What's new
Mastiff Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • Welcome back!

    We decided to spruce things up and fix some things under the hood. If you notice any issues, feel free to contact us as we're sure there are a few things here or there that we might have missed in our upgrade.

Good vibes for Eddie please...

Mdawn

Well-Known Member
Yesterday, my Lab, Eddie, may have had a seizure.

I was sitting outside in a lawn chair, and he was out with me...(whenever I go outside, he always follows...lol). He was munching on a bit of grass and then walked back into our main yard. Suddenly, he started walking in circles...maybe 2 times, then he staggered forward and collapsed on his side. He started paddling his legs (like he was running) and vomiting. The whole thing maybe lasted 20 seconds, if even that. He seemed a little confused after but that didn't last long and he was 100% normal very shortly after. He didn't seem any the worst for wear...and he hasn't had another episode since. I called my vet last night after it happened and he said to just keep an eye on him to see if it happens again. I took that very much to heart and he hasn't been out of my sight since...he's probably thoroughly sick of my presence at this point...lol

He's going into the vet today. However, from what I've heard since then, vets don't normally treat the first one...So I'm not really expecting much from the vet visit.

So what I'm really "confused" about is if it really were a seizure?

Maybe a year ago, my MIL let my dogs out to the bathroom while I was at work. Eddie was on top of a little hill we have by the house...she told me that he staggered in her direction and fell on his side, rolling down the hill. She assumed he just choked and was unable to breath thereby falling down. She didn't notice any "paddling" because he, literally rolled down the hill. It, of course, scared the crap out of her and me as well when I heard about it, but both of us just wrote it off as he choked on some grass or something and didn't really think anything else about it. I didn't even notify the vet about it.

So what I've been thinking about since this happened yesterday is, what if that were a seizure as well? Or what if neither of them were seizures but he just choked both times on some grass? I won't ever know really...unless it happens again...but at least now I know to watch him and look out for it. I don't really know what to think. On both occasions, he was eating grass beforehand, so he COULD have very possibly choked. On the other, we used to have a Golden that had a few seizures in the last days of his life (he had cancer as well). He ultimately died when he had 3 seizures clustered together. Ironically, at the time he died, my vet on was on his way to put him down. And since I saw the seizures that our Golden had, I know what they look like...and what happened to Eddie yesterday looked exactly like that. So I don't know...I'm just going to mention everything to my vet and see what he thinks.

But in the meantime, please send some good vibes Eddie's way. I'm sure he'll be fine, but it won't hurt. :)

5-03-09021.jpg
 
Last edited:

Mdawn

Well-Known Member
Sending good thoughts to you and Eddie.

If you ever need some vet advice, this is a great forum of vets: http://forums.petdocsoncall.com/

Thanks! I'll be sure to check out that forum.

We just got back from the vet earlier. I gave him a detailed account of both episodes (the one from a year ago and the one yesterday). He said that he could indeed have very well choked. He said that Eddie is right in that "age range" where if he were prone to seizures, they may very well start around this time. HOWEVER, considering the distance between the episodes (1 year) and that he recovered from them fairly quickly, he wasn't going to do anything to treat it at this point or do anything test wise. Basically, he just wants me to watch him to see if it happens again and if it does make a note of when it happens, WHAT happens, how long it lasts and how long it takes for him to recover afterward. Then I am to give him a call. Even then, he'll be unlikely to do something medically, just basically make a note of it in his chart. He said that unless the seizures were more frequent or started clustering, then we'd have to look into testing and medication.

So that is where it stands now. As I think about it more and more, I do really think that he just choked on his grass and that is how he dislodged it...but I will, for sure, be on the lookout in the future for any type of seizure activity.
 

Vicki

Administrator
As odd as this sounds, and it would most likely be the last thing on your mind....

Does your cell phone or camera take short videos? It would be just a thought to keep in the back of you mind in case it happens, say next week, next month, or whenever. This way, your vet would have something physical to look at.:)
 

Mdawn

Well-Known Member
As odd as this sounds, and it would most likely be the last thing on your mind....

Does your cell phone or camera take short videos? It would be just a thought to keep in the back of you mind in case it happens, say next week, next month, or whenever. This way, your vet would have something physical to look at.:)

That actually is a good idea. When it happened the other day, I was completely taken by surprise and didn't know what to think honestly. One second, he was fine and the next, he was walking in circles and then flopped over over his side. It was just shocking and I'm afraid I didn't react to it very well. I just screamed his name and ran inside the house for help (by the time my boyfriend and I ran back out, it was over). I think that if it ever happens again, I'll probably be more calm about the whole thing...at least hopefully.

So thanks for the idea and if it ever happens again, I'm sure my vet would appreciate having something physical to look at.

He told me yesterday that a lot of times owners bring their dogs in because they had a seizure, but by the time the dog arrives at the clinic the seizure is over so it does make it more difficult for him...especially because the owners are shaken up and don't really give good detailed accounts of what happened.
 

2Mastiffsowner

Active Member
I would usually get a second opinion. my cousin's yellow lab has had seizures for 4 yrs. now. her first vet would not do nothing for her. I told her to go to my vet, Dr. Castro-Astro Jones at Banfield in Petsmart and they immediately put her on anti-seizure medication. it is important that you find a vet that knows what they are doing because alot would not put your dog on medicine.
 

Zoom

Well-Known Member
Medicine is not always the best course to go with, especially for such infrequent episodes. The side effects of prednisone (one of the more common anti-seizure drugs) are drastic enough to warrant VERY careful forethought. Personally, I wouldn't go with medication just yet but be keeping a very close eye on Eddie and starting a journal. But if he only has one of these episodes a year and they don't sound as if they really effect him a whole lot afterwards...I honestly would just let him ride them out.

Now if they become more frequent or severe in duration, then speak with your vet about meds.
 

Renee

Well-Known Member
Gotta ask. Do you use any kind of treatments on your lawn? If you have, look them up online and see if you can't find a detailed accounting of the ingredients.
 

Mdawn

Well-Known Member
Medicine is not always the best course to go with, especially for such infrequent episodes. The side effects of prednisone (one of the more common anti-seizure drugs) are drastic enough to warrant VERY careful forethought. Personally, I wouldn't go with medication just yet but be keeping a very close eye on Eddie and starting a journal. But if he only has one of these episodes a year and they don't sound as if they really effect him a whole lot afterwards...I honestly would just let him ride them out.

Now if they become more frequent or severe in duration, then speak with your vet about meds.

That is basically what my vet said. He said that they don't really even treat it medically unless the dog is having seizures pretty frequently or starts clustering. From what I understand the meds to treat seizures can be pretty hefty when it comes to side effects. I don't really want him on meds for this unless it is absolutely necessary.

So far, I've just written it down on the calendar, noting the date and the time that it happened.

Gotta ask. Do you use any kind of treatments on your lawn? If you have, look them up online and see if you can't find a detailed accounting of the ingredients.

No lawn treatments. We can't use treatments on our lawn namely because of our well. Anything we'd use would seep through the ground into the water. Besides, we have 2 rowdy dogs who do a fair amount of damage to our grass and yard...anything we'd do to treat the lawn in terms of making it "look" better would be pointless as more than likely it would just be destroyed by them. The only thing we do to the yard is mow it. lol

now there are some vets that won't do medicine because they said they would not help. But they can die from seizures actually.

I had a Golden Retriever who died 4 years ago from a cluster seizure. 3 seizures back to back and the last one killed him. However, with him it wasn't epilepsy, it was cancer that most likely went to his brain causing the seizures.

Eddie is young, only 2 years old and both "episodes" were 1 year apart. Not to mention that we aren't even sure that he had a seizure but could have just choked. I'm not really comfortable with the idea of treating him with meds at this point. But if it ever does come to that point, I'll do whatever is necessary. That dog is my baby and I love him more than life itself...I'll do what is needed to be done. :) The whole experience has just made me more aware that he is a dog that may be prone to seizure and I watch him a lot more carefully now in terms of odd behavior.

Something else my vet said, not all seizures that they have are the Grand Mal seizures, he said to watch for biting at flies behavior or if he looks "glassy eyed". He said that he may even just stumble around and not even fall if the seizure is short enough. I'll make a note of any of that type of behavior as well. He said that it is a good sign that his recovery time is fast. Yes, he looked a little confused afterward, but he didn't seem disoriented or bump into things after...(like my Golden would) he just sat salivating and looked around like "what the heck just happened", he then went and laid down for about 60 seconds after and was completely normal.
 

Renee

Well-Known Member
Know what Eddie needs to keep him busy?

A pet Pit Bull of his very own :D (one that's cold -- not DA) Tallulah is the best "toy" I've ever brought home for Kharma and Bimmer . . . for me, too, lol.
 

Mdawn

Well-Known Member
Know what Eddie needs to keep him busy?

A pet Pit Bull of his very own :D (one that's cold -- not DA) Tallulah is the best "toy" I've ever brought home for Kharma and Bimmer . . . for me, too, lol.

:lolbangtable: That is the LAST thing I need...a 3rd dog in my tiny little house...lol...maybe Eddie could settle for a pet Goldfish instead? ;) But you know, if it were just up to me, I could easily see myself with 3 or 4 dogs at this point...sadly...my boyfriend has to be the "voice of reason" :eek: and won't jump on board with getting another dog. I've heard "we don't really have room for the 2 we have!"...so many times I want to yank his tongue out and strangle him with it. ;)

Good vibes being sent.

Thanks. Eddie and I appreciate it. :)