Focal seizure....any experience?

[morags]

Our sweet, loving, snuggling rescued Boxer girl had a focal seizure yesterday. Foaming at the moutn, face twitching but otherwise acted normal. She was outside when it started and actually was running and chasing her play friend through it all.

I rushed her to the vet once I saw her close up and they rushed her in and asked me if she 'got into anything she shouldn't have' repeatedly. I said no. I don't believe she did given our yard and where they are confined in one large room of our home. They are inside dogs.

They gave her valium and the seizure stopped to about 95%. They ran a blood panel, basic CBC and liver and kidney was fine, mild dehydration was beginning from all the foaming/drooling. After she was settled they gave her Phenobarb and said I could come back and get her a couple hours later IF she did ok. This was yesterday...a Saturday afternoon. They could not guarantee she wouldn't seize again over the rest of the weekend and we may end up in the ER with her. 5 mins before I arrived they gave her another dose of valium to have on board for when we got her home to give the Pheno time to kick in. Thats when all h*ll broke loose. She was completely out of her mind, hyper, pacing, whimpering, trying to climb a wall, the counter everything. She was insane. The vet said she may be having an adverse reaction to the higher dose of valium and that this happens sometimes. Since it was now 5pm he opted to take her home with him and treat her there since he has all the equipment there.

When he got her home he said he had to put her on an IV drip and cath to get her off the valium reaction and prevent another seizure. She had a rough night obviously. This morning he called at 8am to say it had been 12 hours since a seizure and she was back to acting normally and ate fine. He will monitor her the rest of the day and I will get her tomorrow morning.

Let me say we have only had her since Oct 2009 from a Humane Society. She was very underweight by about 10lbs when she was brought in and it was apparent she had been recently bred and given birth. They estimate she is approx 1 1/2 - 2 yo and very small for the breed. She is about 48lbs.

I don't know what to expect and wondered if anyone else had been thru this and advice. She is super calm by nature and wants to spend her time being loved and cuddled. Our male boxer is fine, he 14 months old with endless energy and has the tendency to eat anything like a goat which is why I don't think she got into anything. She does have chronic GI issues with wanting to eat grass with stomach upsets. I give her probiotic yogurt when it happens and she gets over it in a day.

Any advice or encouragement is appreciated.

 

[Gatorblu]

Wow! I haven't been thru anything like that, Thor has had the focal seizures where his head shakes and that scared me! I don't know how I would handled the seizure your baby had. But God bless your vet for taking her home with him to keep an eye on her. Since I haven't been through it I really can't give any advice. Just wanted to let you know we're sending some ((healing vibes)) your way! Keep us posted on how she is doing.

 

[hugomom1]

might be head tremor

If it's literally just her head shaking every time, she may have idiopathic head tremors. It's common in Boxers and several of us here, myself included, have experienced this.

I think there are some videos on Youtube of a dog having head tremors. Google it and see if this is what is happening to your dog. Although, I've never experienced the foaming at the mouth so it could be something more like an actual seizure. IF she does have head tremors, they're scary but pass within minutes and not harmful to the dog.

I'm a little worried that the ER you took her to automatically loaded her up with Pheobarb. But if it's not head tremors and actually seizures, that is probably what you're supposed to do...

 

[Lisa H]

Justice had head tremors when she was a puppy up until she was about 1. Her head was the only thing that would shake and it would go on for about 30 seconds at a time and then go away...she acted as though they never even occurred. They scared the crap out of me. The vet never got to see one and ran a bunch of tests and basically thought I was cracked. Thank god she grew out of them. I really hope that yours turns out to be nothing too!

Lisa and Justice

 

[morags]

Thanks everyone. I spoke with the vet and he said she (Maddie)has been fine today but is still having occasional but mild facial tics so we'l keep an eye on it and if she adjusts to her meds it may stop if not the dose may need adjusting.

The way she looked during this long spell was with a face like a dog about to sneeze; how they crinkle up their muzzle if you will. All the while she was foaming at the mouth in puddles. I'd have never guessed seizure; in my mind I always thought seizures were the flopping/rigid/tongue out variety. I assumed she was having an allergic reaction as she does seem more sensitive to smells when I am cooking or cleaning; she sneezes often. She also always has a snorkle sound when she breathes, kind of like a pig grunt.

I have no idea what is causing this or where this is heading. I am sure he will recommend an MRI tomorrow and I will have to think that over. I'd like to do a wait and see for the next week or so. I miss her as do my husband and kids but to be honest I am afraid to have her home if this happens again. Our other overly playful boxer (Max) may exacerbate her to have another spell. Then again who knows.

I go and get her at 10am tomorrow morning. I pray she has a peaceful uneventful evening.

 

[Swampo]

Our Gus had very similiar seizures..foaming at the mouth, twitching. When they were bad, he would lie down and "jerk" all over. He had a similiar reaction to Phen.Barb. He would pace non-stop and then drink water(and whine)...pace and then drink...it was very compulsive. He was getting NO rest at all while on that. The vet told us to stop giving Phen. Barb and only use valium when he had the bad seizures. He would have them about 3-4 months apart.