Eoghan had a seizure last night!

[Ravenlost]

When it rains, it pours! First Molly has heat exhaustion, then Eoghan has a seizure! He scared us really badly, but it only lasted a minute or so and he was back to his normal self.

It was really weird...he jumped down off the couch to eat last night and just seized up...his legs drew in really odd and stiff, his feet curled in, he was shaking and his eyes were blank and staring. He was completely unresponsive. Hubby kept stroking him and talking to him soft and soothing and he slowly came out of it and was fine.

Of course, I immediately started researching canine seizures and I believe I've figured out what is wrong. I think Eoghan has an underactive thyroid...hypothyroidism. He is a bloodhound mix and bloodhounds are prone to thyroid problems. He's been suffering from very dry skin, extremely thin and brittle hair and has been scratching and gnawing at himself constantly. These are all symptoms of low thyroid function so he's going to the vet in the morning to have tests done.

I was scared to death last night and do NOT want Eoghan to have another seizure!

[Minelson]

That is so scary! I hope you get it figured out

[Ravenlost]

It was very scary! I've kept a close eye on him today and he's been fine...doesn't even seem to be as itchy today.

[beccachow]

Is it possible he was out in the heat as well? Man, you guys cannot catch a break!

[Ravenlost]

No, he wasn't out in the heat at all yesterday, just for quick potty breaks and the high heat seems to have broken here. Only got up to 92 today with a heat index of 98...that's cool! LOL...

[Minelson]

Vet tomorrow right?

[FoxyWench]

a single seizure does NOT automatically mean the dog has to see a vet.

given hes having other symptoms of a thyrod problem i would say a vet visit is in order, but a single seizure alone wouldnt warrent vet intervention all the vet will tell you is to try and keep the dog calm and watch for other symptoms.

seizure medication is ONLY given in repetitive cases, theres a high risk of bad interactions from all seizure medication and so its typically only perscribed if the dog is haveing 3 or more seizures a week for aminimum of a month.

a single random seizure (especially one so minor, yes i know it was scary for the op, but the dog was tense, mild shaking and blank, not a "bad" seizure) can be causeby anything from low blood sugar to dehydration to stress to a simple miss fire in the brain.

again given the dog has symptoms of thyrid problems i would get the dog checked, but generally...a vet wont intervein.

having one seizure means theres a chance hes going to have at least 1 more over the next 5 days or so...he may not (i hope he doesnt) but if he does it is NORMAL, they tend to be milder, think aftershocks. if however he does it multiple times in one day or frequently for more than 3 days...get checked.

if he does seize again, sit with him and stay calm, this is MUCH scarier for you than it iss for him, make sure he cant fall off anything (either hold him gently or move him to the floor if hes on a bed or couch) pet him, talk softly and just stay calm, when he comes back to reality YOUR level of stress will feed him, he wont realy knwo either way what just happend (at least if there anything like humans lol) but if your stressed hell know somethings wrong and he will stress and stress can trigger aftershocks...
he may need to pee soon after a seizure, but will usually be a little groggy, tired and often a tad unsteady on the feet so be carefull around stairs.

sounds like youve got a good handle on it, and definatly get that thyroid checked, but honestly i woudlnt worry too much about his seizure...not at this point anyway.

our cocker spaneil has had 3 seizures in his 10 yrs of life, all 3 related to hypoglycemia and stress...our vet wont do anything about it unless these episodes become aloT more frequent, untill then we keep a journal remembering everything we can about before and after the episode.

it also helps that im epileptic so i tend to notice thigns and triggers.
i can tell you as an epileptic that most dont remember wha thappens during a seizure...i never realized how scary a seizure LOOKS...honestly, it freeks the onlooker out MUCH more than it bothers the person seizing...afterwards sucks though lol (tired, yicky and tense feeling)

good luck, sounds like youve had quite a week with them.

[Ravenlost]

Fortunately he had jumped down off the loveseat, so was on the floor when it happened. Hubby did exactly as you said...sat on the floor next to him, stroking him and talking in a low soothing voice. Once Eoghan was aware and responsive hubby took him out for a short walk (just the two of them...don't know if he pottied or not) and all was okay.

He's definitely going to the vet tomorrow for bloodwork. I just have a feeling that he has low thyroid function, which brought this on. Molly has to go back tomorrow too...they left her IV shunt in her leg! Don called and they said for us NOT to attempt to remove it.

Anyway, our first dog together, Huck, had a couple of seizures when he was a puppy. He was a Border Collie and I knew they were prone to seizures, so we didn't immediately rush him to the vet...just mentioned it when he had to go for other routine things. Fortunately, Huck outgrew them and those two were the only ones he ever had. Unfortunately, he didn't live to be three, but that's a whole other sad time in our lives.

My sister said we have the sickest animals (yeah...my family is real supportive...NOT), but I figure with 18 dogs and 8 cats we've done really well this summer. Until this week, that is!

[FoxyWench]

with that many it certainly could be worse, im hoping his blood work comes back with something simple and easy to fix

[beccachow]

I hate to be a donwer, but you guys recommending sitting next to a seizing dog and reassuring him takes me back to my childhood and my first chow, Arrow, who had epilepsy. He would clamp his teeth on to the first thing he could find and hold on the entire time he was having his seizures (grand mal), then afterwards would be growling and confused after he went through the postictal phase. My mom and dad still have the chair we would use to block him with the deep tooth mark gouges. You might want to excercise caution, a seizing dog cannot just let go because you tell him too, he is too far out to be able to hear you. When he comes to, he will NOT recognize you right away, he will be scared and disoriented, confused after his postical phase. Also very dangerous, potentially. As much as you want to run in and comfort, please be aware this isn't the dog you know for many many minutes and use caution. I cannot help but think you would be better served to stay near him and speak slowly and comfortingly, but I am not sure I would recommend putting my hands on them. At work, postictal people wake up swinging at times. I am not saying ALL and ALWAYS, but I sure didn't want to be on the end of Arrow's teeth while he seized. Just use caution, ok? Humans can bite their own tongues nearly off, what more damage could a dog do if he happened to fasten on your arm or hand while seizing? They clamp their teeth, there would be no way of getting him off of there without hurting him.

Just a word of advice based on the gazillion seizures I see on the medic daily, and my experience with an epileptic dog. Sure, not all dogs, and not always...but do you want to take that chance? Sit near him, but please be careful where you are petting.

Foxywench has a lot of experience with seizures, though, so listen to her . I am just a tad concerned about a dog in an altered mental state and what he MIGHT be able to do without knowing it, and that is due to my experience with poor old Arrow. i wish I had pics of that chair...he gauged the wood down a good half inch with each seizure.

[FoxyWench]

becca in a grand mal situation i would 100% agree, but in this case its sounds like an incredibly simple seizure, stiffening, mild active seizing and an absent gaze.

if it ever goes form that to violent seizing "snapping"/jaw clentching make sure hes in a safe spot and just let him finnish....
but in mild seizures like this, its usually safe to stay by and comfort.

im sorry you had to go through that with Arrow, its certainly distressing to watch and grand mals are terrifying and violent (animal OR human) i have a friend with grandmals, and people in college would insist if she seized on trying to "pin" her down so she wouldnt hurt herself...she was this 95lb 5ft tall tiny thing, and i wanred them once shes safe on the ground move the furniture out of the way and just let her be...
they refused to listen and in the space of 2 years she sent 4 grown guys to hospital, bit 6 people and i cant tell you how many got some nasty brusises from her flailing...people forget during a grand mal every muscle engages even the tinest of people or animals suddenly gains superhuman strength and no abilitiy to control it.

afterwards id simply help her into a seat get her her meds and a glas of water and tell the people who got hurt trying to restrain her "told ya so"