Horrible day... Presley having a seizure

[Presley]

This morning was horrible... I came out of the shower and was going to my bedroom to get dressed when Presley came upstairs.. She usally likes to jump in the tub when i'm done showering but this morning she didn't.. She was acting very odd.. Almost drunk like..Staggering over to me and I patted my bed for her to jump up onto it.. She couldn't.. I knew something was wrong with her.. I got dressed and went to walk downstairs and she was ahead of me and slide down the stairs into my mom. She had no control over her back end at all, She could hardly walk and was falling over. I had to carry my big girl.. I was in tears by this point seeing my poor girl like this. I called into the ER Vet clinic at 8:15 and spoke to the vet and I told him i would be bring her in to have her checked out. But the clinic was an hour away and to make matters worse the bridge leading out of town was closed for repairs untill 9am. And we were taking my moms horse up to the breeders today.. It was all turning out horribly.. We got to the vets a little after 10am. He took a blood sample and then asked me loads of questions about where i got her from and so on. That there are some labs in this area that have epilepsy, He believes that her dad has it but asked me to call the breeder where i got her from to ask a few more questions. I am so angry to think that this is happening. Presley is only 5 months. For one these labs in this area that have epilepsy were all from these people knowing that they were breeding dogs with epilepsy, It took the owners of these puppies taking them to court to make it all stop. But there are 2 out there that have not been fixed and are still used for breeding. A chocolate (Presleys dad was a chocolate) and a black. The vet reconised the name of her dad.. This has me Very upset. Very angry and i really don't know what to say to the breeder. She cleared the puppies of health problems and i am not pointing fingers but if this is the dog the vet is talking about then she wasn't asking the right things before she bred her dog to him.
Anyways, Presley is at home with me now. She has some Valium incase she has another seizure. Her blood work will be back on Tuesday and the vet said on the blood work the epilepsy wont show up as anything that the blood work is basically ruling out a load of other things it may be....
Anyways i needed to vent a bit and if anyone has any info epilepsy/seizures could you please pass it on....
thank you
Melissa & Presley

[shais_mom]

You have my prayers. My greyhound had seizures also and it was terrifying. We thought she had epilepsy but she didn't, it was an aneursym.
The cheapest medication for epilepsy is phenobarbital. Another pettalker has an epileptic dog and she gets her perscription filled at the local pharmacy, she says it is much cheaper. Shaianne was on a half a pill once a day. 100 pills were anout $20. american money of course.
Good luck and please let us know how she is doing.
My vet told me that purebred dogs are more prone to epilepsy. And it can come upon them anywhere from 5-6 mos to 4 years.

[zippy-kat]

Goodness what a bad day for you!!

I don't have any medical advice but I'm here if you need a shoulder and/or and ear! I'm only a PM a way...

{{hugs}}
you guys are in my thoughts & prayers!!

[Logan]

I'm so sorry that you and your beautiful girl are having to deal with this. :( I know nothing about seizures at all, luckily, but hopefully some of our experienced people (like Staci, who has already chimed in) will be able to tell you about their experiences.

Lots of love to you and Pressley.

Logan

[LoudLou]

Melissa, SO Sorry to hear about poor Presley. Hope the 'White Coats' can help the two of you get through this. Prayers and hugs and LOTS of LOVE to you and your family. Loves & Cuddles to the BEE-YOO-TEE-FULL Presley girl.

[Gio]

Melissa I'm so sorry for what you and Presley have to go through! You will both be in my thoughts. Please keep us updated.

Believe me I fully understand your anger at those breeders, some people really have no morals at all.

[Pam]

Oh Melissa your note is so sad and frustrating too. I hope that Presley will be able to snap out of this and maybe it isn't epilepsy at all. As I understand it, you didn't really see a seizure occur so I guess there is a slim hope it's something else.

One of my poodles, Ashley, (RB) developed seizures about two days after slamming her head into my dining room wall. She had been playing tug-o-war with my other dog and you know how they jerk their heads from side to side? Well, she jerked it real hard right into the wall. She was a little dazed right after it happened but then appeared OK. Two nights later while sleeping in the bed with my daughter she had a seizure. The next night she had another one which I saw. Our vet put her on phenobartital, one pill in the morning and one at night. We had to periodically take her for blood work to make sure that the proper levels were in her blood. She never had another seizure once on the Phenobarb. The vet felt that it could have been related to the head injury but also could have been because she is a poodle. Apparently the risk is higher among some breeds and poodles are one of them. I have had 5 and Ashley is the only one who had them so I guess maybe I am lucky. She led a completely normal life except for having to take 2 pills a day but she even got so used to them that we would say "time for your pill" and she would come right over. She was I guess about 7 years old at the time and she lived to be 14.

I hope you get some answers regarding the ethics of the breeder. It won't change anything, though, because Presley is your baby and you love her but at least you might gain some understanding as to why and also put the breeder out of business if they are found to be knowingly breeding dogs with this trait.

[anna_66]

Melissa, I'm so sorry to hear about Presley. I just want you to know I'm hear for you. Your both in our prayers.
{{{{{Cyber Hugs!}}}}}

[mugsy]

I have a friend who had a Staffie with epilepsy. She didn't give him phenobarb because of the long term liver damage. She contacted a homeopath who put her on to some natural drugs. I will get the info from her and let you know.

[Presley]

Goodmorning and thank you all..
Presley has been A-OK so far this morning. She has been pretty sleepy though, maybe still an effect of the valium from yesterday?:rolleyes:
Anyways, I don't know what to do about the breeder. I contacted her about the male she bred to. She told me it is not the same dog as the vet is talking about and that this dog came from the U.S. she also would not give me the phone # or even the name of the people who own the male. So i can not really get anymore information or ask them any questions. She said she has not heard of any seizures from his pups. :mad:
The breeder is saying the Nutro Natural Choice LB with glucosomine/Chrondritin Adult food is what is doing it. She is having a allergic reaction to the corn in the food. She also told me to put her on puppy chow. In puppy chow Corn is the first on the list. So what to believe. The vet told me i have switched her food to many times and not to change it at all untill we sort this out. We need to see what the blood work says and if it shows nothing we are going to do food allergies. I honestly thought i was doing my best by switching her over to Nutro Natural Choice LB with glucosomine/Chrondritin Adult food
I guess not.. I really don't know what to do anymore.:rolleyes: Last night was Presley's first night sleeping out of her crate.. She slept on the bed with me so i could make sure she was ok.. I am so worried :( I really don't want something wrong with her like this atleast if we knew what it was it could be treated....
Anyways.. The vet asked me to keep her very calm the next few days, No florescence lights (we don't have any anyways), quiet, dark. It is really hard to have a 5 month old pup calm! He also asked me to record all odd behaviour from her if she has another seizure record it and how long it lasts. Yesterday morning from start to finish this whole seizure lasted almost 2 hours so this has me a bit worried. About a week before yesterday she has been Very whinny,running like crazy almost out of control. Very nervous and restless. Just not herself at all. Last week i also heard her thrashing around in her crate at night. I checked on her but by that time she was fine. I just don't know. I am so stressed from many other things going on in my life and my poor girl now, Its just having my run in circles.
I know i have posted here before about dogfood. I really REALLY! need to know of some good natural food that is good for dogs with allergies.. even email me...
[email protected]

Melissa & Presley

[Albea]

So sorry about Presley.:(
I hope the vet can find the reason for her seizure, if that's what it was, and help her with her problem realy soon.
Best wishes for a quick recovery and many hugs to the dear pup from us.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I am so sorry about Presley. I've had both a dog and a cat who had seizures. The seizures were so frightening. They would go into convulsions. My vet did say that while they are in the convulsion, they aren't aware of what's happening and are not in pain. It's possible something Presley will out grow. There's medicine that could help too. So, try to stay calm for Presley's sake. I know how hard THAT is to do.

I could always tell when my dog was about to have a seizure. She would start looking around like she could see something I couldn't. Then she'd start creeping around real quiet like and looking into space. If you see anything like that...it may be a clue one is on the way. I hope this helps a tiny bit.
You both are in my Prayers. Please keep us posted.

[Presley]

Ok i have spoke too soon.. Presley just had another seizure.. I recorded it all and gave her a valium and i am going to go laydown with her and i hope she will be ok... I am so stressed out and it hurts so much to see her like that... I feel so helpless....

[lovemymaltese]

I have you and Presley in my prayers. I hope that everything turns out okay. Let us know when Presley is feeling better.:(

[zippy-kat]

Just a thought... do you know the stud's registered name?

You could contact the AKC and see if they'd give you any information re: owner. Might not work, but it's worth a shot...

[Logan]

Originally posted by Presley
Ok i have spoke too soon.. Presley just had another seizure.. I recorded it all and gave her a valium and i am going to go laydown with her and i hope she will be ok... I am so stressed out and it hurts so much to see her like that... I feel so helpless....

Bless your heart. Please let the vet know that this has happened again. :( I know this is heartbreaking for you...it is for all of us, knowing how worried you are. This is controllable. Just keep the vet informed. We will keep you and Presley in our prayers.

Focus on Presley right now. Do the breeder thing when you have her under control and then go with a vingance. :o

Logan

[jennifert]

Oh Melissa, I am so so sorry to hear this...I hope Presley will be OK. I know it is so upsetting when they aren't feeling well and you feel so helpless...:(

I can't give you any medical advice but can give you moral support! :(

Keep us updated....

[Cincy'sMom]

Melissa,
Sorry to hear about your sweet baby. Hopefully the cause can be determined soon! You and presley are in our thoughts!

[mugsy]

Wow....I'm so sorry to hear that. You and Presley are definitely on my mind and in my thoughts. The fluorescent light thing is because they flicker slightly and that is known to bring on seizures. My neice has epilepsy and her neurologist told her the same thing. When Jessie had hers Dr. B. told me that she would be tired from it and that was normal because they use so much energy and I should keep track on a calendar of when she had them to check to see if there was some sort of pattern, like time of day, number of days in between seizures...etc. I have never heard of food bringing them on, but just to be on the safe side you may want to talk to the vet about possible food allergies bringing them on. Do they do CAT or MRIs on dogs?? I know they're expensive, but I don't even know if they do that sort of thing. Please keep us up to date and know that you and Presley are being thought about.

[Pam]

Originally posted by mugsy
I have a friend who had a Staffie with epilepsy. She didn't give him phenobarb because of the long term liver damage.

Mugsy that really made me sit up and take notice. When Ashley died at 14 it was from an enlarged liver. She just stopped eating one day and couldn't keep anything down. Her liver was 1/3 larger than normal. She was on the Phenobarb for about 7 years. I guess if it was caused by the Phenobarb at least it took 7 years to take its toll and it was over quickly. From the time she showed symptoms until she went to the RB was a little more than a week. :(

[KYS]

I am so so sorry to hear about Presley.
Working closely with your vet, I hope he finds the
problem.
We had an older poodle mix that developed
epilepsy.
My girl friend use to have an Akita who died 2 yrs ago
at age 11 who suffered from a life of seizures, but
thankfully the seizures were not the worse kind and not
daily.
She had joined a help group with others on the internet
who's dogs suffered from medical problems, where she
got support and a wealth of information.
I will be thinking of your precious baby and hope she
will be all right.

[tatsxxx11]

Melissa, I can't tell you how much I'm rooting for beautiful Presley. You're doing all you can right now. Make note of the times, location, frequency and duration of the seizures as well as a description of her behaivor and the physical symptoms before, as well as during and after the seizure. Seizures often have "triggers." This could be a smell, sound, light, etc. Try and take note if you notice anything like that. Often, the seizure is preceeded by an "aura". I think momoffuzzyfaces was describing that. It is a very subtle change in something such as eye movement or focus; expression. There are so many reasons why Presley may be having seizures. Put your trust in the vet and write down all the questions you can think of. It is so hard to think of such a precious little pup like Presely having to go through this. I know how hard it is on you. Please have faith. We are all praying for you and Presely with all of our might. Love, Sandra

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Originally posted by tatsxxx11
Seizures often have "triggers." This could be a smell, sound, light, etc. Try and take note if you notice anything like that. Often, the seizure is preceeded by an "aura". I think momoffuzzyfaces was describing that. It is a very subtle change in something such as eye movement or focus; expression. There are so many reasons why Presley may be having seizures. Love, Sandra
Thanks, Sandra. That's exactly what I was trying to describe. She would get a look like her eyes couldn't focus on me, just on something 'unseen' except to her. Once she started that a seizure would come within a half hour.

[RachelJ]

I am so sorry this is happening to your puppy. It sounds like you've got some good information from the other posters here. I hope you and your vet will be able to find a way to keep Presley's condition under control so she can live a full and happy life. We will keep her in our thoughts and prayers.

[Sudilar]

So very sorry to hear about the seizures. I hope they come under control soon. My thoughts are with you.

Sue, Killian and Shiloh

[shais_mom]

YES THE DO DO CAT SCANS AND MRIS ON ANIMALS.
They usually do them at bigger vet centers like state schools. I don't know where they would do them in Canada. I know they do them at OSU Vet hospital here in OHIO. They suggested I do that for Shaianne if the seizures didn't stop but the phenobarb did stop them. They are expensive, but since Presly is so young and having them so often it might be worth it. I had decided I was not going to go that route. But I also work at a people hospital and one of my coworkers said she would figger out a way to do it for me. And an ER Doc said he would look at the films for me. But we never got to that point.
The best advice I can give you is when she starts a seizure, get her on the floor as quickly as possible, and if need be a dishtowel rolled up like a log b/n her teeth to prevent her from biting her tongue. It breaks my heart thinking of you going thru this, if you need anything please email or PM me immediatly.

:) hi Melissa !
You must feel so awful , seeing your sweetie Presley in so much pain ..... . It is hard to see someone suffer , but it is even harder not to be able to help !!!!
wish you much courage !!!

[Stenograsaurus]

I am so sorry that you are going through this with Presley. You are in my prayers.
I am feeding my dogs Nutro Natural Choice, Large Breed Formula. I have no problems with the food. I went from Purina Dog Chow to Nutro. They seem to do better on the Nutro.

[tatsxxx11]

How is Presley doing????:confused:

[Presley]

Goodmorning.
Presley seems to be ok this morning. Last night she was so hyper running all over the house and tossing her toys up in the air. It is really hard to get a 5 month old puppy to calm down! She ate a bunch of boiled rice and chicken last night and 2 cups of kibbles. So i am guessing she was feeling better.. I still notice so many things different about her.. She is very skiddish now where before nothing seemed to bother her.. I am praying the blood work will come back early in the day here so we can get this all figured out sooner.
thank you so much for the concern. :)
take care and hugs all
Melissa & Presley

[jennifert]

Are the blood test results scheduled to come back today? Is no news good news? I think what we want is for the blood tests to identify something that can be fixed so Presley doesn't have to have lifelong treatment for epilepsy correct?
I have my fingers crossed and am sending my prayers for you and Presley to the man upstairs....

[Presley]

Yes they are to come back today, But where i live it is only 8:30am right now.. So i'm guessing sometime this afternoon i will hear something.
He said epilepsy will not show up on the blood work. The blood work is ruling out Everything but food allergies. I am not too sure what the next step will be if this all comes back clear.. But i should go for now.. I will keep you all posted..
thank you
Melissa & Presley

[jennifert]

Melissa, I just reread your post about Presley getting spayed. You said she was bleeding for a few days and I think Candy (Dixieland Dancer) mentioned that she didnt' think it was a heat cycle because of the duration... Did you mention that occurrence to the vet? Maybe she does have some sort of infection and the two are related? Just a thought....

[shais_mom]

I just got this from my Emazing Dog tip of the day from www.emazing.com:
Seizures

Observing your dog in a seizure is a traumatic
experience,
as seizures are dramatic and occur unexpectedly. A
seizure
often involves a stiffening of muscles, loss of
coordination, heavy panting, and a period of
disorientation
following the seizure episode.

What can you do?

- Remain calm.
- Do not put your fingers into your dog's mouth.
Dogs
cannot swallow their tongues.
- Remove any dangerous or breakable items from the
vicinity
to prevent injury to your dog.
- Call your vet if the seizure lasts longer than 15
minutes.

You can help by carefully observing your dog to find
out
what might trigger a seizure, and reporting any
unusual
behaviors or situations to your vet.

What if your dog passes out or collapses? Find
emergency first aid advice at InterPetExplorer.com.
http://www.interpetexplorer.com

Search the largest collection of pet sites on the
Internet at PetscapeNavigator.com.
http://www.petscapenavigator.com




Keep us posted.

[mugsy]

Melissa, I am waiting with baited breath to find out the results of the blood work. I, too, am keeping all good thoughts for Presley. I hope it turns out to be food allergies or some very treatable infection.

[jennifert]

OK it's 4:20 pm here. Which means it's 1:20 there? So I guess it may be too early for news....:( Well I'm at work until 6pm so 3 pm your time...hopefully I'll hear something before I leave...If not, I'll spend another night tossing and turning. I do so hope Presley is OK!

[Presley]

Hi, I just called the vets.. Jennifer please do not spend a night worried. The lady said if the blood work results are done today they will get faxed over and He will call when all his appointments are done today. So that will be around 6 my time. 9 yours.. So please no need to worry. I am really trying to stay possitive here!!!!
thanks
Melissa & Presley

[jennifert]

OK you're right Melissa! I won't worry. Everything is fine! I didn't mean to make you worry more! :( :(
I'll check in in the am to find out how wonderful sweet beautiful Presley is doing!

[tatsxxx11]

We'll be patiently waiting. Hoping that you and Presley have a quiet, peaceful night. Hugs to Presley.:)

[Gio]

Lots of positive vibes coming from over here too!

[Presley]

Ok no one called from the vets last night... I am starting to really worry.. We had some company over last night. People Presley has known her whole time with us. We see them atleast 2 times a week and the dogs are with us. These people own Presleys sister Stella. Well she was sooo scared of them, Her tail was tucked and she was just sitting there beside me shaking well more like viberating. She has acted weird around them before. I thought maybe she got hurt over there when playing or something but last night was odd.. I had never seen her freak out like that. She wouldn't leave my side at all.. I really don't know what to make of it. My friend just told me to record it all down, about 4 hours before they came over too she was weaving when i came upstairs. So i'm sure if she had another seizure or what.. I did record it all though

[tatsxxx11]

It certainly does sound like there is something neurological going on with Presley. The way she acted when your company was over, the weaving, are all types of behavior that can preceed a seizure. I would call the vet up asap and discuss either seeing a specialist, or having an MRI done, etc. Are there any large veterinary hospitals near you? Maybe a teaching hospital? I think it's important to find a diagnosis and start treatment, medication quickly. Poor Presley is probably very frightened.:( Please let us know what your vet says. Presely is in my thoughs constantly. We saying our mightiest prayers for your baby. Love, Sandra, Star and Cody

[Presley]

Hello,
I just got off the phone with the vet. He said all the blood work came back perfect. I also mentioned what happened last night. I didn't post much here on this topic but i did on another board. This is the third time Presley has acted like this around these people. She was with them on the 14th and last week i thought i heard her thrashing around 2 different nights and then sunday and monday and yesterday... Well, He would like me to approch these people and ask if they needed to discipline her in anyways. But i already know how this lady will react to it so i'm just going to leave things alone and Presley will not be allowed around them alone.
So now i need to record anymore seizure like activity and let him know at the end of this month. He is gathering somemore information on everything for me.

[jennifert]

Thanks for the update Melissa. What did the vet say comes next? What type of info is he getting for you? Poor Presley. It breaks my heart that she is frightened and upset... Please give her some love from all of us.....

[momoffuzzyfaces]

If an animal is scared, it can trigger a seizure too. I took a stray kitten and her family in one stormy cold night and put them in a different room than my cats. They were in a storage room but I figured it was better than being out in the cold for the night. Well, a bad thunderstorm moved in that night. All the cats were fine except one. When I took them back outside the next morning, she went into a seizure. I called the vet and was told all the changes and frights she had could have triggered it. She recovered and never had another so we were fairly sure it was because she was so scared. What I'm trying to say, is if Presley is scared of his former owners it would be better if you could keep him from them entirely. Maybe put him in a room they won't be in and give him some extra toys or treats while they are there. If they say anything just tell them it's vet's orders while you are trying to diagnose him.

[tatsxxx11]

Connie is so right! Right now, the important thing is to keep her as quiet and calm as possible, especially while you wait for a diagnosis. Good friends will understand! I can't bear to think that someone might have "disciplined" her. :mad: I hope the vet comes up with some answers soon.:confused: Please give your precious Labbie girl a big hug and kiss from me and my Lab Star. We're thinking of you always. Sandra

[Presley]

Hi guys!
Yes i'm not too impressed about the stuff with my friends. I am just going to keep Presley away from them. I talked to the breeder and she said i shouldn't let her around them at all. That it could trigger a seizure as well. I am going to take her for a walk tonight and get her out a bit. The breeder told me i need to do some serious bonding with her. The vet also said i should socialize her all over again, so puppy kindergarden here we come!
He also said i should change her to a all natural food. So i'm off right now to get some for her.. THank you all so much for your kind thoughts!

[jackiesdaisy1935]

I just read this post and I'm so sorry that Presley is having those medical problems, I hope the Vet feels it is just the allergy to the food and a change will make a difference. Please give Presley some hugs and kisses from Miss Daisy and Perry and me. Our best wishes for Presley.
Jackie

[shais_mom]

This just breaks my heart to think that someone caused poor Presley this. I totally agree with you that the best thing would be to stay away from these people, or at least keep her away from them.
You and Presley are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Gio]

This just breaks my heart to think that someone caused poor Presley this

Me too:(

[tatsxxx11]

I hate to think that it's even possible! But I think you're doing exactly the right thing! I hope you're out right now, enjoying a nice, peaceful walk. Puppy K!! That will be a happy time for Presley! Please keep us updated! Love to you Presley!

[KYS]

keeping Presley in my thoughts that she will
be safe and well.
As Tats.. said, Please Keep us updated.

[anna_66]

I'm sorry I've waited so long to post on this again, but it just breaks my heart. Sorry I can't say much, but, I'm sorry again, I'm gonna cry. Love your Presley all you can {{{{HUGS}}}

[Presley]

Hi Anna, All
I don't want anyone upset about Presley. Please don't be. She was so much like her old self yesterday it was wonderful. The night before last we stopped in at the Pet Store and brought her in. She greeted everyone who was coming or going or just walking around the store. She was such a happy and comfortable puppy! We also stopped at the lake on the way home from the vets and stuff and she had a blast.. playing in the grass and sand and picking up sticks and swimming! Yesterday she was a bundle of joy. Very playful and not so nervous like she has been lately. Last night i had some people over for a 4-H leaders meeting and she was soooo happy to see them all. I honestly think she is starting to be her old self again. I havn't noticed much odd behaviour at all so i'm praying the worst is over.
Anyways please no worries! If anything new starts up I will keep you up to date.
hugs everyone :)
Melissa & Presley

[lizbud]

It's really Great to hear that Presley is acting like a normal
Happy Pup again. She is a very Beautiful girl. Hugs and Best
Wishes from Liz & Buddy.

[Logan]

That is wonderful news about Presley, Melissa! I hope she keeps getting better every single day! :)

[mugsy]

That's great Melissa. Have you changed her diet?? Do you have any idea what made the difference?? You have been in my thoughts for the last couple of days...I'm glad you could finally make a positive report. Keep it up Presley girl!

[tatsxxx11]

Go Presley!!!:) Yippppppeeeeeeee!! Thanks Melissa for the great news. Love and hugs to precious Presley!

[anna_66]

That's wonderful, wonderful news Melissa! See, sometimes it does help to pray!!!!!

[Cincy'sMom]

So glad to hear Presley is feeling better!

[shais_mom]

Thank God! WOOOHOO!
I am so glad that Presley is feeling better!
Wonderful News!

[k9sign]

I have a 1 1/2 yr old mini schnauzer. He started having seizures at age 5 months. He couldn't tolerate Potassium Bromide and phenobarb can cause liver probs.
I took him to a neurologist and he is now under his care. Some non-specialized vets don't use anything but K+Bromide, phenobarb or valium (which I still give him if his seizures last more than 10 minutes). There are other drug options.
If u have a vet hospital with a neurologist, u might have Presley get a work up. Also u can have ur primary vet call and just do a phone consult.

Here is a canine epilepsy site that is quite informative. It describes different kinds of seizures, etc. Hope I get it typed in right!

http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/AED.html#anchor1937761

Good Luck!