Riley had a seizure... it was terrifying

LifeofRiley · 12-27-2012, 08:12 PM

Hi all,

I woke up to a strange sound yesterday morning. I looked down to where Riley always sleeps and saw him in the midst of an awful seizure! Of course, at the time, I really didn't know what was going on. All I saw was my dog on his side, feet paddling, eyes open but unseeing and horrible frothing at the mouth! It was terrifying. I thought he was going to die.

John and I, of course, were completely freaked and made every rookie mistake when it comes to handling a dog that is having a seizure... we were in full panic! In our defense, neither one of us had ever witnessed a dog having a seizure before. Once he came out of the active seizure, Riley was so disoriented, he didn't seem to know who he was, who we were or anything. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

About an hour afterward he, much to our relief, was back to his normal self. And, now if you would look at him, you would never think anything traumatic ever happened!

We took him to our vet immediately after he seemed to have recovered from the seizure. Given the history, they suspect idiopathic epilepsy. He went to the neurologist to today - same initial diagnosis.

There is a clinical trial for a new treatment for idiopathic epilepsy underway that the neurologist is screening him for. Today, they did a thorough exam, took blood and urine samples. If he as other seizures, he will go for an MRI and other more intensive screening.

Right now we are in a monitoring state, no treatment. If he does not have additional seizures within 60 days he will not qualify to proceed with the study. I personally hope he doesn't qualify!!!!

1sttimeforgsd · 12-27-2012, 08:16 PM

Hope that your boy improves and recovers quickly.

Gretchen · 12-27-2012, 08:19 PM

I'm sorry you have to go through this. Our dogs never had seizure but my daughter had them for years. You've been through one and kind of know what to expect when its over, just wanted to add for my daughter, she would sometimes throw up, would get really angry and get very tired afterwards. Hope you don't have to experience this again.

Loneforce · 12-27-2012, 08:20 PM

Sorry to hear this. I hope he is going to be ok

GatorBytes · 12-27-2012, 08:21 PM

Magnesium -L/U for seizures

Also - vaccinations and I do not mean a day or week ago.
Aluminum and mercury can cause seizure disorders these are the adjuvants in vaccines - mercury is in rabies vax.

How old is Riley?

LifeofRiley · 12-27-2012, 08:29 PM

Riley is a rescue so best guess is 3.5 yrs. We fostered and then adopted him 2 yrs ago.

selzer · 12-27-2012, 08:50 PM

Seizures can happen for a lot of reasons.

More than one seizure episode is generally considered epilepsy. This can be caused by a brain injury or tumor, if there is no cause for the seizures, they call it idiopathic epilepsy.

I hope your pup does not need any further treatment, but if he does, then I hope that whatever they are working on will help your dog. The current treatments for epilepsy still allow critters to have a descent life, but if they can improve it, that would be huge, as so many dogs suffer from this.

Daisy&Lucky's Mom · 12-27-2012, 09:03 PM

Im glad Riley recovered from his seizure.It is so scary when they are sick. Sounds like you are on the right road .

Nigel · 12-27-2012, 09:08 PM

Our beagle use to have them. The vet told us unless she was having them frequently it was probably best to leave well enough alone and not medicate. I'm not sure what the medication would have been, but it sounded like it could cause other health issues. Luckily her seizures became less and less as she got older.

LifeofRiley · 12-27-2012, 09:10 PM

Selzer,

I agree. I hope that my dog will be ruled out for the study due to the fact that his seizure is an isolated incidence. We are doing all the necessary tests to rule out other causes of seizures. To date, we have done blood and urine tests to rule out metabolic, infectious and other organ-related causes.

To proceed in the study, for example, all other possible seizure causes must be ruled out, which is why they will subsidize advanced testing including MRI and spinal fluid.

I would never put my dog on medication based on one seizure. If he has other seizures, then I will make my decisions from that fact. That is what we will be monitoring.

I too hope he does not need further treatment!!!! Thank you for your reply and concern : )

12-27-2012, 08:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
LifeofRiley Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 462	Riley had a seizure... it was terrifying Hi all, I woke up to a strange sound yesterday morning. I looked down to where Riley always sleeps and saw him in the midst of an awful seizure! Of course, at the time, I really didn't know what was going on. All I saw was my dog on his side, feet paddling, eyes open but unseeing and horrible frothing at the mouth! It was terrifying. I thought he was going to die. John and I, of course, were completely freaked and made every rookie mistake when it comes to handling a dog that is having a seizure... we were in full panic! In our defense, neither one of us had ever witnessed a dog having a seizure before. Once he came out of the active seizure, Riley was so disoriented, he didn't seem to know who he was, who we were or anything. It was absolutely heartbreaking. About an hour afterward he, much to our relief, was back to his normal self. And, now if you would look at him, you would never think anything traumatic ever happened! We took him to our vet immediately after he seemed to have recovered from the seizure. Given the history, they suspect idiopathic epilepsy. He went to the neurologist to today - same initial diagnosis. There is a clinical trial for a new treatment for idiopathic epilepsy underway that the neurologist is screening him for. Today, they did a thorough exam, took blood and urine samples. If he as other seizures, he will go for an MRI and other more intensive screening. Right now we are in a monitoring state, no treatment. If he does not have additional seizures within 60 days he will not qualify to proceed with the study. I personally hope he doesn't qualify!!!!

12-27-2012, 08:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
1sttimeforgsd Crowned Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: West Virginia Posts: 6,818	Hope that your boy improves and recovers quickly. __________________ karen, mom to: ace-gsd (bi-color) 6/14/2010 mandy-yellow lab 1/31/2009 baby-terrier mix 11/25/2000

12-27-2012, 08:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
Loneforce Knighted Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: PA Posts: 2,377	Sorry to hear this. I hope he is going to be ok __________________ Jonas :Black & Red WGSL D.O.B.01/14/2012... Taz:11/15/99-01/16/12 Ginger:06/23/02-02/13/13

12-27-2012, 08:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
GatorBytes Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southern Ontario Posts: 2,149	Magnesium -L/U for seizures Also - vaccinations and I do not mean a day or week ago. Aluminum and mercury can cause seizure disorders these are the adjuvants in vaccines - mercury is in rabies vax. How old is Riley? __________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. - Unknown

12-27-2012, 08:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
selzer Crowned Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Denmark, Ohio Posts: 20,825	Seizures can happen for a lot of reasons. More than one seizure episode is generally considered epilepsy. This can be caused by a brain injury or tumor, if there is no cause for the seizures, they call it idiopathic epilepsy. I hope your pup does not need any further treatment, but if he does, then I hope that whatever they are working on will help your dog. The current treatments for epilepsy still allow critters to have a descent life, but if they can improve it, that would be huge, as so many dogs suffer from this. __________________ RIP Arwen, CD RN CGC RIP Whitney, RN CGC Jenna, RN CGC & Babs, CD RA CGC HIC (not AKC) Heidi, RA CGC & Tori, RN CGC SG3 Odessa, SchH1, Kkl1, AD Ninja, RN CGC & Milla, RN CGC Joy, Star Puppy, RN CGC Dolly CGC & Bear Gretta Hepzibah

12-27-2012, 08:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
Gretchen Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: California's Central Coast Posts: 1,518	I'm sorry you have to go through this. Our dogs never had seizure but my daughter had them for years. You've been through one and kind of know what to expect when its over, just wanted to add for my daughter, she would sometimes throw up, would get really angry and get very tired afterwards. Hope you don't have to experience this again.

12-27-2012, 08:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
LifeofRiley Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 462	Riley is a rescue so best guess is 3.5 yrs. We fostered and then adopted him 2 yrs ago.

12-27-2012, 09:03 PM	#8 (permalink)
Daisy&Lucky's Mom Crowned Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,673	Im glad Riley recovered from his seizure.It is so scary when they are sick. Sounds like you are on the right road . __________________ Daisy 11/26/99-7/25/12- Lucky- GSD Rescue 2/16/2002 Thunder from the East: adopted 1/25/2013 Miss Chevy Cruz - adopted 1/25/2013

12-27-2012, 09:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
Nigel Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 1,470	Our beagle use to have them. The vet told us unless she was having them frequently it was probably best to leave well enough alone and not medicate. I'm not sure what the medication would have been, but it sounded like it could cause other health issues. Luckily her seizures became less and less as she got older.

12-27-2012, 09:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
LifeofRiley Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 462	Selzer, I agree. I hope that my dog will be ruled out for the study due to the fact that his seizure is an isolated incidence. We are doing all the necessary tests to rule out other causes of seizures. To date, we have done blood and urine tests to rule out metabolic, infectious and other organ-related causes. To proceed in the study, for example, all other possible seizure causes must be ruled out, which is why they will subsidize advanced testing including MRI and spinal fluid. I would never put my dog on medication based on one seizure. If he has other seizures, then I will make my decisions from that fact. That is what we will be monitoring. I too hope he does not need further treatment!!!! Thank you for your reply and concern : )

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