Epileptic Seizure Or Something Else?

[Barney]

Hello

Background on Barney: 1 year old cocker spaniel… no medical problems to date.

Had a frightening episode yday in the park. Taking my dog for usual park walk/run… I turned around to put something in the bin to find barney foaming at the mouth – head flopping to  his right side and generally floppy . Barney couldn’t really move and was very scared himself.  This has NEVER happened before. I was so shocked and upset. He then snapped out of it and continued as normal. My initial thoughts were – has he been stung? Bitten and this was the reaction?

We went straight to the vet – where his bloods were taken (all normal) – the vet suggested it may have been an epileptic fit – or some kind of seizure??? She gave him valium to settle him …

Please can anyone tell me if they have heard of this before and is it common?

Im just really worried about him right now and can’t let him out of my sight….. I just keep imagining how would he cope with a seizure in those hours nobody is with him??

Thanks for any advice.

Ps today he is happy and as bouncy as ever!!!
 

[Jane S]

Have a look at this thread where Michele gave a link to a Canine Epilepsy site which you might find useful. Epilepsy is not unknown in Cockers as in many other breeds but it's something only your vet can diagnose. Hope Barney is ok now  

[Magic Star]

Can't offer any advice atall, but wanted to say I hope Barney is ok?

 

[sashal]

One of our GWP boys (he's has had 3-4 fits over the same number of years. It does sound like Barney has had some sort of seizure. However it does not automatically mean epilepsy and he might never have another one.

He may have got himself over excited or as you say had some sort of reaction to a sting.

Just keep an eye on him and if he doesn't have another one in the next couple of days just put it to the back of your mind. If he does have one then keep calm and quiet and keep him quiet when it is over. If he recovers normally after then just keep an eye on him and he won't need to go back to the vet.

It is only when he has more than one in 24 hours when you need to get him to the vets and only if they become frequent do you need to start thinking about if it might be epilepsy.

Our vet was brilliant when our boy first had one - we took him to the vet 'cos we were panicking a bit having never had a dog fit before. But he gave us the above advice. Some vets can be very quick to put a dog that has fitted on some sort of meds but this is often not necessary

HTH

Alex

[bluegirl]

My friends dog was a rescue dog and shortly after they got him he displayed these types of symptoms, they did diagnose epilepsy in his case and he required daily medication to control his symptoms. He did fit alot, but they learned to live with his condition.

[Barney]

thanks for all the replies!!
Barney is back to normal and as happy and naughty as ever ...... sitting by my shoulder as i type this  being nosey!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Luvly]

 

[Michele]

Im not sure if your vet offered you any advice on how to deal with an epileptic dog . but make sure if it happens again leave the dog just talk to it and make sure you dont touch the dog even when its just finished its fit . often they have temporty blindness or blurry eyes or dont know exactly where they are or whats happened so they could be scared and bite . but talk to the dog with a soft voice it always helps .

I have had experience with epilepsy but the seizures were infrequent - about once a year, but when they did occur they could last anything up to 6-7 minutes and were very scary. I found it helpful to hold Georgia close to me and quite tightly too, and as she came out of the seizure and wasn't so rigid I think she felt comforted by the close contact and support.
This is the comment I made on the thread above that Jane mentions.
I agree with you about the dog being disorientated, but I still strongly belief that Georgia found it very comforting to be held close & tight.

Whilst on this subject, I attended a seminar some years ago by Dr Geoff Skerritt, one of the top two neurological veterinary surgeons in the country at the time.
I made extensive notes on the subject, and if anyone would like a copy, I'd be happy to email it them you.
Just PM me your email and I'll forward them on.
 

[Luvly]

aww  

[Barney]

thks for all the info. Busy looking at sites and have come across a usuful advice line (as found on here).  

[Luvly]

 

[Sue H]

The yellow Lab I had (before I got Barley my 9 year old Cocker) had fits all throughout her life - the first one happened when I was out walking her and miles from anywhere ... thankfully she recovered fairly quickly and I didn't have to carry her home as I had feared!  Tests revealed nothing specific, and she only fitted perhaps once or twice a year, so we didn't have her put on any medication.  She would telegraph the signs if I was careful enough to watch out - she needed space to get through the seizure, and was a bit groggy afterwards, and sometimes sick, but was back to normal pretty quickly, and all our friends and my workmates soon got used to her occasional 'do' and we all rallied round and helped her feel better afterwards. Nothing else about her was affected - she was very placid and well behaved but would rag about like a pup if we were feeling like larking around - playful but careful of the children, and lived until 12-13 years before her joints betrayed her and she could no longer get around and sadly went to the Happy Hunting Ground!

We had a dog handed over to us at the Blue Cross who had had a history of seizures which had been getting progressively worse and his care was actually wrecking the marriage of his owners.  His seizures would begin and he would have perhaps three, four or five in a day, which left him (and them) exhausted, and he was becoming awkward in his movements and his sight was deteriorating.  We tried our very best to stablise him, since they had been overdosing his medication in an effort to stop his seizures (!) but sadly he went into a series of progressively worse fits from which he never recovered.  

There are lots of sites and lots of information about epilepsy, but basically it is a short-circuit in the brain, and if it is interfering with the dog's quality of life, then you need to give some thought as to what is the best course of action - if it is only one seizure every so often (and my Poppy never fitted whilst swimming etc - I think they know well in advance ..) then I think you can live with it because it is no  big deal.  Other dogs with differing levels of affliction respond varyingly to the medications available, so never give up!