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Gunnar had a seizure


BC-Liz
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So I just got an upset phone call from my fiance asking why I wasn't answering the phone (it hadn't rung..stupid phone) and then proceeded to tell me that Gunnar had a seizure. Some of you may remember about a 10 months ago me writing about Rhea having seizures. She's had 3 total and hasn't had one in about 7 months *knock on wood*. We attributed hers to chemically induced incidences. Once we eliminated those chemicals, she stopped having seizures. But I don't have a clue what is causing Gunnar to seize. It's rather warm here but we don't run them at all during the heat of the day. We go for a 20 min jog...where I'm jog and they're simply walking fast in...in the morning but it was only in the mid 70's at that point.

 

I wasn't actually there, I really wish I was, so Steven told me as much as he could. Lasted for a min or two, which means it probably only lasted a min since it usually feels like forever. DF said he bolted out of the house to use the bathroom, as he often does, and started running around like something was stinging his bum, got out to our cul-de-sac and collapsed into a seizure. DF said he throwing up too...I didn't think that was a symptom of a seizure and Rhea never did that. DF has to pick him up so that the vomit would leave his mouth. He then proceeded to pee all over him. He came out of it and was doing the usual "drunk doggy" act.

 

We were hoping against hope that Gunnar would never seize. He and Rhea are littermates and we were really hoping that Rhea's were a fluke and that it wasn't genetic...I think we were wrong.

 

I hate this. I hate it when something is wrong that I can't fix. I guess the next thing to do it to take him to the vet for a full check up....was just hoping for some support from the boards. Thanks for reading.

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Hey Liz,

It is an awful feeling when it happens, and while seizures can't be cured, they can be controlled. I would do an initial blood workup just so you have a baseline and then start keeping a journal of the seizure events--keep track of anything you do to him (HW preventive, vaccines, tick/flea preventive, food changes) in your journal and see if you can detect a pattern. It may be like Rhea and just be a once or twice time event thing, but best to start keeping track so you do have a record that might show you a pattern.

 

J.

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I'd like to refute the idea that the dogs are in any distress during a seizure. Even though they may vocalize, lose thier bowels, etc., these are all involuntary actions which happen while the dog is unconcious. Many times a dog feels something is wrong momentarily before a seizure and will try to run before a fit overtakes them, but that is only for a moment. Many times a dog will seize while sleeping and will only be aware that something different happened when regaining conciousness. An epileptic human friend of mine who suffers grand mal type seizures never feels any pain during a seizure and never has any memory of them. He is only aware of his body changes (sweating, racing heart) after a seizure is over.

 

To the OP, I have found the website, www.canine-epilepsy.com and their related epi-K9 email group to be most helpful when dealing with a dog with epilepsy. Your epi-journey is just beginning, unfortunately, but there is much to learn and much you can do to help treat the dog and manage the seizures.

 

Good luck to you and your dogs.

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Thanks everyone for your thoughts and advice. I've already gone through all the research and read just about everything when Rhea had her first seizure. I'm relieved to know what to do this time around.

 

I know they're not in any pain but their bewilderment afterward is unfortunate. I just wish my poor pups didn't have to go through it at all.

 

Just visited the pups for my lunch break. All was well with no signs of a 2nd seizure so that's at least good.

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I second Julies journal suggestion, and best of luck with the pups. they are both such sweeties.

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Nearing the end of the day and not another seizure *knocks on wood*. We have a journal for Rhea already and so we added an entry for Gunnar ( :rolleyes: ). When Rhea had her seizures we got all sorts of information from the vet so we know what to avoid to not induce another one *hopefully*. Hopefully we'll figure out what induced this one, if anything at all.

 

Thanks so much for all your support and thoughts. Its always nice to have these boards to turn to.

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I hope things settle down with your poor pup. And that, having gone through this with Rhea, you at least know what to do for Gunnar.

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I don't have any good suggestions, just great sympathy for both you and your BF. The stress and helplessness of watching the ones you love go through a seizure must be great and not knowing if and when it will happen again even worse. Good luck, sending good mojo your way.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Some may remember that my wonderful collie boy Snorri was epileptic, and we managed to control his siezures very well, with phenobarbitone (although different dogs may do differently on different drugs). We managed to keep him free for nearly 7 years, during which he was a normal, happy little boy - so, you see, it CAN be done! The siezures were, indeed, dreadful to witness, but we did know that, despite that, Snorri was feeling nothing. A human sufferer I know confirms this - the only pain he ever has is from awkward attempts at first aid, and moving him away from furniture. Snorri used to get confused afterwards (but this is normal) - we overcame this by speaking to him softly and reassuringly, and stroking him gently. Evidently, he knew something had happened, but not what.

 

Fear not, this is not the end of the world! It's a pain in the butt and needs attention, but you can cope..........!

 

Snorri

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*sigh* make that 2. He's going to the vet today at 5 to get a full work up. Need to eliminate other causes to make sure its idiopathic. Rhea's managed to go away for now without medical treatment. I'm still hoping that Gunnar's will as well. Both times were during fetch...but it wasn't heat related because once was in the morning when it's still cool and the today, the game had only just begun. Poor DF had been home alone both times. :rolleyes:

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