Has anyone encountered their dog having a seizure? If so, what is the diagnosis?

Question

Our dog has a seizure about once every 3 months. We took her to a couple of vets and each one has basically said there is nothing that can be done about it unless you wish to spend $200/mo. on prescribed medication.

Answer 1

FYI seizures can be harmful to dogs especially if they are having them very very frequently. They can cause additional brain damage if not efficient controlled leading to additional seizures and can eventually kill a dog.So there can be many reasons for seizure activity in dogs. This can include metabolic disorders such as low blood sugar, kidney disease, liver disease, and electrolyte abnormalities. Idiopathic epilepsy where the cause for seizures is unknown. Anatomical disorders such as an increase in fluid around the brain, or abnormal brain structure seizures are usually present at an young age with this. Nutritional causes, trauma, certain toxin exposures, tumors, infectious causes such as fungal diseases, tick-borne diseases, or parasites that affect the brain. And finally an abnormal inflammatory process in the brain can contribute to seizures as well. The reason I listed all of these causes is to make a point that these generally should be ruled out before it is decided that nothing can be done. Some of these causes can be treated for much less then 200$/mo. The expense can come in trying to diagnose the cause. The first step typically would require blood work and see if that provides any answers if you haven't done that already. If bloodwork does not provide a diagnosis other diagnostic options you would have would be to have a MRI or CT of you dog's brain and have the fluid that surrounds the brain sampled to test for the infectious causes. Unfortunately these tests can be costly but may be worth it if you find something that can be easily treated. Hope that helps

Answer 2

Our female border collie was diagnosed with epilepsy. When she was just a couple months old we noticed her head quivering very slightly and she would seem disoriented. We took her to the vet and for a while had her on phenobarbitol. I was looking forward to puppies but with the epilepsy it wasn't possible so we had her spayed, while she was on the operating table she had her first and only grand mal seizure. After that the vet upped her meds and we kept her on them for a few years.

At the time our household was pretty chaotic and she is a very shy sensitive dog(border collie mix). A few years later things had calmed down and she stopped having seizures all together so we opted to take her off the meds for a while. There were side effects that we did not like. She has not had a seizure in a few years now and we try to keep her calm. There is hope. Good luck.

Answer 3

you know the internet is a great place for information about everything under the sun,if i was you id keep a diary and take note of his behaviour just before during and after the seizure,what way he acts before a seizure,like does he get restless or become sleepy or howl write down all the details and the vet is wrong in saying nothing can be done there is always something that can be done,when you have done this show it to the vet and there maybe a good outcome to it for your dog.

Answer 4

Medication is the only answer. Even humans have seizures which will require meds. I have been told ,,your vet could write a perscription and you can take this to any Drug store and they can fill it and it SAVES YOU ALOT of money. Its worth a shot because the meds may save you at least 1/2 or more. Hope this helps you some. If your parents have a prescription card the vet could put their name on the prescription and if they have a co-pay boy that would save LOTS!! Good Luck

Answer 5

My dog was a Chinese pug. I had a lot of small seizures esp when sleeping or sick. As long as the seizures were just small I let it alone. If they had become larger in nature I would have gotten the medication. Seizure are caused by interruption in the brain waves in humans so I'm assuming it is the same in dogs?I would hold Rocky and rub him or wake him, and that seemed to help somewhat. Hope it helps.

Answer 6

As sad an option this is to paying for prescription meds I would suggest putting the dog to sleep, especially if each seizure effects the dog worse each time. It may be suffering more and more with each seizure.

A friend of mine had a dog that become diabetic. Yes they were wrong to feed it table scraps but they were left with the option of giving it shots for the rest of its life or putting it to sleep. They couldn't afford the shots, as they were already in finacial trouble. It broke their heart to say good bye to their beloved pet and they said that they will not get another.

Of course, I wouldn't suggest swearing off ever having another dog. You may have to wait a little while until you find a dog that can try to fill the shoes of the dog you had to put to sleep.

Answer 7

when our black lab was about 4 years old , he also started having seizures. our vet said that he was probably having epilectic seizures. this happened 4 times in about a year & a half. our vet also told us that there was medication available but he would have to take it daily the rest of his life. our vet said that if it did not happen too often , we should not put him on any medication. luckily we have not seen him having a seizure in 4 or 5 years. i'm glad we listened to our vet.

Answer 8

My old dog has seizures and it was mortifying. There isn't anything to do, but control through medication. Luckily, the medication (can't remember what it was) didn't cost that much. We usually only spent $50-60/mo

Answer 9

My dog has little seizures every day. She is about 8 years old, but she is diabetic and blind. She doesn't eat very much. We just decided to let her life run its course until she is in pain. Seizures don't actually hurt the dog. It's hitting things or falling over that hurts them. When you think your dog is going to have a seizure, bring her over and lay her down, so she doesn't hurt herself.

Answer 10

My bulldog occasionally gets siezures. The vet told me its because of low sugar levels. Her food is a special diet without salt or sugar. When she gets a seizure I give her a tablespoon of grape jelly. the seizure usually ends within a minute.