# My dog won't stop barking and crying after seizures and valium. Help?



## lizlizliz (Aug 10, 2012)

My 20lb, 12-year-old Lhasa Apso had six seizures starting Thursday morning at 3am until that evening. We took her to the vet who prescribed valium (10mg dose every 4 hours). Fortunately, she has not had a seizure since 7:30pm Thursday evening. 

That's all fine and well, but the seizures have been replaced by constant, inconsolable crying, howling, and barking. She can't use her legs because of the muscle relaxant part of valium so she's basically laying in her crate or the floor howling her head off (we're keeping her off the couch since she's been urinating periodically and our grass is wet from rain and she kept falling in it...not fun). She'll bark/cry herself crazy for about 90 minutes and sleep for 45. We've given her food and water and were told to stop the valium. She hasn't had it since 6am, so it should technically be out of her system.

We've talked to the vet about this and she said it's normal and not a concern, but my mom and I really need to sleep tonight since we woke up about every 3 hours the past two nights for either seizures or crying spells. I've done fine just leaving her to "cry it out" but as I said, she only sleeps for 45 minutes at a time. Not to mention the crying is flat-out heartbreaking.

Is there some kind of food we can give her or some trick to help her fall asleep? Warm milk maybe? She doesn't respond to being held even though she's a lap dog - it actually makes her cry harder because she just wants to walk around and use her legs.

EDIT: The seizures at this point are not the problem, it's the valium after-effects.

Thanks!


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

is she on meds for the seizures? What helped my dog the most was gold bead implants. It doesn't work for every dog but made an amazing difference for him. Post seizure time he would get a RR sundae - a few drops of Bach's rescue remedy on top of a scoop of Breyers Natural Vanilla Bean ice cream. Only problem was convincing my husband that the Ice Cream was for the dog! If you haven't already, check out this website, it is very helpful http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/ The list is good too. If these are her first seizures, I'd be looking at getting some diagnostics done. Often seizures starting in old dogs is really bad news.


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## lizlizliz (Aug 10, 2012)

She doesn't have diagnosed epilepsy (yet) - she just had the six seizures the other night. The valium was to "break the cluster" according to the vet. If the seizures return I'll definitely go back to that website. Thanks!


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## PrincessLPN (May 25, 2012)

Can I just suggest that letting your dog "cry it out" seems wrong. She is not crying because of bad behavior. She is telling you something is wrong. I do not know a lot about seizures in dogs because I am a people nurse. I think taking her back to the vet or getting a second opinion is needed right away.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Will she still cry if she is in bed with you?


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## lizlizliz (Aug 10, 2012)

We last talked to the vet 2 hours ago. She said this is normal and that the crying is because she doesn't have functioning in her legs and wants control over her body. Obviously if this is still the case tomorrow morning we will go back or get a second opinion.


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## lizlizliz (Aug 10, 2012)

spotted nikes said:


> Will she still cry if she is in bed with you?


We are keeping her off the furniture because she has been urinating in her crate/on the floor and doesn't have the leg strength to do stand outside and go. I did finally get her to sleep after holding her for 30 minutes but I'm not too optimistic on how long it will last.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Speaking as someone who has seizures (though not the tonic clonic variety) SEIZURES ARE SCARY! It's horrifying to have a seizure and the post ictal state is awful. I sometimes cry for hours post seizure. It's a normal consequence of seizure activity in the brain. Seizures exhaust the brain and that's what causes post ictal depression. I can't really describe it, it's just upsetting. I'm actually getting upset typing this.

Anxiolytics can be upsetting, too, paradoxically. Being human, I get dosed with ativan. Let me tell you, I don't stop complaining after ativan because ativan makes me feel better, I stop because I don't want to get more ativan. That stuff is nasty. 

Anyway, have a little compassion. The dog is terrified and feeling 20 different kinds of awful. Also, research the darn seizures! Seizures don't happen out of nowhere. They have a cause. Find it.


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

Amaryllis said:


> Also, research the darn seizures! Seizures don't happen out of nowhere. They have a cause. Find it.


If I had an old dog who started having seizures, I'd definately be looking for an organic cause. However, idiopathic epilepsy is called idiopathic because no known cause can be found.


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## marthaah000 (Jul 4, 2018)

I have a 1 year 4 month old German Shepherd named Melo who's been having seizures since he was 1. I just wanted to share my experience because I know its comforting to hear stories of other people that are going through what you're going through, makes you feel less hopeless. Melo had 4 seizures in the span of 2 hours, he's taking 300mg of Zonisamide every 12 hours but before take refill arrived he had ran out and that's when the seizures happened. I took him to the animal medical center and they gave him one pill of phenobarbital and also about 15 zonisamide pills. I took him home gave him the pb and 3 pills of the zoni. He was whining non stop, really hungry, really thirsty, forgot some of the house rules (not going through the trash and no standing on the kitchen table), he seemed to not recognize my parents and didn't respond to words like "outside", "eat" and "treat". I was worried because he usually bounced back right away from his seizures. I called the vet and they said it was side effects from the seizure and pb, they said he would be back to normal in 2-7 days. I was really skeptical because he was acting so strange but I was still patient with him. Next day he would not stop whining and pacing the house. Second day he woke up much better he remembered a few more stuff but not completely back to normal about 70%. Third day he was about 95% back to normal and I was so happy. Now a few days later he's back to being himself and I couldn't be more relived. If this is happening to your dog I just want you to know that they will go back to normal, just be really patient you have to keep in mind that they're restless because they're scared that another seizure will happen again. Give him/her a week at least before you start getting worried, if a week has passed call your vet and it might be the medication that they're taking. Hope this helps or comforts someone.


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## Flojo (Apr 23, 2021)

marthaah000 said:


> I have a 1 year 4 month old German Shepherd named Melo who's been having seizures since he was 1. I just wanted to share my experience because I know its comforting to hear stories of other people that are going through what you're going through, makes you feel less hopeless. Melo had 4 seizures in the span of 2 hours, he's taking 300mg of Zonisamide every 12 hours but before take refill arrived he had ran out and that's when the seizures happened. I took him to the animal medical center and they gave him one pill of phenobarbital and also about 15 zonisamide pills. I took him home gave him the pb and 3 pills of the zoni. He was whining non stop, really hungry, really thirsty, forgot some of the house rules (not going through the trash and no standing on the kitchen table), he seemed to not recognize my parents and didn't respond to words like "outside", "eat" and "treat". I was worried because he usually bounced back right away from his seizures. I called the vet and they said it was side effects from the seizure and pb, they said he would be back to normal in 2-7 days. I was really skeptical because he was acting so strange but I was still patient with him. Next day he would not stop whining and pacing the house. Second day he woke up much better he remembered a few more stuff but not completely back to normal about 70%. Third day he was about 95% back to normal and I was so happy. Now a few days later he's back to being himself and I couldn't be more relived. If this is happening to your dog I just want you to know that they will go back to normal, just be really patient you have to keep in mind that they're restless because they're scared that another seizure will happen again. Give him/her a week at least before you start getting worried, if a week has passed call your vet and it might be the medication that they're taking. Hope this helps or comforts someone.


This really really did and is helping. My little Treasure never had whined and whimpered like she was today and she first had seizures 2 and a half months ago which was absolutely traumatic but she did but cry and whimper like she was today and acting so so strange. Just like you described your dog above. Voracious appetite..wandering around... Whimpering and crying... the last time the vet I took her to did not use phenobarbital. I think that is what it is absolutely. A reaction to that drug. And reading your text has been so helpful. I picked her up and basically rocked her to sleep which makes me think that drug must have been making her feeling really sad and anxious. I mean that is the ONLY thing that calmed her down and typically she does not want a lot of physical attention from me. Poor babies... Lord have mercy on them. How is your dog now? Is he still on the pb? I don't like the idea of that in her system all the time. Please respond if you can. I just found a natural product on [link removed by moderator] that has a lot of good reviews. I'm going to check it out.


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## DaySleepers (Apr 9, 2011)

The original poster hasn't been on this forum since this thread was made nine years ago, so I'm closing this to further replies. If you have questions about your pup's situation or want to share, feel free to make your own, new thread or join in any of our current discussions.


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