Berman had another seizure this morning. He was sitting on the kitchen rug waiting for breakfast and threw up - just frothy foamy stuff - nothing of any substance. I went to clean it up and he started shaking. I thought he was cold since he was sitting right by my drafty back door so I sat in the floor and held him in my lap. Then he got real stiff and started shaking more. I immediately put my hand next to his nose and could feel him breathing. I just rocked him and petted him and told him everything was ok. I kept checking his breathing and a few times, he would lick my hand.
I called my vet and the animal ER and explained what was going on and neither were of much help - I'm not sure what I was expecting.
The episode lasted about 5-7 minutes and after it was over, he just ran around and then ate all his breakfast. The last (and his first) seizure was about a month ago. The vet ran blood tests but couldn't find anything that would cause seizures. I'm not sure if these episodes are close enough in time to require any sort of medication. I really don't want to make Berman take medication for the rest of his life if these seizures don't really cause any harm or anything.
Rays coming to Berman! I am so sorry that you guys are having to deal with this! I can't believe that the ER and vet weren't much help! I don't have any experience with seizures so I am just sending major rays your way!
How scary!
I don’t know anything about seizures either, but can imagine how frustrating it is to not get answers from the ER or the vet. :BangHead:
I hope Berman gets better soon! :comfort:
Oh, poor Berman. I find it odd that the vet AND ER vet didn't seem to know anything about seizures. Hmmm. :dontknow: I hope you find some answers. In the meantime, just do what you're doing. Hold him and cuddle him and make him comfortable. DARN! :scratch:
well - let me restate that - the vet wasn't in - I spoke to the nurse and I'm not sure who the person was that I spoke to at the ER. I guess I was looking for reassurance that what I was doing was the right thing.
Poor Berman and poor you ! I would be scared to death. From what I remember with earlier posts, you did what you should - to make sure he was safe, and calm.
I would call and talk to your vet. Nothing more frustrating than not getting answers when you need them.
Hang in there and rays to Berman !
Sam used to get seizures about once every six months and they would stop after about a minute or two. Once he was in the midst of one and luckily we were on our way to the vet. He shook the whole time he was there and the vet couldn't figure it out. Well, on our way home I had to stop at the pet store and wanted to leave Sam in his carrier in the car, but he insisted he wanted to come in,so I took him out of the car. We walked into the pet store, the seizsures stopped and he didn't have one until last weekend - 4 years later. Don't know what caused any of them, but I am thankful they are few and far between.
Hope Berman feels better real soon.
Well, you did the right thing - rub, soothingly talk and wait calmly- or as best you can. The only dachsie I have had with seizures was Heidi (1985-2001) and she had very few. The vet told me not to worry (too much!) unless they lasted more than ten minutes or occurred more than once a month. When we reached the frequency of three weeks apart, she had meds, but I have forgotten what it was. She only took them for about a month, because she was nearly 15 at that point, and she crossed to the Bridge just a few weeks later, when the vet let me know her ear infection was curable but quality of life was gone, so I had her put to sleep - the least I could do for nearly 15 years of love and devotion.
I agree that you did the right thing with how you kept calm and soothing and rubbed him and talked quiet. It does help to relax them and seems to make them pass sooner. You should only have to worry if he starts coming out of a seizure and goes right back into one (clusters). When dogs do this or have seizures frequently,they need the medicine. The way I understand it each seizure makes more paths for more seizures. Just keep track of what is happening when they happen and times, etc. There are no real tests if these are epilepsy it is more a process of elimination of causes. Zeke's seizures were the cluster type and so we had to treat him. But he still enjoyed life and had as much fun as all the other dogs.
Sending HHHHH's & PPPPPP's for you both.
Merion & the ZZ's
My border collie/lab mix, Cooper, developed epilepsy in April 2005. After being checked out by our vet, we put him on phenobarbitol. It worked well in keeping the seizures under control, but he continued to suffer grand mal seizures. He went through a period when he had a seizure every three to four hours for around four days. I kept giving him phenobarb until he was nearly unconscious. Our vet explained the dangers of uncontrolled seizures and the importance of using the medicine.
He had routine liver function blood work done and got a clean bill of health last May. On Labor Day, while I was in the hospital, he stopped eating. Tests revealed an inoperable cancer in the middle of his liver. He came home to say good-bye to all who loved him and he was put to sleep on Thursday, September 7th. He was six years old and we miss him terribly.
Check out this link http://www.epilogsys.com/scoutingweb/SubPages/GSLawHis.htm
Hope it helps.
Karen
Oh Karen! How heartbreaking!