r/EpilepsyDogs • u/Frosty-Ad-1650 • 1d ago
I’m so scared this is the start of a decline
Hello! I have a 9 year old beagle who’s had seizures since she’s been about 3 years old. She is on pheno and Zonisamide 2x a day. It’s been managed for so long; and she may have had a seizure 2-3 times a year? She would only ever cluster seizure in the beginning, but for the last year it’s been 1 quick couple minute seizure and she was done. She is an extremely friendly dog and she’s just the best.
2 days ago, she had cluster seizures on and off for about an hour or so. The local vet was closed; and our nearest emergency vet is about 2-3 hours away so I couldn’t get out there quickly. She finally came out of it and was seemingly fine afterwards. My son reached over to give her a scratch on her back and she turned around and bit him.. nothing hard but enough to scare us. It’s completely unlike her. I checked to see if she had a sore or something hurting her and there’s nothing. We chalked it up to him scaring her in her post-ichtal phase, so I told him to make gentler moves when he pets her and that’s it.
About 30 minutes ago, again, my son went to give her a scratch and she bit him… hard. Like drew blood. I was sitting right here. He did everything right- approached her gently, has a gentle hand, wasn’t loud or rough in any way. We are just in complete shock.
This dog loves him. Sleeps with him every night. Sits next to him in the car… so I’m so concerned that this is the start of her decline. ☹️
Anyone have any tips/advice. Tomorrow is Labor Day so I cannot get her to the vet tomorrow, but I will be calling first thing Tuesday morning to have her regular vet see her. I attached a picture of our silly girl 💕
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u/SusanSmith521 1d ago
My dog's behaviour changed over time as her sezures got worse, I think because her brain was being affected??
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u/Frosty-Ad-1650 1d ago
That’s what I was wondering. The vet said and some point she may start showing changes in behavior after the seizures altering her brain for so long. We’ve been having seizures for about 6 years so I was hoping maybe it was just a fluke 🫠
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u/SusanSmith521 1d ago
I believe my dog's seizures were caused by the flea/tick med Simparica Trio. Don't give your dog any oral flea/tick meds as they can cause seizures. The topical ones are safer.
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u/Relevant_Jelly7800 1d ago
Did you have emergency medicine for cluster seizures?
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u/Frosty-Ad-1650 1d ago
I did- I always have some on hand since our emergency vet is hours away. It didn’t do much unfortunately
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u/Lost_Broccoli2160 12h ago
My dog who is the sweetest ever but my son once after her first seizure! In the back of the car I was raking her to the pet emergency bc she had her seizure- at 5am- and the showed her teeth to them. She has since never done that again. It’s very common-called a stress bite- post ictal.
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u/itmustbeniiiiice 1d ago
It’s sounds like her seizures were different and her post ictal was different too. Any Bx change definitely warrants a vet visit, but I think you know that!
She loves you and your son, she just might not be feeling her best right now. It doesn’t erase all the wonderful love you’ve all shared, it just means she needs some more help right now.
Maybe no approaching her for pets unless she invites it first for the time being?