Seizures...or More

[Guest athenasmama]

My grey, Athena, is 10. We adopted her in Feb '04. She is very much a part of our family. In 2006, she had her first siezure (or at least the first one we noticed) I was scared and upset. We immediately took her to the Vet who assured us, one siezure was not something to get overly upset about. We were told to watch her and monitor her when/if she had another one. We kept a log of when she had them and how long they lasted. The vet told us if they were coming more than one every three months, then there might be a problem. So for the next 4 years, we have been watching and monitoring her. Since the first one, she only had three more in a four year time span....until this week.

I am not sure what other greys do during seizures, but Athena always does the same thing. She starts panting, looses use of one limb, falls down, has a seizure, and then is a little groggy for a few mins. The time span is usually about 3-5 mins. On Saturday morning about 3:30am, I woke up to Athena falling into our bedroom door. I knew she was having a seizure so I left her alone until it was over. The whole seizure was just the same as usual. On Monday, she has another one same as usual except only days after her last one. Today, during the pre-ictal stage or the begining stage, was totally different than normal. It lasted hours. She walked around, ran into things, lost her balance, shaking really bad, panting really bad, and her eyeballs were twitching really fast (almost like REM stage of sleep). She also acted like she wanted to lay down but would not. I first noticed because she was walking funny.

Since we moved, we have not found a Vet we trust and I am very scared about what this could mean. Could this mean her siezures are coming more often or could this be a larger problem?

BTW, I never asked the vet what could be the bigger problem.

 

Sorry this is so long...I just wanted you to have all the information.

 

Thanks

[macoduck]

Walking funny and eye twitches (side to side?)sound like Vestibular disorder with nystagmus. Don't know if that usually occurs along with seizures.

[Guest mcsheltie]

I would take her to the vet ASAP. She's has 3 in 4 years. Now 2 in 3 days... plus this episode. If this was a long series of seizures she needs treatment.

 

Start a thread and see if there is anyone in your area who can recommend a vet. Look up adoption groups and find the closest to you. Call and find out who they use. Even if you decide not to go this time you'll have the info in case there is an emergency.

 

When I move the first thing I do (usually even before I move!) is find a vet. I am not so good about my own doctor...

[Guest athenasmama]

Thanks I will look that up. Yes, the eye twiches are side to side. When a grey has Vestibular disorder with nystagmus, does the symptoms go away? Athena has stopped all of it but is still having some trouble getting up and down.

 

I would take her to the vet ASAP. She's has 3 in 4 years. Now 2 in 3 days... plus this episode. If this was a long series of seizures she needs treatment.

 

Start a thread and see if there is anyone in your area who can recommend a vet. Look up adoption groups and find the closest to you. Call and find out who they use. Even if you decide not to go this time you'll have the info in case there is an emergency.

 

When I move the first thing I do (usually even before I move!) is find a vet. I am not so good about my own doctor...

 

Thanks for the advice. I will get her in ASAP.

[Guest Energy11]

These new symptoms could mean something like a brain tumor. When something is different like this one, it means something in her body has changed.

 

I am not a vet, but, yes, something is different. When a dog OR person seizes for a long time, it can mean a lack of oxygen to their brains ...

 

Sounds like Athena needs to be evaluated, and maybe put on anti-seizure meds. I would seek veterinary care ASAP.

 

I HOPE it is nothing more than an seizure disorder, which CAN be controlled by meds, but your dog needs to be seen by a vet.

 

Sending hugs, good luck and prayers from here.

[macoduck]

Thanks I will look that up. Yes, the eye twiches are side to side. When a grey has Vestibular disorder with nystagmus, does the symptoms go away? Athena has stopped all of it but is still having some trouble getting up and down.

 

My vet had said either there will be another episode (there wasn't) or there won't and if it happened again it was likely to continue to happen with gradual frequency. Oliver died of a stroke quite some months later and we don't think it was related.

[LBass]

As others have said, head to the vet ASAP. Her seizures may have reached a point where she will need medication OR there may indeed be something else, like vestibular disorder, going on. We'll be anxious right with you for news from your vet visit.

 

 

Lucy with Piper, 2 1/2 days seizure free

[Anne]

My Frasier had vestibular syndrome and he also had seizures. I always felt that the two were related, though it's not supposed to work that way. His seizures were pretty bad from the get-go, with his post ictal stage lasting for several hours with him snoring away in a very very deep sleep. He took phenobarb that did control his seizures pretty well, thankfully. He'd be laying down and the next thing I'd know, my female hounds would run to him and I'd know it was a seizure, he's look control of his bladder and have his seizure for a minute or so and then get up and stumble around for a bit until he lay down and fell asleep in his post ictal state.

He passed young, but from something totally unrelated to either seizures or vestibular.

I have a blind dog who has vestibular and has it pretty bad. He's had 3 vestibular incidents and each one has taken him longer to get over. The first one was a few days to get over and the last one took months for him to get over. I worry that he won't get over the next one if there is one.

 

Good luck with Athena, now is the time to find her a good vet for her seizures, and I, personally, would ask for something to control her seizures at this point.