Hey everyone.... I was looking through the posts because I thought someone had posted a video of their dog having a seizure but I can't find it now...


I can't be sure, but since I picked Journey up from her spay she has had a few episodes that are a bit odd. She will lay down and her head will begin to twitch back and forth for about 10-20 seconds.... very rapidly. Then it goes away and she acts just normal.

I wasn't sure if this was a seizure or not? It kind of freaked me out the first time....I thought maybe she was scratching her head against her E-collar but the twitching was too rapid and erratic. It was very strange. It never lasts terrible long so I am unable to completely understand what is happening..... It has been 3 days since her spay and this has happened maybe 3 or 4 times that I have seen.....

She was on Rimadyl, but I discontinued that now that I read it can cause seizures....

I also stumbled across an artcile about focal seizures and it says that "Seizures associated with a concussion frequently occur weeks or months after the head injury and are caused by a focus of scar tissue in the brain." which makes me wonder if she received one during her attack a few weeks ago. :S
I am a worry wart momma... it scares me!

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/dog-seizure-disorders

I really hope it's not, but it was me that posted a video of Shadow having a seizure. It's in her seizure thread. Hers in that video is a full on grand mal, whereas Journey's sounds like it may be more of a focal or partial type. Definitely keep an eye on her, and if she is still having those episodes it may warrant a neuro work up. Good luck...

It could be a reaction to anesthesia as well - I'd just keep an eye on her and be cautious about putting her under any time soon.

Yeah, she has been under anesthesia twice in the past few weeks... Once from her injury and now this past Wed for her spay. :/ I'm taking her in for her post-op checkup this coming week so I'll chat with them about it again then.

Meredith- I thought it was you but I couldn't find the video in the thread... Maybe I accidentally skipped over it. I remember watching it vaguely when you posted it. I don't know what I would do if my dogs had a grand mal seizure. It's scary enough just watching her head twitch and realize she isn't doing it of her own accord. :/ I can't imagine what you are going through

I would recommend just keeping a close eye on her.

Nova also has seizures - his are grand mal seizures. Really the only thing you can do while its happening is be calm, let them know you're there (We always talk to Nova gently), stay away from the mouth and get as much information on it has you can. Luckily I grabbed my phone when Nova had one and the neurologist was able to use the video to help Nova.

Monique brings up a really good point about getting a video. The one that I posted was taken at the request of our neurologist, it really helps them in the diagnostic process. I've also got an app on my phone that logs the length of the seizure and allows me to make notes. I'd suggest at the very least trying to get one of these on video for your vet.

How is Journey doing today?

She seems to be doing alright. She had a few of the "episodes", whatever they are, this morning. They didn't last quite a long. I have discontinued the use of the Rimadyl. I haven't noticed any strange actions since this morning so that is good. I was gone for a couple hours while Shaqua and I went hiking but other than that we have all spent the whole day together... I do seem to notice it more in the evening as we head to bed and in the morning when we are waking up.... Hopefully it doesn't happen again but if it does I will try to get a video of it. It's hard to think about that, my first reaction is to get to her and talk to her to see if I can snap her out of it...

I really, really hope Journey feels better soon! Good luck with everything and let us know!

I do too. I love her so much. I'm getting really tired of the cone, too. It really hurts when she runs into me with it.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10100412238393321&l=6593953869852295713



I caught the tail end. Some people think she has just found a "sweet spot" and is rubbing it and has hit the right spot. Kind of like when you scratch a certain place that makes their leg thump? IDK... it still seems odd to me but that is probably because I see her everyday and this behavior is not typical. Only 6 more days of the cone...

Nicole, that to me doesn't look like she's just scratching. It just looks too erratic to me. Have you tried to get her attention during one of these? If she's just scratching, you should be able to still get her attention and get her to look at you. The next time she does this, if you haven't already try whatever you can to get her to respond to you. Also, how does she act afterwards. Does she act confused at all like she doesn't know what just happened, or does she get up and walk away like nothing is wrong?

She seems to be ok afterwards. She doesn't respond to me during the episodes. I always go up to her and say her name, ask her if she is ok, but it still lasts about 30 sec or so. Afterwards she will lick her cone and go back to being regular old Journey.

Has she ever done it when the cone is off?

I think you need to take that video and go to your vet. Do you have a vet neurologist down there? If nothing else I'm sure there's one in Tuscaloosa with the University. Shadow's post ictal phase is usually really short (today was a different beast), and she'll lay there for a minute like she's gathering herself, then pop up and act like nothing ever happened. The fact that she doesn't respond during is pretty troubling though.

When she was attacked by that dog, did he provide proof of vaccinations of his dogs? Is it possible she might have gotten some sort of infection from the bites?

Just did a quick Google search, you're lucky you're in a college town:

http://www.cvm.msstate.edu/neurology-imaging/index.html

Yeah, that is the vet I go to. They have a great vet school here with all the new technology and they really care for your dogs. When Journey was there for the weekend after her injury they sent me pictures via text to keep me sane. Ha ha.

I'm going to call them. The vet tech that handles Journey may let me send the video to his cell phone since he's been using it to send me pics when she is there.

Good luck and keep us updated!

I know you are already going to call them. But I agree with everything that Meredith has said. It does not look like just scratching to me. Have you seen what her eyes are doing at the time this is happening?

did they give her any other meds for the spay, did you have to sign a form stating if she has had seizures in the past before the surgery? i only ask because we had to for Sierra and there is a med they give after surgery to calm them down and knock them out that is know to cause seizures and im wondering if she is having a reaction to what they may have given her that was not a med they sent you home with.

I can't be of much help, since I've never experienced this myself but it defintely doesn't look like scratching. I hope everything is ok and keep us updated!

jbealer wrote:

did they give her any other meds for the spay, did you have to sign a form stating if she has had seizures in the past before the surgery? i only ask because we had to for Sierra and there is a med they give after surgery to calm them down and knock them out that is know to cause seizures and im wondering if she is having a reaction to what they may have given her that was not a med they sent you home with.

Not that I am aware of. I didn't have to sign any forms about seizures. I did warn them before her surgery that I knew that her line, and even siberians in general, tend to be more susceptible to anesthesia and they said they would take precautions. I just got home, stopped by the vet school while I was on campus and spoke with the vet student assigned to her and showed him the video. We have an appointment for Wed morning but if she gets worse I can bring her in anytime. He said I could take the cone off while I am home and see if that helps (just watch her carefully to make sure she doesn't start biting at her incision site). He seemed to agree it looks to be more of a partial seizure but that it is good she doesn't seem disoriented afterwards. That would be more concerning.

I just wanted to say good luck, and hopefully it's just a reaction to the medicine or something and nothing serious. Watching your furbaby have a seizure is pretty horrifying as Yukon started last November, although he had the grand mal seizures. Like it was said, if she is not responding to you while it is happening it's more than just scratching.

I don't want to freak you out but if those turn out to be seizures, I wouldn't wait until tomorrow. I'd get her in ASAP. The postictal phase and it's length/severity doesn't necessarily correlate with how serious a seizure is. It can be a mild seizure with a terrible recovery period, or the opposite.

One other thing. Have you send the video to your breeder? She may be able to offer some insight about what is happening.

Wow, just catching up on this thread. I'm sorry that you're going through this Nicole   I know how scary it is. Hopefully you'll have an answer tomorrow. Definitely doesn't look like head scratching to me either. This sucks! Why are all of our babies going through this?!