in town, and shortly after my dog started having seizures, not often but enough to have me worried. I got married, moved out to the county, and after a few months of being out here, she quit having seizures. Makes you go Hhhhmmmm!

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

Seizures are more frustrating for those who observe them than they are for those who go through them. Epileptics report they have no memory of seizures and are tired afterward.

Seizures tend to be a symptom that can be controlled and are more of a sign of an issue than they are a problem themselves.

Good luck.

Dr. Taylor

 

[misty'smom]

Our wire haired dachshund Rylee had a seizure for the first time this past Sept. She was only 10 and it came out of no where, she had always been healthy, we had her since she was 8 weeks old. We rushed her to the vet, she had another on the way which only effected her face the vet called it a focal seizure. She was given meds to control the seizure and the vet kept her for the rest of the afternoon but we had to take her an hour away that evening to an overnight clinic so she could be watched closely.She had another on the way but our vet gave us some meds to put thought her IV. Both vets suspected a brain tumor because she was showing others symptoms as well.We felt horrible to leave her there but she needed to be watched and given meds. Needless to say we did not get any sleep that night and we were at the clinic at 7 am to get her. We took her back to our vet where she spent the day having both grand mull seizures as well as the focal seizures. We took her home that evening and spent time with her, my vet said we would know when and what we had to do for her. She seemed to tell us she was tired and hurting and it was time to say goodbye........so we did the next day.

I spent hours that night she was at the clinic reading and researching. I found ther are so many reasons for seizures in dogs, some very simple as a UTI others due to a disease and as in our case something out of our control as a brain tumor. Rylee may have had the tumor for sometime with very little indications until the tumor grew and pressed on some nerves.

The best advice I can give is work with your vet, do some reading/research on your own and spend time with Bryer. It is a very hard thing to go through, I do feel your pain. I will say a prayer for you and Bryer..........

 

[Miniv]

We had a special golden who started having seizures later in life too. Monitoring the pheno monthly is important. Also, have the vet check his thyroid levels too.

Be sure that his dog food doesn't have corn or soy high on the list of ingredients.

And lastly, get on the internet and read as much as you can on the subject.

 

[WendyJ]

I thought about posting yesterday, but don't have uplifting thoughts, so I didn't. But you asked, so here goes.

In my experience, senior dogs with a sudden onset of seizures usually have a poor prognosis.

When I've seen this happen in senior dogs, it has most often turned out to be cancer. Or a benign brain tumor can cause this, as well (a benign tumor isn't cancer, but it can be just as deadly when found in places like the brain). That said, it can also be encephalitis, which may be treatable. So I would recommend a visit to a good veterinary neurologist to get his/her opinion.

And the higher calcium can be seen with a milignancy, as well.

Wendy

 

[shorthorsemom]

My vet and I agree on making dog comfortable and skipping expensive diagnostic tests that will not change outcome. On my collie we suspect a brain tumor as the cause for her senior seizures. That said.. she has also had over 8 months almost symptom free with excellent quality of life on the right drug. Vet offered me a head xray for diagnostic look into her head. Wont change outcome..and treatment would be the same. I pass. I keep her happy. I will say good bye when its time. For now..we enjoy the memories. Passing on expensive diagnostic tests that do not change outcome or treatment plan does not offend my vet because she knows my critters are well loved and cared for. We went trick or treating last October and loved all the costumed kids. Everybody thought the "kid in the dog suit" was the best. I hope you find your answers. I agree with Dr Taylor that seizures are far more upsetting for the owner than the dog. For my gabby one seizure med we tried lowered her quality of life. The other made her feel like her old self. Every dog and drug is different. Dont be afraid to try something else if something isnt working.

 

[zoey829]

Ugh!! I am so sorry. My BC takes seizures and it is so scary. She takes 3 phenobaritroals (sp?) a day. We also keep benedryl on habd. When she takes the seizure we give her the benedyl as per out vet. It eems to realax her and get her out of the seizure state. I also mark down when she had them and tried to moniter everything, like her food, activites etc.

Good luck and I hope you find some sort of anwer.

 

[Hosscrazy]

I am so sorry for what you're going through. I know that it must be very helpful for you to hear other people's personal experiences with this as well as support. I'm sure you are working with a very good vet that can help you out, and it does really help to hear what others have personally experienced with their own fur friends.

Best wishes,

Liz

 

[Jenna]

Thank you guys! Bryer actually hasn't had any more seizures since that day, he's on meds and as far as I know doing well (my father would have texted or called me to tell me otherwise). Only thing that makes me really mad is that my Dad won't change his food...he changed it right before the seizures started and after he brought Bryer to the Vet's switched it back and since there have been no further issues he's "superstitious" about changing it again...it's a fight we've been having for years as I know Beneful is not a good food...but then I don't pay for Bryer's living expenses like I will for my puppy thats on the way.

But again, thank you guys for the support, info; good and bad, I appreciate it all...I'm sure it probably is a brain tumor of sorts, as he is a Golden, as well as nearly 14, so we are skipping the expensive diagnostics and trying to focus on giving him a good, healthy life until he tells us he's ready to go.

 

[misty'smom]

Oh that is great Jenna that Bryer is doing better! It is wonderful that he is responding to the meds.

That was the problem for our little Rylee she did not respond to the seizure meds and continued to have seizures for over 48 hours.I think she had her brain tumor for awhile before we even had any indication of it. I would not worry too much about his food at this point. I too have read that Beneful is not a good food choice. I think the problem with it has more to do with a kidney/liver issue.

Just enjoy him as long as he is comfortable and the meds are keeping the seizures in check. He will tell you when he grows tired and it is time. I saw it in Rylee's eyes and I knew it was time to say goodbye, not easy but we were defiantly connecting at the end.

 

[lucky seven]

I hope everything will be okay with you and your dog. Keep us posted on how he is.

 

[Jenna]

Saw Bryer last weekend before we went to go get Lexi, he's doing fine (my aussie puppy) but I cried a lot because he is getting so old and it was just so obvious because I haven't been around a lot lately, but that was mostly just me being overly emotional. He was so happy to see me and it breaks my heart that I can't be around more. I'm hoping to make it down for his birthday (June 15th) hopefully he stays healthy enough, I have a feeling it will be his last. It just breaks my heart and there's nothing I can do.

Here's Bryer and Dukie my mom's Bichon Poo last Friday

and him lovin on me <3