seizures

[paula67]

Hi I am new to this site and just wanted to know if anyone had any idea why my dog keeps having fits?
He is a rottweiler, German shepherd and Burmese cross, he is 7 years old but only started having fits about 2-3 years ago, he doesn't have them very often maybe 1 every 1-2 months. We can't take him for a walk as he has a fit but he can spend all day in the garden running around and is fine.
During a fit he froths at the mouth, urinates and lets off an awful smell, after the fit which lasts about 5 mins he is very clingy.
Can anyone help?
Paula.

[.sarah]

Has he been seen by a vet? That is the only thing I can suggest. Seizures aren't to be taken lightly.

[slleipnir]

My dog has epilipsy. She takes phenobarb for it, and hasn't has a seizure since. However, I believe they have to happen regularly to take the meds. Josie started off only having them every so often, but it kept getting worse. I also believe it's bad if the seizure lasts too long (their brain over heats). There is nothing YOU can do. Take her to the vet, they can help.

[paula67]

We told the vet about them and they said that as he was only having them every once in a while it wasn't worth putting him on medication. They said that each time he has a fit it kills brain cells but so does any medication they would give him.
We can't understand how it only happens at certain times.
He looks such a fiece dog but he is just so soft, he won't even sleep by himself.

[Jessika]

Wow, I don't consider once every 1 - 2 months as "not very often", I consider that often. Please take your dog to another vet for another examination!

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

I was taught in college that if a dog has a seizure less than 4 times a year there is no point in putting them on meds. Also, dogs that have seizures shouldnt be exposed to certain anesthetics, it can actually trigger a seizure and kill them. That being said, your dog has about 6-12 seizures per year correct? He should be put on medication, the most common being Phenobarbitol. The siezures can be triggered by many things, nobody on this board can give you an accurate diagnosis. Please take him to the vet, it will save you alot of money in the long run, since the seizures can cause many problems.

[ParNone]

Over a month ago, my Collie, Oz started having what seemed like lil' seizures. He didn't foam at the mouth or have bowel problems, but he'd shake and lose the ability to move his legs correctly, like they were rubber. Very scary. I took him to the vet and it really didn't seem very scientific how they find out the cause, sort of by elimination. If they eliminate everything from brain tumors to heartworms, etc. then it's epilepsy.

The vet did say that minor seizures would not cause brain damage and that he didn't recommend medication, unless they were severe and often. He did a blood test that came back normal and said just to watch Oz and if they increased to bring Oz back. Not much help actually.

Well at this same time, Gull was having diarreha problems on and off. At first I thought it was related, but his turned out to be a bacterial infection, that we fixed with antibotics. But I was trying to figure out what could be different in Oz's life that could have triggered these seizures and I started thinking about how much extra cleaning I'd been doing because of Gull's problem and the vet did say that chemicals could cause seizures.

I went over the entire floor with vinegar and water and will only use that for cleaning the floor from now on. It's been about a month and Oz hasn't had another seizure. *knocking on wood* Edited to add: that he'd had 4 in about a week and a half, so going a month without one, seems very promising to me.

Par...