My 7 year old boxer, Sammy has became seriously ill the past few days. Two emergency trips to the vet and we have no answers but a very sick dog none the less. I will describe the situation in detail and if ANYONE has any insight or experience myself and my vet are open to your knowledge.
Thursday evening after napping Sammy was struggling to lift himself up off his pillow. As if he didnt have the strength in his front legs to do so. We assumed he was stiff or something and we helped him stand. He then walked outside, did his thing and came back in (we were with him outside). Shortly after he was panting hard, and foaming at the mouth. After several minutes of that he vomited and seemed very disorientated, then he collapsed. He didnt collapse like he passed out, he collapsed like he suddenly became so weak that his front legs could not support him.
We rushed him to the emergency animal hospital where they did a battery of tests and put him on a heart monitor for 12 hours. In that 12 hours they saw four arrythmias but nothing they felt was concerning. He appeared fine in the 16 hours of observation so we took him home late friday afternoon. Early Saturday 3am, repeat episode of Thursday night, except this time while he was laying weak he had a BM on himself, his breathing was all over the place- fast, short, slow, hard, shallow with long pauses. The episodes are about 45-90 minutes start to finish.
Saturday day he just slept all day, Sunday morning same episode all over again....only this time I thought we were going to have to dig a hole. He was not coming out of it and his breathing was so shallow and so far apart. Once again we picked his limp body up and rushed him to the vet (emergency on a sunday). Literally, two blocks from the vet he sat up and when we got to the vet he walked in on his own and was his charming boxer self!!!!!!
We are completely stumped by these episodes! They do not think the arrhythmia is the cause of these episodes (not really looking like cardiomyopathy). The have ruled out poisoning (they say the episodes would be constant). Blood work looks good, no signs of Addisons- they will be testing for atypical Addisons. They are also considering vestibular syndrome, or some sort of vagus nerve issue stemming from????????
Has anyone ever heard of this....one minute your dog is seemingly dieing in front of you, then they aren't, then they are???????
Like I said, I would be appreciative of any advice or insight.
Thursday evening after napping Sammy was struggling to lift himself up off his pillow. As if he didnt have the strength in his front legs to do so. We assumed he was stiff or something and we helped him stand. He then walked outside, did his thing and came back in (we were with him outside). Shortly after he was panting hard, and foaming at the mouth. After several minutes of that he vomited and seemed very disorientated, then he collapsed. He didnt collapse like he passed out, he collapsed like he suddenly became so weak that his front legs could not support him.
We rushed him to the emergency animal hospital where they did a battery of tests and put him on a heart monitor for 12 hours. In that 12 hours they saw four arrythmias but nothing they felt was concerning. He appeared fine in the 16 hours of observation so we took him home late friday afternoon. Early Saturday 3am, repeat episode of Thursday night, except this time while he was laying weak he had a BM on himself, his breathing was all over the place- fast, short, slow, hard, shallow with long pauses. The episodes are about 45-90 minutes start to finish.
Saturday day he just slept all day, Sunday morning same episode all over again....only this time I thought we were going to have to dig a hole. He was not coming out of it and his breathing was so shallow and so far apart. Once again we picked his limp body up and rushed him to the vet (emergency on a sunday). Literally, two blocks from the vet he sat up and when we got to the vet he walked in on his own and was his charming boxer self!!!!!!
We are completely stumped by these episodes! They do not think the arrhythmia is the cause of these episodes (not really looking like cardiomyopathy). The have ruled out poisoning (they say the episodes would be constant). Blood work looks good, no signs of Addisons- they will be testing for atypical Addisons. They are also considering vestibular syndrome, or some sort of vagus nerve issue stemming from????????
Has anyone ever heard of this....one minute your dog is seemingly dieing in front of you, then they aren't, then they are???????
Like I said, I would be appreciative of any advice or insight.
for 2 years now. With his medication at the dosage it is now he had 13 triple arrythmias is 24 hours. Last year at the lower dosage it was triple that. To be honest he has never had any kind of episode or seizure, other than focal head tremors, and those I have attributed to his hypothyroidism.
Orange County, CA