Is this a seizure?

[bc4ever]

This morning I noticed that Scooter must have had a bad time last night, as there was a small amount of vomit on the chair and on the rug. Nothing major. He did lie around a lot today, but I was busy cleaning and didn't have time to play with him. He's eating normally but has some sort of cough/wheeze sound once in a while. Allergies? Now I'm watching him sleep and he keeps twitching and jerking. How would I tell the difference between the normal twitching and moving around that dogs do in their sleep and a seizure? What should I be looking for? Yes, I probably worry too much about him...

[BCkris]

I would say that a seizure is quite different than twitching while sleeping. You can go to your vet and ask for blodwork to be done and that may show if something is going on. I haven't really heard of dogs having a seizure while sleeping but I suppose it's possible. I'm not a vet by all means but have been working at a vets office for awhile. Just to be sure I'd get your doggy checked. Semi annual visits are recommended anyway so it doesn't hurt just to get good news!

[juliepoudrier]

Hmmm...how to describe the difference. The twitching a dog does in its sleep seems more random. Even a mild seizure is more violent (for lack of a better word) than the normal twitching that occurs during sleep. Also you can wake a dog up (obviously) that's twitching in its sleep, but a dog in a seizure cannot respond by just stopping and getting up. Usually seizures are accompanied by other things, like drooling, loss of bowel or bladder control, or other "symptoms" that don't occur during sleep.

 

As for Scooter, my first thought wouldn't be seizure but a bug (infection) or that he ate something that didn't agree with him. FYI, a trip to the vet for bloodwork after an actual seizure may or may not show anything of note. If Scooter remained lethargic for a good part of the day, then if a seizure were involved, his lethargy would imply a very bad seizure, and I think you would notice other signs that a seisure occurred. I have a dog who has very mild seizures, and her post-ictal period is nearly nonexistent and then she's right back to her normal self. The first time she seized, I took her to the vet for bloodwork and the vet noted that if it had been a bad seizure, she wouldn't have recovered back to normal (normal behavior, normal heart rate and respiration, not exhausted) quite so quickly. Bloodwork showed nothing.

 

J.

[urge to herd]

My experience is like Julie's. If Scooter can respond to your voice or touch, then he's not seizing, he's asleep and having a dream.

 

I suppose dogs/humans could have petit mal seizures in their sleep, and not remember them, but once you've seen a grand mal seizure, you're won't mistake it for anything else. It is very violent, as Julie said.

 

If Scooter doesn't bounce back to his normal Scooter self in a day or two, or if he gets worse, get him to the vet, ask about seizing there. But from what you're describing, I don't think he was seizing. You could try searching on YouTube for video of seizing dogs, but be warned, it's not easy to watch.

 

Hope the Scoot Man is feeling better soon,

 

Ruth

[bc4ever]

Thanks! He seems okay today but I'm not. Woke up crying this morning from a dream I had that he had died. May have had something to do with the thread about Cheyenne and knowing when the right time was to let go. I really shouldn't read those kind of posts before bed.

[pansmom]

Never had experience with this, but just wanted to send you some good mojo that Scooter feels better soon.

[BC-Liz]

Two of my pups have had seizures in their sleep. It's nothing like the usual kicking and twitching from dreams. Granted they were not mild seizures, but still I think it would be very different. Plus my pups were very much awake after the seizure ended and are panting b/c they get so hot. Yeah I hate that the bloodwork tells you nothing. We've linked both Rhea and Gunnar's seizures to chemical stimulus but those never showed up on any bloodwork.

 

I'm glad he's feeling better. Go give him a hug and cheer up!

[Nikita4ever]

The only type of seizures I am familiar with are the ones Nikita had and they were severe. I do not remember the proper term due to my stress level with her health at the time. But in her case it was the brain tumor.

 

She lost her bowels and was drooling and her entire body from head to paw was seizing. She could not be woken up out of it she continued until her body stopped and all I could do was comfort her. In the beginning she also made a noise difficult to describe but it was a noise that you knew she was in pain and it broke my heart.

 

After the seizing stopped she was very disoriented, anxious and exhausted.

Even when she was on high doses of medication and she seized it was her entire body just not as intense, she still lost her bowels and was drooling.

 

Misha our other dog and Dashia the puppy both twitch in their sleep and yes I have panicked woke them up to make sure it was not a seizure. They both were alert which made me feel better.

 

I agree I would go to the vet to be safe.

If you can afford it you could even get an MRI if it continues, but they are expensive. Nikita’s was $1300.00 out where I live in Southern California. I had to borrow the money to get it done due to the cost.

 

I hope the best for Scooter.

 

I just read your new post and I am so happy Scooter is feeling better!!!!!!!