seizure or heart problem -- help!!!

[chichismom]

My boxer Chi=Chi will turn 6 this month. He had a strange "attack" last friday that lasted for about 5 minutes, and then again this morning that lasted for only a couple of minutes. Don't know if it was a seizure or what - hope you can help! At first I can hear his claws slipping on the wood floor, then as I am holding on to him, I feel his heart racing and he is trembling. Maybe because he's scared? He seems rigid and can't walk during the episode, and his gums are pale and dry. It passes and he is normal again. I have a call in to my vet. I also have his littermate sister, and she is just fine. When I listen to their hearts with the stethoscope, hers sounds normal, his seems to skip a beat every 4th, and 10th beat or so. Don't know if this is related or not. Does this sould familiar to anyone? Also, it seems like after he eats, he always yaks up a little brown (food color) liquid. I love this boy so much, I dont know what I would do without him. help me please!!!:confused:

 

[Adelle]

Because he goes rigid it is most likely a seizure, if he was passing out because of a heart problem I belive he would go limp.

Our first boxer had several seizures in his senior years which we never discovered the cause. But I would get him to your vet ASAP.

I know how upsetting it is to see them go through this. Let us know how it goes.

Adelle, Finnegan & Nessa

 

[Ozzie]

What you're describing could be a heart problem.....or maybe not. I would recommend getting him to the vet ASAP to find out.

I had a Boxer for several years that had heart problems that would result in not enough blood being pumped to his brain; hence, the result was seizures. They were mild seizures, but they were no fun to witness so I know what you're going through.

I'm not sure I'd put too much emphasis on how one heartbeat sounds v.s. your other dog; you need to have someone listen to his heart that knows what they're listening to.......I'm not saying you don't, I'm just saying that even veterinarians can't tell from time to time and that's where a cardiologist can help.

I'd also recommend you perform a search in this forum on heart problems and cardiomyopathy to see if you can find any similarities in symptoms.

Please let us know what you find out!

Bob.

 

[chichismom]

seizures/heart?

Thanks for the responses -- and sorry I haven't gotten back sooner. The vet did a lot of testing and had the results sent to an internist. After the vet visit on wednesday, ChiChi had 3 more seizure/attacks in a 2 hr time period. The vet put him on diazepam 5 mg every 6 hrs, which stopped the "attacks". We saw the internist on friday, and he did a echo and eeg on him. He said the results showed unifocal pvc's, left atrium enlarged, and contractility is down. In other words, boxer cardiomyopathy, with syncopal-type episodes. He prescribed enlapril 20 mg every 12 hrs, and furosemide 20 mg every 24 hrs. He also said to slowly taper him off the diazepam. This is monday, and so far so good, except that today, he started making this awful "harking" noise like he has something caught in his throat. Is that a cough? So I am wondering if that is a side effect of one of the pills? He did say that although he didn't think it was related to the proheart 6, he certainly would advise to not use that again. He is due for a recheck next week. I'll let you know how that goes. Thanks for all your help.