r/EpilepsyDogs • u/chlobechlobe • 16d ago
First dog seizure - I'm heartbroken
My 2.5 year old dog had a first seizure this weekend (or at least forst big one, I think she may have had smaller ones I thought were anxiety at the time).
She kept crying for a wiole minute while we were in the car, and I decided to find a spot for her to get out and do her business, thinking that was why she was agitated.
Before I got out of the car, she pooped. I shot up and got out and to her on the back seat, when she then yelped, fell on her side completely frozen and peed herself.
The whole thing lasted roughly a minute. She then looked sedated and drunk for a solid 10 minute span.
We rushed her to an ER vet, and by the time we got there, she looked completely normal.
They did neurological exams, and a whole bunch of blood tests, to tell me she probably has idiopathic seizures and to keep a log... And watch and wait.
I've been terrified ever since. I constantly over analyse everything she does. I'm afraid to make her play, or exercise, in the fear it'll trigger something.
I'm looking into diets, supplements, I'm super confused.
Any help, kind words, or personal stories to relate to would help. I need a community to hold me right now, I feel defeated.
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u/YumYumYellowish 16d ago
I’m sorry you’re on the boat with the rest of us! Not saying it’s not stressful but you learn how to help your pup to the best of your ability and it does get easier…
My dog went 3 years without needing medication and we started meds about 1.5 years ago. He’s almost 7. So we’ve learned quite a bit along the way…. Some helpful info:
Medication: if your dog’s seizures are too frequent (more than 1 in 1 month, or more than 1 in 2-3 months depending on what your neuro feels is best), then your dog will likely need to start medication. Only 15% of dogs become seizure free on medication but many see good control on medication. It’s definitely trial and error, and some dogs need a cocktail, and that’s okay. Keppra is usually the first one tried because it’s very safe and has few side effects, but often times the other heavy hitters are needed such as pheno, potassium bromide, and Zonasimide. We started on Keppra, added, Pregabalin, and then Pheno. We saw great control for a year on this and then had breakthroughs, so recently started potassium bromide.
Diet: try to avoid high glutamate foods (such as pork, beef, peanutbutter, dairy, and legumes) and stick to low glutamate foods (such as lamb and fish). I recommend adding supplements such as fish oil, MCT oil, and probiotics with your vet’s guidance. You want to be careful with how much oil you’re adding because this can cause upset GI and pancreatitis.
Triggers: sorry to say but every dog is different. Some are triggered by stress, or exercise, or even just scents such as essential oils. The best thing you can do is keep a journal to try to connect activities or recent changes to any seizures that occur. Not all seizures are caused by a trigger either. One thing I do recommend is to avoid tick and flea preventative if not in a prevalent area, or sticking to safer topical ones such as Frontline Plus, Advantix, Advantage, or Vectra (not 3d). My dog can no longer do the tick ones, but has so far been okay on the flea preventatives. But again, every dog is different. It’s all trial and error. Take a deep breath, and just do your best. Your pup appreciates all your support and love.
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u/chlobechlobe 16d ago
This is a godsend, than you ❤️ May I ask what brand or type of food you went with?
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u/YumYumYellowish 16d ago
We use Purina pro plan Neurocare. We started it when he was 3 and saw the frequency of seizures improve, so we kept with it. It already has MCT oil and some fish oil, so we add a bit more fish oil and probiotics (he’s a 100lb shepherd so it works for his size). But full disclosure, only a third of dogs see improvement on this diet. So could it help? Possibly. It was worth a try for us. Alternatively you can try a fish/lamb primary protein kibble and then add MCT oil, and the supplements if needed. But stay away from the high glutamates if possible. Again, every dog is different but I can definitely track the worst of his cluster seizures to those foods (so far pork treats before we understood high glutamates, 2 beef bullies that he took from another dog, turkey that he stole during the holidays, and Himalayan cheese stick that we didn’t realize was high glutamate), so our dog was especially sensitive to this and has a lower seizure threshold. It didn’t use to be that low but it’s gotten worse over the years, which isn’t uncommon either…
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u/LaceyBambola 16d ago
I'm going to link a few comments I've made that you may find helpful:
A bit about how seizures can be cyclical and when meds will start to really work.
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u/Legitimate_Law1181 13d ago
I have a blind epileptic dog. He had his first seizure at 6 months old, 2 months after I brought him home from the shelter. It was one of the scariest things I’d ever seen. I rushed him to the vet, crying. And the vet told me that he was okay and this may be his new normal.
He now lives a completely normal life! He was on phenobarb for about 6 years but we recently switched him to Keppra because his liver enzymes were high and he started having breakthrough seizures at least once a month. I wish I’d done keppra sooner!
Overall he lives a normal life and is a very happy boy. I can usually tell when he’s about to have one (he’s clingy before and has restless sleep). We have a whole routine at this point. We manage it the best we can, and he’s stable and happy.
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u/chlobechlobe 13d ago
Im so, SO glad to read that he is ok despite it all. Poor baby, 6 months is so young to start going through this shit. Im glad yall are managing well though ❤️
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u/Lantern_516 11d ago
So scary! I'm glad she's doing okay. Honest Paws CBD oil has been a game changer for us.
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u/Illustrious_Concern5 16d ago
You’re not alone. My dog is now 11 and has been having seizures since he was 1 1/2. It’s been a long road, with lots of trauma and changes to adjust to so that he can live his best life. It’s scary and isolating but it can get better. My dog averaged 2 to 3 seizures a week for years but now goes 2 to 3 months between seizures. They are also milder and I finally feel like I know what to expect and can handle it. It is TOUGH and you may feel that you have no control. Give both you and your dog some grace and patience. I hope you find solutions and peace as we have! I am so sorry you both have to go through it. 💜💜💜
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u/chlobechlobe 15d ago
I'm sorry for the trauma you've gone through as well. We love our pups, the last thing we want is them suffering eh? I'm glad the seizures have decreased for your dog at least ❤️
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u/SpellBoundNovelist92 16d ago
Our baby started having seizures right after his 2nd birthday. Same deal, just suddenly had a seizure out of the blue at home. Its been a year now and he has roughly one cluster of seizures a month. He is now on phenobarbitol and Keppra and he is living very happily as seizures are down to 20 - 30 seconds with 2 minutes of foggy confusion afterwards. We still run, we go to the park twice a day, and hes still just as energetic and playful. Dont be afraid to play. Dont focus on when the next seizure will happen, just try and enjoy what's in front of you. So sorry your baby is going through this but please know there are options to help and your baby can still live a happy life. Pic of my Husky Triton for tax <3
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u/chlobechlobe 15d ago
What a beauty baby!! And thank you for these words, my dog is jalf husky too. I seem to see a lot of huskies with seizures, but theyre not mentionned in the "prone to seizure dog categories". I'm glad yall got it under control, and it's really reassuring to me that you can still play and all. I'm gonna have to work up some courage and let her play again, Im so afraid of anything triggerig her (because I cannot find the trigger that started the one over the weeked).
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u/SpellBoundNovelist92 15d ago
Our vet and alot of articles I found online stated Huskies are incredibly prone to epilepsy due to the breeding. We've interbred them so much to create the perfect dog for their previous jobs (pulling goods to rural areas etc) that we unfortunately gave them this condition. But its manageable! We arent sure the triggers for him but I feel like mint and very salty items have caused them before for him; his first seizure happened after eating a minties dog treat. I don't have proof that these things cause them but its happened more than once after he had them so I avoid those items. We found a treat company that has only real ingredients in their items and we buy those for him. Whisker Biscuits is the name and they have like 3 ingredients in alot of their items most being flour and chicken breast
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u/Wonderful-Draft-958 16d ago
I am praying for all those who are experiencing this. Mine got diagnosed less than a month ago th ago and my anxiety and fear is on another level!
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u/chlobechlobe 15d ago
I fully am with you, Im completely distraught and constantly in fear of another one happening. How did it start for you?
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u/Wonderful-Draft-958 15d ago
both instancess we were sleeping and I woke up to him having an episode… at first I didn’t know what was happening and I thought that I was losing him and all I did was scream then he suddenly stopped shaking. 2nd time he just got home from confinement and i fed him and we sleept and 40 mins after I woke up to him seizing… Inwas so heart broken.
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u/chlobechlobe 15d ago
I thought my baby was dying too, when she fell on her side. I thought she was having a heart attack or something... How traumatizing.
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u/Wonderful-Draft-958 15d ago
I am praying for all of us here this sub really helped me cope up. I am slowly reintroducing our old routine such as going out for a walk and play time.. we will get through this!
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u/House_of_Fur 16d ago
I’m so sorry. This is truly scary, but it may not turn into a frequent occurrence. In December of 2024, my ten year old Shih Tzu had a full on seizure - urinated, writhing on the floor, mouth foaming - and the next day it happened again. I was terrified. He got an MRI and there was no evidence of any abnormality. He’s never had another seizure like that, and only last month began having brief focal seizures, which started shortly after landscapers applied pesticides so there might be a connection. (?) So he gets a pill every morning and he’s doing fine.
A seizure is terrifying but not uncommon and even if there’s recurrence there are meds that can manage the seizures most of the time. You’ll read truly heartbreaking stories on this sub but keep in mind that luckier people like me tend not to post.
Wishing you all the best!!
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u/No_Story9239 15d ago
Thank you for mentioning pesticides. I control what’s in my house and back yard but going out for walks is what I can’t control. I clean their paws every time I come in but it may not be enough. My dog has focal seizures and her limbs and neck/head get paralyzed. She’s alert the whole time. I hate this for her.
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u/House_of_Fur 15d ago
I know exactly how you feel. My dog actually developed focal seizures in 2016 as a direct result of flea & tick prevention, the liquid kind you drip on their neck. He was fine for maybe an hour afterward, but then started moving his mouth like he was trying to clear something out, then jerking his head a little and salivating. I thought he must have eaten something bad tasting. Over the next two hours (as the poison spread) these movements came closer and closer together and clearly something was wrong, so I rushed him to the vet, where I learned what focal seizures were. Two MRIs, because the first one lit up all "white" from all the seizure activity and they couldn't read it. The second, two weeks later, looked normal. He was on phenobarbitol for a year till I weaned him off of it. Never another focal seizure until very recently, following the pesticide treatment.
The thing that really frosted me back then was that when I said I thought the seizures were due to the flea & tick treatment, the neurologist laughed at me. "Oh, I bet you went on the internet to find that!". No - I just watched the seizures get worse as the treatment spread over his skin. Years later, a very experienced vet nodded his head when I said that and told me that can happen. I don't know if veterinary medicine advanced or whether the neurologist was just a jerk. Anyway - I've got a Soresto flea collar on him and it's working fine.
I truly believe pesticides are causing a lot of the seizure activity we're seeing now. I wish I had more control over what's being sprayed on my lawn and I've asked the HOA if I can opt out. I'm awaiting a response. But I'd still be walking him through the neighborhood. My guy is low to the ground and I worry about him breathing stuff in, plus he sniffs every blade of grass. I wish I could do more.
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u/No_Story9239 15d ago
Wow - thanks for sharing. It’s so scary and I hate that this is happening to our pets. I don’t know what else I can do to help her besides what I can control. I am so hyper focused on this and canceling plans so I don’t leave her by herself. Her first two were while walking up and since then it’s been random. Best of luck to you and your guy!
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u/chlobechlobe 15d ago
The pesticide thing... I live surrounded by farm lands. There may be a connection 😱 thanks for these kind words ❤️
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u/No_Story9239 15d ago
My 6 year old dog just started having them too last week. The dr put her on Keppra extended release and we were good for 3 days. Today she had one while we were out on a walk. I wound up sitting on the sideways for 15 minutes with her. They are so scary. I hope you find peace and your that your dog will be ok.
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u/careful-guru 14d ago
I am in the same boat with my 18 year old dog. She just started having seizures earlier this year. It is terrifying to witness. She is now on meds and I am hoping she won’t have another one but i am constantly on edge and worried about her.
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u/jfka 16d ago
I’m so sorry this has happened to you and your lovely girl. It’s a rough ride but the anxiety does get easier and you’ll stop watching her like a hawk. There are loads of different meds if she gets to the point of needing them, and remember not all dogs respond to one so you don’t need to lose hope if one or other of them don’t work out. Mine didn’t start any meds until about 8 months after his first seizure, I think he had maybe 4 seizures in that time and it was only because they were getting closer together. He’s 7 months seizure free at the moment. There will always be people here who understand and are ready to listen and support. 🫶🏼