Rainey Just Had A Grand Mal Seizure

[RaineysMom]

Rainey just had a huge seizure an hour ago !! she was fine, they both got their after (our) dinner cookie, and Bruce went to let them out and he heard a thud ,then what he at first thought was Rainey scratching herself (tags jangling) -- but she had fallen on her side on the rug by the stove and was having a HUGE seizure! I have never seen or experienced anything or anyone having a seizure before -- this was HORRIBLE!!! I KNOW she didn't eat/get into anything, so it couldn't have been something like that.

 

we couldn't do anything, Bruce just at first held Nube (who was starting to bark and react to her, I've read do not let other dogs around one that's seizing) - he put him outside and we though she maybe was choking on her cookie (the cough/re-chew them all the time!) so we tried to get her up to make her get it out, but she was breathing so I said she wasn't choking!

 

she did this for 45 seconds to a minute (LONGEST minute of my LIFE, believe me), then stopped moving so much but was totally out of it, snapping and barking. We got her muzzle on her, then she peed on the rug where she was standing, then seemed to come out a little more. Bruce got her into the dining room (2 feet away), where it's carpeted as she couldn't really stand and her front legs were not working. We got her to eat a baby aspirin (we didn't know if it was right or not to give!) and she slowly came to. We then got her to finally lay down on a dog bed for 15 minutes (she was panting/breathing heavily) and after that she seemed a tiny bit better I called the Evet right then, and they really didn't have much to say, except that we could bring her in and they could watch her, but that we could do the same and bring her in if she had another. I'm guessing they can't do much for seizures, at least not like this??

 

she cannot go down the stairs very well at all, was able to go up (once, all with us helping)

 

this happened around 8:30pm CDT, it's now 10pm -- we're staying home tomorrow. I PRAY this is the ONLY time this will happen!!! :(

 

does anyone have any advice or experience? we did give her a 1/4 teaspoon of honey about 9:15, as I read (frantically searching the Internet) that a seizure can cause low blood sugar and that can help. :(

 

we are freeking out!!! OMG this was horrible!!!!!

[Guest azlorenz]

No advice just terrified for you.

[Guest zoolaine]

No advice just hugs When Sunny was very sick he had a few seizures - very scary to watch. Hope Rainey is doing better.

[DaisyDoodle]

Try to get in touch with Judy--JillysFullHouse. She will have good info. I know there are others, but don't recall who.

 

If you have it available, IIRC, you can administer Valium, but check with the evet or one of the seizure dog-parents to get clarification on that.

 

Good luck. I hope you're in the clear and she doesn't have another one--EVER!!

 

DD

[Guest Flysmom]

 

I can't even imagine how scary this must have been.

 

The only advice I was able to offer you is the same as DaisyDoodle, try to get in touch with JillysFullHouse or Dee-Energy11.

[Sambuca]

I don't have a lot of seizure experience, but I've seen 2 while petsitting. I try to stay as calm as possible and I bear hug the dog 1. to comfort the dog and 2. to keep the dog from falling or thrashing too much and getting hurt. I also talk softly and calmly to the dog, just praising the dog to let it know I'm there and it's not misbehaving and to try to keep him calmer. A bonus of the bear hug, is that it's makes it relatively easy to ward off other dogs. I would definately call your vet first thing in the morning and make an appointment. I really hope Rainey does OK and feels better soon. I also hope you do OK. You will get through this.

[grey14me]

No experience here, but sending hugs and prayers :hope

[4greyhounds]

I am sorry I have no experience just :grouphug I hope JillysFullHouse or Dee-Energy11 see this I am sure they would be able to help.

[Guest LindsaySF]

They are scary to witness.

 

The worst of it is over for now. She might be "out of it" for several hours afterward (the post-ictal state). Keep an eye on her and don't let her do stairs, etc, on her own. She will probably be weak and clumsy. Sophie also has a hard time seeing sometimes or gets downright spooky and runs from me.

 

Good call on the honey. In addition to feeding her to keep her blood sugar up, also keep her cool. Seizures can make them overheat. With Sophie I bring her outside in the cool weather. In the warm weather I bring her onto the deck and hose her off, then bring her back into the AC. She also likes to drink a lot of water and eat ice cubes. Sophie gets frantic for food after a seizure and will pace, cry, and chew on stuff, so watch for that in Rainey, it might mean she's hungry.

 

It could be a one-time thing and never happen again, or she could continue to have more seizures. If she has another one within the next 24 hours I would bring her to the vet. They will give her IV valium to prevent clusters (multiple seizures in a short time period). An isolated seizure here and there is scary for us, but usually won't do any major harm, but clusters can be very dangerous. If she doesn't have any more, most vets will take a "wait and see" approach. They usually establish a history of multiple seizures before considering medication.

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

 

 

ETA: Oh yeah, my favorite canine seizure site: http://www.canine-ep...om/site_map.htm Lots of good info and pretty well organized.

 

 

 

 

 

~Lindsay~

Edited August 18, 2010 by LindsaySF

[Guest 4dogscrazy]

I think LindsaySF ? has Sophie still who had many seizures.

 

I have very limited experience with this, but I'll tell you what I can. I had a sheltie that had approximately 2 seizures a year, about six months apart, like clock work for the last several years of his life. He had sustained liver damage from a medicine that was given to him as a puppy. While they are extemely frightening, please try to stay as calm as possible, that will be easier now that you know it's a possiblity. Over excitement on your part will cause your other dog to react. Your other dog and Rainey must be kept separate now unless supervised, not muzzled but separate. Since he had a negative reaction while Rainey was seizing, I would not ever leave them alone together. My guess is that your vet will not really consider this an emergency, and you may have to wait for an appointment. Your vet will also probably not put Rainey on any medication either, unless she has more. Protocol for medicating seizures is based on how many they have within a period of time. And getting the right dosage and combination is tricky. My Sheltie was never put on any medicine, since he only had two a year and medicating him would not have helped his liver.

 

Couple things to remember, you dog will probably lose control of her bowels, either while seizing or immediatly after, which you already witnessed. Be careful on stairs and anything else they may lose their balance over. I always took Momo outside afterward, he always wanted to go to the bathroom again. I would take him on a leash because he seemed too confused to understand to come back inside or come to me when I called him. I would baby gate him in my room at night after a seizure, because he would pace. Sometimes it takes a long time to "come out of it". Just try to keep her comfortable and safe, that's all you can really do. Seizures are really still a mystery, both for pets and humans still. Good luck!

[RaineysMom]

thanks guys, for all the help and advice!!!

 

your insight makes a lot of sense and seems to match what happened during and also afterwards. She is still improving, still wobbly but better. She also seems like she's "investigating" things that she's been 1,000 times before (like down in our family room, where we spend 95% of our time unless sleeping ,and where she is kept when we're gone) like she's never seen it before

 

she's more alert now, but still resting (and whining a little, which is her normal thing). What I know about seizures (which is not much) agrees with the vet's usual view, wait and see unless it happens again, which is frustrating They just suggested keeping her there, and giving the valium if it happened again, but seemed to rather us keep her and watch her (we agree for the most part). we are praying it was a one-time only thing!!!

 

ETA #2: somewhere in the back of my mind I thought I'd remembered that keeping calm is the absolute #1 thing you can do, which is what we made sure we did - glad to hear it was the right thing!!!

 

My God, this was so scary. I've read where others have had seizures and I could only imagine how bad it was, but now I know. :( thanks again for the insight, I'm feeling a little bit better.....

 

ETA: Nube and Rainey have always been separated, he's upstairs in a crate and she's confined to the family room, which now I am somewhat grateful for

 

as a side note, I don't get on as much as I used to (due to Raineys' last issue, we don't keep the PC down here anymore, so I don't get on like I used to ) and just saw Winslow has passed I am heartbroken that he has passed and for Glynnis and his dad :(

Edited August 18, 2010 by RaineysMom

[Fiona3]

That must have been so frightening for you. How is Rainey feeling this morning? Any more signs of additional seizures? You seemed to do all the right things to help her through this. Good instincts! Fingers crossed here that this was a one time event and that she'll be back to normal quickly.

[Batmom]

Aw, jeez. Poor little girl (and mom and dad) can't catch a break, can she? Holler if you need us. No experience with seizures but I'm still home today and tomorrow (Wed. and Thurs.).

[Guest greybookends]

I am sorry you are going through this. Seizures are one of the most frightening things to witness and they leave you feeling helpless because while they are happening there really isn't anything you can do except keep them from hurting themselves.

 

Start a journal right now. List last nights indecent and as many details as you can. Record her meals and anything else you might think is pertinent and if she has another seizure record it. This will help a vet. By listing meals, exercise and such it will help to see if anything is triggering it. It will help later if you have to take her to the vet. If you take her now there really isn't much that can be done except maybe to run a few tests to see if there is something else going on that may have triggered it. It really is up to you and what you think is best for Rainey.

 

[Guest K9Cookies]

So sorry this happened. Poor Rainey. Hope everything will get back to normal soon.

[mychip1]

No experience with dogs, but when my boy Chip (now at the bridge) started having seizures in his very old age, it was horrible to watch. You did everything right....i.e. keep the other dogs away, etc. All you can do is make sure that they have plenty of space with nothing that they can bump, etc. I would defer to dog-seizure moms and dads on medication.

[Trudy]

Call your vet this morning and see if they want you to bring her in. They may not want to see her. Write down info and if she has another, then bring her in.

[Houndtime]

So scary. I hope she will be ok.

[carronstar]

How frightening. Sending lots of prayers and good thoughts for pretty Rainey.

[sabrina]

Hope Rainey is doing better today

[nettles]

Hope Rainey is doing better today

 

Talked to Kim a little while ago and she is doing fine this morning.

 

Rich

[RaineysMom]

Rainey seems to be back to 100% normal this morning, thank goodness!!! her legs seem to be working ok, can go up and down the stairs fine, appetite fine (OF COURSE ), her usual Princess Whiney self

 

I did call our regular vet, and he'll call me back -- they got the report already from the Evet we called last night (we're well known there by now ). ** ETA just spoke to him, he said it could be from a liver problem, toxin ingested or maybe brain tumor. He suggested some liver blood test (where they have to fast) if she has another one, and if that comes back ok she'd have to get an MRI. We're praying she simply doesn't have another!!!!

 

The idea of keeping a log is a great one, I will write down everything that I can remember. Honestly, we didn't give/do anything -- NOTHING -- unusual all day, with the exception of they both got a little bit of cantaloupe in their afternoon meal (around 1pm), but I've given her it before and she's been fine.?? They both also have been getting some Get Up and Go supplement (for joints, etc.) -- she only gets like 1/2 the dosage (1/8 teaspoon) and has been getting it for at least 2 weeks now? I just don't know

 

we're keeping a close eye on her today -- we actually had the day off scheduled because we have Cubs tickets (the only game we've been able to go to in the past 2 years ) but now are not going because it would be WAY too long of a day and we don't want to leave her alone like that Hopefully I can work from home tomorrow too and keep an eye on her 1 more day.

 

thanks again!! for the great advice and prayers! I swear I post more about Rainey and Nube in this section than anyone else on this site does

 

ps. missing the Cubs lose I mean PLAY might be a blessing in disguise

Edited August 18, 2010 by RaineysMom

[Guest Energy11]

I am sorry you had to go through this, but you handled it EXTREMEMLY WELL!!

 

Two years ago Sept., Curfew had an "episode," a lot like what you described. The vets called it a stroke. ... NOW, he has what I thought were mini strokes, and the vets call petit mal seizures. We will never know for SURE what is what with Curfew.

 

Your Rainey most probably did have a Grand Mal seizure. Best to have the vet check the bloodwork to rule out anything causing these. Also ask him/her for some liquid valium which can be administered rectally when a seizure is happening. The vet can show you how to draw it up, and use it.

 

If the seizures continue, the vet will most likely put Rainey on Phenobarbitol to start, as well.

 

I KNOW it is scarey, but did VERY WELL!! Sending love, hugs and prayers your way!

 

Dee

 

 

[Guest NeroAmber]

Hi, I read this thread eralier and didn't know what to say... but someone's just posted this on another forum, and I thought of you. I know he's not a greyhound, and that Raineys fit may not have been epilepsy, but still- it might be helpful?

Glad to hear Rainey is feeling better today! it must have been terrifying

 

Here's the blog:

 

http://maxepilepsy.blogspot.com/

[Remolacha]

seizures are so scary, sounds like you handled things very well very likely, you will never know what caused it, and I hope she will never have another one!