So my dog started having seizures yesterday :( UPDATE

[Deleted]

Any good thoughts appreciated...

Lincoln, my labradoodle - big guy in my pic, had a really bad grand mal seizure yesterday - his first.  We rushed him to the vet (oldest works at a vet clinic luckily) & they checked him over, bloodwork, etc...  They think he most likely has idiopathic epilepsy (probably genetic - no specific cause.) 

Since then he's had a couple of mild seizures & another grand mal this morning - thankfully shorter than yesterday's.  We are starting phenobarbital to try to control them.  Will go back for some more tests, monitoring, etc. 

Anyone had any experience with epileptic dogs?  I know a couple of people who had/have had them - but they all had mild cases, like a seizure every couple/few months & they didn't use medication. It's especially concerning that his are coming so close together.

I'm normally pretty logical & calm, but am having a really hard time with this.  He is such a good dog & while he loves the whole family - he is extremely bonded with me.  He came from horrible conditions & you wouldn't even know it based on his awesome personality now.

[Deleted]

(((Lincoln))) (((shophippy)))

No experience with an epileptic dog, but I'm sending good thoughts and vibes your way.

[val2525]

(((((liincoln & shophippy)))) No experience, just good thoughts for you.

[allikat]

My In-laws had an epileptic miniature daschund, he lived a long happy life with a daily phenobarbital everyday at precisely 5pm. Eventually died of old age. His started with multiple seizures a day at first then the pheno built up in his system and he experienced less and less seizures and then only seizures if his pheno was late.

The seizures are very upsetting and you feel so helpless, I am so sorry you and your doggy are going thru this.

[denise15601]

Awww-sorry!

[sunsetpainter]

We had a tiny Yorkie/Mini Poodle mix. He was 6 pounds dripping wet. He started having epileptic seizures including several grand mal when he was about 2 years. The vet put him on the phenobarbital meds and it took about 6 - 8 months to get it adjusted just right so he would only have mild ones every few months. He was a spunky little thing and did just fine with the meds. (((Lincoln))) (((shophippy)))

[Deleted]

Apr 30, 2016 22:55:09 GMT sunsetpainter said:

We had a tiny Yorkie/Mini Poodle mix. He was 6 pounds dripping wet. He started having epileptic seizures including several grand mal when he was about 2 years. The vet put him on the phenobarbital meds and it took about 6 - 8 months to get it adjusted just right so he would only have mild ones every few months. He was a spunky little thing and did just fine with the meds. (((Lincoln))) (((shophippy)))

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Sunset - were you afraid to leave your dog alone at first?  We are trying to figure out what to do so he doesn't hurt himself if were are gone.  He's 80 lbs., so not small.  In the phase right after a seizure, he's kind of in a panic without full control. 

We crated him when we 1st got him, but he's had the run of the house for a long time now.  Finding a room/area where we can potentially confine him while we are gone is proving to be a challenge.

[Shirley U Geste]

Oh no, poor Lincoln.

No advice, just lots of hugs and good health wishes.  ((((Lincoln)))) ((((Shop))))

[Desire]

So sorry to hear this - it's hard when our pets are sick and we feel so helpless.

Hope it works out OK - (((hugs))) to both of you!

[Deleted]

Awww poor baby. We had a tiny Chihuahua that started having seizures when she was around 5 years old and had them for a couple of years. They never could figure out why she was having them and they stopped one day as quickly as they started and never returned. That was years and years ago we use to put her in a box with blankets until the seizure passed so she didn't hurt herself or us because she'd bite when she had them and then she'd be totally fine like nothing happened as soon as they stopped.

I can't imagine handling seizures with a large dog, luckily now they have meds to control the seizures do hopefully you can get him on a good routine and he won't have many.

[Deleted]

One of my friends had a labrador x that started having seizures when he was about 11. Meds kept them under control but I think it took a few months for them to kick in. He lived quite a few more years and died of extreme old age.

(((Lincoln and shophippy)))

[sunsetpainter]

Shop, we were afraid to leave him at first. But once his meds got adjusted right we were better about it. Then when we had to leave him home, we would put him in his crate. He never minded it since he was trained in it from when he was a puppy.

[Deleted]

We started pheno yesterday evening. Think he had a small/mild seizure last night, but now over 24 hours without a large one.

He hasn't really been himself for a couple of weeks. He's had an ear infection (recurring) & started some new meds a couple of weeks ago. His behavior was fine before the meds (just stinky, gooey ear) - he was his usual bouncy self. From about a day after we started the new drops - we noticed changes. After a couple of days we were so concerned that we stopped those & the vet switched his meds. He's been out of sorts ever since. Now we are wondering if he started having mild seizures then. The vet doesn't think there's any connection to the meds, but we wonder.

I worry that his crate isn't big enough for when he's having a seizure. We do have a small sunroom (heated/cooled) that we used to keep the dogs/crates in when we were gone. DH is worried because two walls are literally glass, but I think we can move the furniture/crates around so that he isn't near it.

Those of you with experience - did you have other animals also? So far Lucy (standard poodle) has run & hid on her own when he has one. But I've read that I do need to keep them separated when we are not around - mainly to prevent her from attacking him while he's weak/sick?

This sucks

[Deleted]

(((shophippy))) I hope the pheno helps him.

[Deleted]

We did have other pets but they never came near her when she had a seizure. I'd probably just keep and eye on them and watch how she reacts each time, if she splits when he has one I doubt you have anything to worry about. I'm sure there are dogs that freak out and attack the one that is having a seizure but I highly doubt if it's something every dog is going to do, ours never did and we had large dogs and other small dogs around her.

For the glass windows I don't know if it's something you would want to do but could you get some gymnastic type of mats and put them up along the walls? That way if he fell against the wall he wouldn't be hurt himself or fall through the glass. Kind of make it a big padded cage.

Or a cheaper option might be the foam puzzle type of mats that you put under treadmills and exercise equipment. Just something to reinforce the windows and pad them at the same time. Would work on corners too.

[val2525]

Did you google the med you stopped, to see if there were reports of seizures as a side effect? Vets, like docs, don't know everything about every med they prescribe. (((llincoln)))

[Deleted]

May 1, 2016 22:29:15 GMT val2525 said:

Did you google the med you stopped, to see if there were reports of seizures as a side effect? Vets, like docs, don't know everything about every med they prescribe. (((llincoln)))

Yes & I read all the fine print on the package inserts for the drops.  A couple of sites mention seizures as a rare side effect for the 1st ear drops  & the oral antibiotic, but the package inserts & most info I found do not.  He'd had the antibiotic before with no problems.  The drops definitely had an effect on him.  So who knows?  It could be some ultra rare reaction or it could just be a coincidence.  He's at the prime age that dogs predisposed to seizures begin to have them. 

Unfortunately the outcome/treatment is the same.    I think the pheno may be helping, but today he is acting unsteady/like he's a little drunk, which can be a side effect of it until they adjust.

[jellybeanscloset412]

((( Lincoln & Sohippy))) I've never had a dog that seized. I hope the meds work.

[Deleted]

Shop, how's Lincoln? Is he any better on the pheno?

[Deleted]

It's been kind of rough, but I think he's starting to improve. Thanks for asking!

The 1st week he was very clumsy/weak/kind of out of it from the pheno which was hard. He finally seems to be adjusting & he even tried to get our other dog to play with him a couple of times yesterday.

He's had a couple of instances of odd behavior which could be smaller seizures - common until the pheno builds up in his system & they find the right dose. No major ones though.

[sunsetpainter]

Glad to hear he's doing better. Hope he continues to improve.

[Deleted]

Oh, I'm glad he's getting better. Wanting to play is a very good sign. It's hard to watch while he adjusts but probably not as hard as watching the seizures. I hope you've seen the last of those.

[Deleted]

Shop - I had a peek-a-poo years ago with terrible seizure disorder.  She took meds her whole life and died from old age.  They are pretty good at keeping them under control.

If you want, you can always go to the clothing board on ebay and go to GMM (gotta make money)  Beth the girl who leads it is a vet and ALWAYS wonderful about informing people who have questions about their pets.  It might ease your mind.  Prayers

[Deleted]

This is the big guy & his girlfriend.  It's rare I get them together for a pic.  He likes her way more than she really likes him, lol.

[Deleted]

Awww, I love doggies! I've never felt labradoodle fur, I bet it's nice. Is it easy-care?

[Deleted]

May 12, 2016 5:26:51 GMT @misspettigrew said:

Awww, I love doggies! I've never felt labradoodle fur, I bet it's nice. Is it easy-care?'

Labradoodles can all be different since they are basically a fancy mutt.  His is very similar to poodle hair - it's curly & grows constantly, but it's softer & easier to trim than Lucy's.  Hers is a tighter curl/coarser.  Not easy care at all because they have to be groomed or it becomes super long & matted. 

I have a pic somewhere of him all grown out & shaggy.  My avatar pic is of him groomed like a poodle.  He looks like a different dog depending on his cut.  May do a mohawk next, lol.

[Deleted]

Oh well, no labradoodle for me, then. If I ever get a dog it'll have to be wash and wear. My dream dog is a golden labrador, but I've watched so many sad clips on youtube that I think I'd end up with a rescued mix.

[Deleted]

Only rescue/shelter dogs here. I didn't set out to get the breeds I have, but they were both available when I was looking. Lucy (standard poodle) had been returned to the local animal shelter twice.

[Deleted]

The purebred shelter animals get snapped up pretty quickly here. Mostly they go via facebook now, before they ever get to a shelter. Which is good.

I can't imagine ever returning an animal. Even if it suddenly turned out to be very sick I'd still feel it was my duty to see it through, because it certainly wouldn't get better care at the shelter.

Watching youtube I've discovered that some people lose two pets (usually dogs) at the same time, and when they go to reclaim them they leave one behind! Who does that? How can they actually face the shelter worker and say, "Oh yeah, we don't want that one anymore, we'll surrender it." Aren't they ASHAMED? And when they're told the dog might be put down, what do they say? "Oh well, tough luck."

[Deleted]

Update -

We are now pretty much sure Lincoln has a brain tumor.  After a few days of improvement, he began to get much worse - confusion, weakness, tremors & other neurological symptoms.  By process of elimination (testing for everything else basically) that's pretty much the verdict - plus he has all of the classic symptoms of a frontal lobe tumor. 

We started him on steroids a few days ago & he has improved immensely (another definitive sign - they relieve the swelling/pressure on the brain), so for now he is being spoiled rotten.  He will stay on the sterioids for the rest of his life until they no longer control the symptoms.  Based on how fast his symptoms came on - we are pretty sure we don't have much longer. 

We're not going the route of traveling to a specialist for an MRI, etc.  Even with specialized treatment, the prognosis for a brain tumor is not good & I can't imagine putting a dog through all of that.  My daughter works at a vet clinic/hospital with 5 different experienced/well-trained vets who can handle just about anything, so I trust their judgement. They have been so nice & have really gone above & beyond to help us.

Good thoughts please.  This is really hard