Seizures in a Labrador *Please help!*

[Medusa]

I'm not new to PT; I post a lot on Cat Talk but I have a serious issue that I'm hoping PTers can help me w/here. A friend of mine has a 6 yr. old female yellow lab, Bailey, who had a grand mal seizure on Sat. And she had them every 8 hrs. His vet was out of town and the office was closed and every vet we tried was either closed or booked solid. He finally got her in at an emergency clinic and they gave her phenobarbitol until his vet could see her. He's currently awaiting results from blood tests. He just called me again and I could hear Bailey crying in the background and she follows him around constantly, always underfoot. He was able to get ahold of his vet this time and he's on his way in now because Bailey had a nose bleed. I've never heard of such a thing! I've had dogs and cats all my life and never has that happened to any of them. Has anyone experienced this, especially w/this breed of dog? He's stressed to the max because he lost two labs already, both in the month of March and he's scared to death the worst is going to happen again. He takes excellent care of his dogs, coddles them even. Can anyone offer insight into this situation? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

[joycenalex]

my dog has seizures. alex is 11 and has had them for 10 years, seizures can come from many causes, and a vet visit for a complete check up is needed, includiing low thyroid. the 3 main websites i know, the canine epilepsy website, one group in yahoo, and the guardian angels are wonderful, jam packed with information and caring helpful people. please join us. BTW alex is a lab-terrier mystery mix. seizures are not a death sentence any longer.

[Medusa]

My RB dog Charmin, a peke-a-poo lived to be 18 1/2 w/seizures which started right after she gave birth at approx. one year of age. But as soon as she started on the phenobarbitol, she was fine. Bailey isn't having seizures any more but the crying and pacing and esp. the nosebleed have me concerned. I've just never seen her like this. But thank you so much for the info. I'll be sure to read all I can get my hands on.

[Medusa]

Well, my friend just called me again and said that until the blood work comes back, his vet said that she's shooting in the dark. She cut the phenolbarbitol in half and said to give Bailey that plus half a valium. She's afraid that the phen. has caused immediate kidney damage. God, I hope not. And her nose is still bleeding. My friend is afraid that he's going to wake up tomorrow morning and find a dead dog. Please, friends, pray for Bailey. He loves that dog so much and to lose another Lab in the month of March would be too much!

[dragondawg]

I'm not new to PT; I post a lot on Cat Talk but I have a serious issue that I'm hoping PTers can help me w/here. A friend of mine has a 6 yr. old female yellow lab, Bailey, who had a grand mal seizure on Sat. And she had them every 8 hrs. His vet was out of town and the office was closed and every vet we tried was either closed or booked solid. He finally got her in at an emergency clinic and they gave her phenobarbitol until his vet could see her. He's currently awaiting results from blood tests. He just called me again and I could hear Bailey crying in the background and she follows him around constantly, always underfoot. He was able to get ahold of his vet this time and he's on his way in now because Bailey had a nose bleed. I've never heard of such a thing! I've had dogs and cats all my life and never has that happened to any of them. Has anyone experienced this, especially w/this breed of dog? He's stressed to the max because he lost two labs already, both in the month of March and he's scared to death the worst is going to happen again. He takes excellent care of his dogs, coddles them even. Can anyone offer insight into this situation? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

A lab is usually very stoic. If the dog is crying then most likely it's experiencing pain.

Seizures could be caused by anything from Leptospirosis, to Hypoglycemia. The nose bleeds alone without the seizures could be infection or nasal sarcoma, or cross linked to another problem. There's also the chance the dog merely injured its nose during a seizure, which would be the best case scenario.

The previous blood work may or may not pick up some abnormalities (e.g. elevated WBCs, or depleted platlets). Additional tests such as a cranial Xray and/or ultrasound of the body cavity should be suggested by the Vet to determine the root cause.

[chocolatepuppy]

I will pray for Bailey. I hope they find out what is wrong with her quickly and can help her. This must be so hard on your friend.

[4 Dog Mother]

Actually the crying and acting different, being underfoot is not that unusual. Snoopy was that way after several of his first seizures. I think it is because something that they don't understand has happened to them and they, just like us are scared. Plus they do have a time after each seizure where they are confused, disoriented etc. I now have valium on hand to give Snoopy when he does have a seizure (he has had them 3 years now). It calms him down some but the reason to give it is to stop further seizures. Good luck on your friend's dog coming through this okay!

[Medusa]

Well, he got the blood work back this morning and in his words "Everything is normal". Now how can that be? The dog had 3 grand mal seizures w/in an 18 hr. period. His vet suggested a brain tumor test but she said it's very expensive and he's a landscaper who hasn't gone back to work yet so he can't exactly afford that. He hasn't spoken to his vet this morning because she will be in surgery all day. It was the vet tech who gave him the info. He's more stressed today than he was yesterday. But Bailey has remained calm, no more nosebleeds or seizures at this point.

Thanx, everyone, for your feedback.

[dragondawg]

Well, he got the blood work back this morning and in his words "Everything is normal". Now how can that be? The dog had 3 grand mal seizures w/in an 18 hr. period. His vet suggested a brain tumor test but she said it's very expensive and he's a landscaper who hasn't gone back to work yet so he can't exactly afford that. He hasn't spoken to his vet this morning because she will be in surgery all day. It was the vet tech who gave him the info. He's more stressed today than he was yesterday. But Bailey has remained calm, no more nosebleeds or seizures at this point.

Thanx, everyone, for your feedback.

A possible approach is to find out exactly what the brain tumor test involves. If it's an MRI, then he could call to the nearest Vet school(s), and get an idea as to pricing. With the blood work normal that is pointing more towards neurological problems, and expensive tests. It may be a case of waiting to see if the symptoms can be treated with drugs. Presumably your friend had a chance to describe in detail what the seizures looked like? What we might call a seizure, a Vet may call something else.