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Here's the update - sorry to leave everyone hanging...
I spoke with my vet, and he felt that given he had just been fully vetted by the rescue group vet and was healthy, and that these incidents are occuring sporadically and we have only witnessed them a few times, and that hes coming out of them ok - that we can wait until after the 1st of the year to do all the blood work and other tests.
Because of timing of paychecks, the holidays, etc - I really need to wait till Jan to run full blown tests - and he felt like that was ok. However, we agreed that should anything change or these things increase either in number or intensity - then he should come in.
I will take all of your information to him and request much of what's been recommended.
Since this post, we have seen one other occurance. He's with me all day long, except when I run errands, and is an otherwise happy and healthy guy.
If anyone can think of anything else, please let me know!
To Jenbar~
Did you ever have the blood work done on your dog?
To Everyone reading this~Here is my situation: I have a 6 year old pure breed black lab who has not had any medical problems. Recently for 6 months he had to stay with my brother-in-law (who is an animal lover) in another state because I had to live in an apartment. In April I got a house so I got my dog back. A got his shots up to date that week, a few days later the same thing that you had been describing had happened to him. Basically it is his lower jaw that is tremoring up and down. The whole time this was happening he was responsive and wagging his tail. I rushed the dog to the vet. I had video taped it as well, doctor checked his ears (fine), and did all the blood work that is possible. Everything came back fine but he just had a mild infection of some sort. Vet put him on antibiotics for a week. They couldn't find a reason for him doing this, but the Vet said she had some dobermans do this for years and they are fine, she said I could get an MRI done, but that would be costly & they still might not find out why this is happening. Fast forward to today June 27, 2008, and he did it twice (first time for 5 minutes, then about 30 minutes later he did it again for about 2 minutes. I don't know what to do. Should I get a second opinion from another vet or should I just let it go? Also, I have been noticing that I think he has been having a runny nose lately. I am scared that it could be some kind of cancer, but wouldn't the blood test have confirmed something like that already? This really worries me because he is my baby. Also, someone earlier mentioned something like trauma could have happened to him to cause this.....the only thing I can think of where my dog could have been traumatized would be when he was with my brother-in-law for 6 months, but I can't see him doing something to the dog, he loves dogs too much. Please help.
Your descriptions sound somewhat different. The first one sounds like a partial complex seizure - it is NOT associated with the kind of huge movements seen in a grand mal seizure and is often something very stereotyped, like scratching or snapping behaviors. The second one, with its rhythmic movements sounds just like an absence seizure. These are different in etiology from partial complex seizures but can be just as upsetting to you. Believe me, the dog doesn't realize this is going on.
Try to capture one of these episodes on video and show your vet. Hope you get to the bottom of this soon.
Jenbar,
I had an English bulldog (a rescue) who would have head tremors like you described when he was being picky about his food and wouldn't eat. Vet said it was from low blood sugar and, sure enough, when the tremors would start, I'd give him some treats and they'd stop shortly after he ate them.
I had a devil of a time finding food that he would eat! I went through all of the top brands, including Royal Canin's English bulldog food, and bought a bag of Pedigree out of desperation. Bingo -- he loved it! He was very stubborn -- until I tried Pedigree, he would simply not eat more than a mouthful of the other foods, hence the low blood sugar and head tremors.
Anyhoo, I obviously don't know if the low blood sugar thing is your dog's problem but it's worth a shot. Good luck!
Sounds like this poor dog has had a hard time of it before he came to live with you.
One of my greyhounds used to have episodes like that-very rarely-and they were anxiety attacks, the poor dog had been starved and abused at the track, at first he also had dreadful nightmares, he yelped and shivered.
We'd hold him, pet him and say his new name a few times, and he'd go back to sleep.
Saw your message and oh how I can relate. I have a 9 year old Boxer. "Buck" is my baby. He is so much more perfect than I guess anything else in our home. We are so used to having him meet & greet us at the door that 3 weeks ago when the first seizure started, I just paniced. I cannot describe it other than to say that it didn't last near as long as I felt like it did and my vet swears that he didn't even know what happened. He has had several now even after all the bloodwork coming back good and putting him on phenobarbitol twice daily, and he still had another one last night. I cry as I type this and watch him at my feet. I sure wish someone had some insight to tell me when enough is enough. I don't want him to be uncomfortable or suffer EVER.
I have a Female boxer that is 9 years old.. well for the past 6 months she has been having seizures really bad.. well 4 days ago she had a seizure and fell down the steps to the basement and was jus laying there in a full seiure by the time i got to her.. she had her seizure for about 5 mins then got up like it was nothing and she was ok.. well 2 days ago she started having seizures again.. she had 8 or 9 within a 24 hour period and now 48 hours later she still has not came out of it.. i mean she got up and walked around the first 24 hours and did like she normally does but the last 24 hours she has went down hill bad.. she can not stand now, she can still move and everything but she jus chooses to lay there... she hasnt drank or ate anything in 48 hours now... i forced a little bit of water in her mouth earlier to try to keep her hydrated... i dont know what to do... can someone help me please..
Please take her to the vet ASAP - she's having huge problems and w/ the holidays here, you don't want to wait. Please get back to us on how she's doing, they'll likely run some tests to rule things out but you have to be proactive. Best of luck.
Quote:
Originally Posted by biteme08130
I have a Female boxer that is 9 years old.. well for the past 6 months she has been having seizures really bad.. well 4 days ago she had a seizure and fell down the steps to the basement and was jus laying there in a full seiure by the time i got to her.. she had her seizure for about 5 mins then got up like it was nothing and she was ok.. well 2 days ago she started having seizures again.. she had 8 or 9 within a 24 hour period and now 48 hours later she still has not came out of it.. i mean she got up and walked around the first 24 hours and did like she normally does but the last 24 hours she has went down hill bad.. she can not stand now, she can still move and everything but she jus chooses to lay there... she hasnt drank or ate anything in 48 hours now... i forced a little bit of water in her mouth earlier to try to keep her hydrated... i dont know what to do... can someone help me please..
To all of you who are experiencing these symptoms, I agree with viralmd, get them on video. Have that camcorder nearby at all times and as soon as you see this, capture it and then get to the vet asap.
I had a vet once (I will never forget this) who listened to me explain some symptoms (not seizures, entirely different situation) and she sent us home as "ok." But I knew my dog and took her to another vet and thank God I did, she almost died of circulatory shock and had to be hospitalized inpatient for days while it was touch-and-go. The first vet was just plain wrong and I never went to her again.
A video depiction of what's happening would really be helpful for the vet to see to help diagnose. It sounds so scary. And if you feel blown off or uncomfortable with the vet's assessment, get a second opinion by a vet whom someone you trust has recommended.
I have a Female boxer that is 9 years old.. well for the past 6 months she has been having seizures really bad.. well 4 days ago she had a seizure and fell down the steps to the basement and was jus laying there in a full seiure by the time i got to her.. she had her seizure for about 5 mins then got up like it was nothing and she was ok.. well 2 days ago she started having seizures again.. she had 8 or 9 within a 24 hour period and now 48 hours later she still has not came out of it.. i mean she got up and walked around the first 24 hours and did like she normally does but the last 24 hours she has went down hill bad.. she can not stand now, she can still move and everything but she jus chooses to lay there... she hasnt drank or ate anything in 48 hours now... i forced a little bit of water in her mouth earlier to try to keep her hydrated... i dont know what to do... can someone help me please..
You have to get her to an emergency vet asap.
From my perspective as a cardiology technician...
Those of you with Boxers who have seizures might consider doing a Holter monitor on your dogs. Boxers are very prone to a heart problem which causes fainting. In a dog fainting looks a lot like a seizure.
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My Boxer Baby is having seizures too
