Max seizures or anxiety?
 

This behavior started last weekend when I took Max to a dog festival...we were walking ( he was on a lead) when out of the blue he became frantic, yelping like he was hurt, trembling, and trying to run back to the car. He can be anxious at times, so I took him to a secluded area where he calmed down and then for the remainder of the day he was fine in the stroller with Lily. Later that day, I was going on a bike ride when he started acting like that again, except this time he lost control of his bladder. I thought he was anxious about me leaving, so I took him on the bike ride with me and that was the end of that.

Now today, he was resting on the couch when again out of the blue he starts yelping and running around frantically, losing control of his bladder and bowel. He ran upstairs to my daughter's room knocking things over in the process and couldn't get in the corner fast enough. When he calmed down, I carried him back downstairs where he did it again immediately and ran back upstairs. I don't think he's in pain, he's been eating, peeing & pooing normally.

He's done it 2 additional times..making it a total of 4 times today. I'm very worried although he seems ok now. He's sleeping....

Anyone experience this?

If he was running, it most likely wasn't a seizure. It sounds like something scared him really bad. Are there any new noises in or around your house? I hope he gets better.

Nothing new at all...I've been looking around and found that some dogs in the pre-ictal phase of a seizure experience this. What concerns me in the loss of both bladder and bowel control while this is happening

Seizures can present as inappropriate mental behavior (like running around as you described) and can be accompanied by vocalizations as well as loss of bladder/bowel control. I think if this happened four times and it were my dog, I'd be at a vet. If these are seizures, four times in one day is not good and can be indicative of a real problem such as poisoning, idiopathic seizures or epilepsy, or something metabolic like shunt. Best to check this out ASAP with a vet, I don't like the sound of it AT ALL.

I would be at the ER if I suspected poisoning, but what about seizures or shunt? Should I be at the ER?

Poisonings can cause seizures is what I meant. Other things can also causes seizures like diseases such as shunt, lesions in the brain, or simply epilepsy.

Seizures can break into cluster seizures when untreated that is why dogs with seizure disorders like my Teddy are medicated 24 hours a day.

If this were my dog, I would be at the vet, and yes I would be at the ER vet. I would want to talk to a vet now, but that is my comfort level, so you have to do what is right for you.

Running around mentally inappropriate bumping into things frantically as you describe, and loss of bowel and bladder, 4 times in one day in my mind = seizure = vet now. That's me, but better safe than sorry.

I totally agree! He needs to be seen ASAP

I'm so sorry to hear that Max is going through this. I know it has to be scary for you. Hope that you can get this checked out & nothing's too serious for Max.

I'm sorry Max is having these problems. I agree that he needs to be seen by a vet asap. I hope they can find the problem and help him.

Didn't your pups fall out of the stroller one day? If so, this could be a head injury. They can sneak up on you.
I personally would be at a vet getting him checked out.
Good luck!

I just looked at your old posts and don't see it...must have been someone else. Irregardless, it sounds like Max needs to be seen.
I will say a prayer for him.

Your're right but I don't believe he hit his head. I do recall back in November we went to a doggie meetup that he acted strange like this. He started yelping and wanted to run to the car. I just chalked it up to him getting spooked because it didn't happen again since. Which doesn't add up with the stroller event because that happened in Jan I believe...

Thank you everyone for your prayers and advice. Please keep praying for my boy. I am beside myself and scared....

Max is spending the night at the A.H. He had a seizure while the vet was in the room which makes a total of 6 today. He was sedated with valium, given phenobarb and propofol. She had hoped that it would sedate him but he was fighting it. Labs were drawn, electrolytes, CBC and liver enzymes were normal except for K+ was 0.2 pts low and his lipase was elevated 4x the norm probably from him digestive enzymes that I used for his IBD (I will stop that). She does not think the lipase is related to the seizures. He has IVF now with 20mEq of K+. He had his loading dose of phenobarb and if he does not have anymore seizures tonight, they will start phenobarb by mouth tomorrow. He might be able to come home later tomorrow, if not then Monday. She suggested doing BATs at my regular vet, since the labs she drew were normal (they didn't have the capability to run them there). Liver shunt can't be ruled out yet.

I am so sorry about Max, Shelby's had a few seizures this last year, complications of her AAI post surgery.

Will be rooting for Max to respond well with all meds on board, and keeping him in my prayers. Hope he gets to come home asap.

Thank you..I appreciate it.

I am so sorry. This sounds so much like Manolo. We had our vet do a BAT test and it came back slightly high. Then we did a urinalysis to check for any crystals. Came back neg. Next we went to a Radiologist and he suggested scintigraphy,Portal Scintigraphy in Veterinary Medicine, came back negative for Portal Shunt. While Manolo was under they did a clear cut biopsy and sent this to A&M labs and finally got a diagnosis of MVD. We control his protein levels, no more than 16% plus we supplement with white fish and sweet potato and others. HEPATIC LS | Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Manolo is doing fantastic. Please keep us updated..Lissette

So glad you took Max to the ER.
Normal liver enzymes under seizure conditions do not seem like shunt to me, but I'd rule out it out.

Keep us posted.

He does need a BAT, but I agree, with neuro symptoms and no elevated enzymes it is pretty likely that this is something else.

If that comes back okay, you may just want to go to a neurologist to see what they say.

Wow, valium and pheno are a lot to fight!

Sending prayers and positive thought for Max. I'm glad you took him to the ER.

Prayers for Max. Glad you got him in to the EC.

I've been calling to check on him every 2 hours. They said that at 2 he had an episode where he seemed "disoriented" but he come out of it himself. I just called again, he's awake and doing well. I'll be going up there @ 11. Visitation is only on the "odd" hour. He might come home later today.

I'll tell you guys, I'm scared...he's due for his oral dose @ 12, but how long after his oral dose is he considered stable?

I don't know the answer to that question. Speak with the vet and ask lots of questions! Don't bring him home if you have any doubts!
I probably would leave him there and take him directly to a specialist in the AM if he were my pup.

I'm keeping you and liitle Max in my prayers and thoughts. I'm so sorry your baby is going through this.

I know you're scared. Keeping Max in our prayers and hope he is better soon.

Glad that you got him into the vet last night. Please keep us posted on how he is doing. I'm so sorry that this is happening. You know that YTer are here to support you.

Sending thoughts & Prayers for Max & you!

My prayers for you and Max. My Max has idiopathic epilepsy and has been taking phenobarbital for 8 months.

Is he taking Valium or Pheno at noon? Normally Pheno is given every 12 hours, so I can't imagine his times will be 12am/12pm. Phenobarbital may take a week or 2 to kick in and could take much longer to regulate the levels in his system. He may definitely still have seizures since the Pheno was just started yesterday. Valium won't necessarily stop a seizure but will definitely help to relax him and cause much less extensive seizing.

Note that Max is going to be really sleepy. Both drugs will pretty much knock him out. My Max was really lethargic for about a week after starting Pheno and then about 3 days after upping his doses.

I also agree that a neurologist may be in order to rule out everything possible.

I hope Max is doing better. My Sammy had seizures too and it takes a little while for the pheno levels to build up in their system. Sammy also takes KBR. He hasn't had a seizure since 2002. I'm praying for you and Max. Sending hugs and good thoughts to you both. Hang in there!

It seems all his blood work being normal would rule out a lot of things. But, it does not rule out neurological problems.

If this were my dog, my next step would be a neurologist and I would consider it an urgency to get there as soon as I could get an appointment.