seizures

[sioxley]

My 7 year old border collie had a bad seizure five days ago,she spent the night at the vets and seemed ok..but I've noticed that she seems a bit unsteady on her back legs and hasn't barked since she also seems to be panting quite a lot since then...shes due back at the vets tomorrow but I was wondering if anyone else had seen these symptoms in there dogs after a seizure,getting worried that something might be wrong...i would really appreciate any information...thank you....sioxley

[SaltyCowdawg]

Possibly canine epilepsy.  The ugly truth is there are lines of Border Collies out there with a predisposition to that debilitating disease.   I'd see more than one vet about this one and get multiple professional opinions.

[sioxley]

Thanks for your post...it was the first fit she has ever had and was fitting for only a minute....thats what I find strange,she was scavaging out of a bin bag a couple of days before that some travellers had left near where we go for a walk...was wondering if she had been poisoned....up until the fit there has never been anything up with her...thanks for your time.

[BluCrystal]

Hello, Sioxly.  I am an ex-vet-tech, so I know a bit about this.  KNOW THAT I AM NOT ATTEMPTING TO SCARE YOU, JUST TELL YOU THE TRUTH.  When a dog has a seizure (longer than a few minutes), it can cause brain damage.  Just so you know, if a dog has an ongoing seizure (ten minutes or more), he will most likely die or be so brain damaged as to have to be put down. What is happeneing to your dog is called a post-dictal seizure reaction, which means that the brain will not function quite right for an unknown amount of time.  I have seen dogs come out of a seizure and act like nothing happened, I have seen dogs like yours who have some trouble after, and I have seen dogs die from a seizure.  I am sure that your vet has given your dog diazepam and/or valium (anti-seizure medication).  He may do so again tomorrow.  And he should prescribe your dog phenobarbitol twice a day, for an unknown amount of time (some dogs take it for life).  If your vet has not mentioned or given any of the meds i have mentioned, please ask about them and why they are not being used in your dog's case.  And please keep us updated!  Blessings for you and your dog - Blu