# Help, my bulldog is having seizures



## ckwall (Sep 19, 2007)

My 2 year old English bulldog (Duchess) started having seizures one after another this morning. We took her to the vet right away where she continued to have more seizures. The vet sedated her and gave her valium and two other medications. The vet told us that she has epilepsy. When we contacted the breeder she told us not to jump to conclusions about it being epilepsy and that it could be something else. We had Duchess in for surgery three weeks ago to fix her eyelashes that had curled in where they used anesthesia and she had to have a tranquilizer in order to get the stitches out (last week). I guess what I'm saying is that I don't know who to trust, the vet, that this is epilepsy and not a problem that she may have caused in the surgery process or the breeder who does not want her kennal linked with the genetic problem. Our dog is such a good dog and so sweet with our kids, she is part of our family and I would hate to jump to any conclusions or do anything that may put her at any risk. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?


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## sillylilykitty (Mar 11, 2007)

I have been told by some of the vets at my school (vet tech training school) that a lot of vets seem to rush to epilepsy and give you the meds (VERY powerful stuff and shouldnt be taken lightly, cant remember the name at the moment). There are more reasons for seizures then just epilepsy, so if I were you I would get a second or third opinion by different vets.

There is a member here on the forum who might be able to help who has an epileptic dog.

Actually, here is a thread she made:

http://www.dogforums.com/13-dog-health-questions/7834-epileptic-seizures.html


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## vabird (Jun 5, 2007)

Did the vet run bloodwork before the surgery or at the time of the seizures? If the bloodwork was within normal limits, it may have eliminated a lot of the metabolic problems that can cause seizures and may be the reason the vet is now thinking epilepsy. 
How was Duchess's recovery from anesthesia? I would doubt that the anesthesia would have caused the seizures. Since she is a bulldog, I would want to get the seizures under control ASAP. I worry about airway obstruction in these dogs during a seizure.


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## LeRoymydog (Feb 25, 2007)

My english bulldog had seizures several grand mals per day even on seizure medication, but his ended up being a nerve disorder. 

Just during the seizure comfort her and let her know you're there with her. If she feels hot to the touch fill some sandwich baggies of ice and wrap them in towls and put them on her. Don't worry about her swallowing her tongue- dogs can't swallow their tongues.

Good luck to you!!!


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## ckwall (Sep 19, 2007)

Thank you all for your helpful information. The vet says that Duchess is coming out of sedation and recognizes her name. I am sure she will want to give me medication because that is how vets make their money. Any suggestions on the best meds from any of your experiences?


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## Mermaid (Jan 16, 2007)

ckwall said:


> Thank you all for your helpful information. The vet says that Duchess is coming out of sedation and recognizes her name. I am sure she will want to give me medication because that is how vets make their money. Any suggestions on the best meds from any of your experiences?


I am sorry that your dog is having seizures, but you are not being fair. Your vet is not just out to make money from you. If you believe that, you need a different vet. Your vet is acting in your dog's best interest. Your dog obviously has some sort of seizure disorder, so she probably needs something to control these seizures. Don't assume your vet is out to make a quick buck.

And the best medication for one dog may not be the best for other dogs. That is up to your vet to decide. Dilantin, phenobarbital, etc. There are a few options and none is best for every dog.


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## Lightwingcreations (May 7, 2007)

Vets will usually prescribe phenobarbitol (sp?), which is not expensive, but it is a controled substance. It is a very powerful drug and should be used with caution. If a dog is going to have an anesthesia related seizure it will usually happen when the anesthesia is administered. Also, seizures are not genetic alone. They can be caused by damage to the brain (I think usually a lesion on the surface, but not sure). So, you and the breeder should not jump to conclusions. Do you have access to the bloodlines? I don't even know if it's possible to trace any health problems in their genetic history because I'm a rescue girl and don't have experience in pure breeds backgrounds. You can always get a second opinion like someone above said. If you are actually thinking that your vet is not proactive enough or just bilking you for money I would seek another vet. I know I did when I didn't care for the vets amount of thought that went into answering my questions. My dogs wellfare is in my hands first and the vets second because I make the decisions on what doctor they see.


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## Shalva (Mar 23, 2007)

there are many reasons for seizures. 
from ideopathic epilepsy to vaccine reactions to low blood sugar. I agree wtih your breeder about not jumping to conclusions. Most vets do not prescribe phenobarbital for a dog that has just had a couple of seizures over a period of time. Phenobarb has some nasty long term side effects regarding the liver and while it is a valuable medication most vets want to wait to be sure a dog is going to have more than a few seizures before they prescribe. 

The anesthesia can exacerbate seizures and a seizure prone dog should not be given acepromazine, instead I find that with my epi-boy we mask him down using sevoflourane and that allows the vet to get him under fast and bring him back up quickly. That is just my vet though ...... 

With regard to seizures themselves..... couple thoughts.
your dog should never be around water that is more than a couple inches deep alone, only under supervision or when wearing a life jacket,,,,, 

keep some breyers vanilla ice cream in the freezer as that will help your pup come around after a seizure and get the blood sugar back up 

do not ever put anything in your dogs mouth 

log the seizures and how long they last 

get soem ice packs, ice packs put over the eyes will often decrease the length of a seizure 

get some emergency valium, I have some premade syringes of valium so if my dog has a seizure that is lasting longer than I think it should (usually a minute or so - feels like forever) then I can squirt half up one nostril and half up the other and that will stop the seizure... this can also be done rectally..... I find the nose to be an easier target though.... might be harder in a bulldog.... I keep two preloaded syringes on hand at all times. 

stay calm and count..... 

also if you havent done it already.... a full blood panel should be done within 12 hours of a seizure so if that hasn't been done then have it done the next time he seizes..... if there are any changes you will see them after 12 hours things go back to normal 

run a full tick panel 

run a full thyroid panel (the kind that gets sent out to a university labratory) 

don't freak out.... many dogs like my own live good long lives. My cuinn has had epilepsy since he was 2.5, he will be six in November and he is a bit drugged (he takes phenobarb and potassium bromide twice a day) but he is a otherwise healthy happy boy who just loses control of his body periodically. 

I would be happy to help in any way that I can feel free to private message me...... I am pretty busy right now and not around much but I do check in most days. I would also encourage you to go the the http://www.canine-epilepsy.com Canine epilepsy site, there is a email list that is full of very knowledgeable people and the web page itself is a wealth of information. 
good luck 
Shalva and Cuinn


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## ckwall (Sep 19, 2007)

So, I decided to get a sceond opinion on my dog since I didn't trust the vet. The second vet said that Duchess had a liver infection not epilepsy. Looking at my vet bill from Duchess' surgery she gave her Deramaxx, Baytril and Dexamethosone. Does anyone know if any of these drugs may lead to liver infections or possible seizures? 

Duchess has been up all night pacing the floor, I don't know what med the vet has pumped into her, but there is something wrong with her.


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## Jen D (Apr 23, 2007)

I think that it is good you went for a second opinion if you didn't trust the vet but I will say vets do have more education then breeders. Other then very good breeders who know their breed maybe. If that new vet did blood work he would be able to tell if the dog had a liver problem so wait a few days to see how it goes.
There are many dogs that live a very long life with seizure disorders with the right meds and sometimes it takes awhile to get it right. My friend down the road had a dog whom is 15yr and has had them most of her life and the meds were not that expensive.
Did the first vet do blood work also or an EEG? Is the dog still having them or was this after surgery? Good luck to you they are scary to watch I have a daughter who has grand mall.


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