Tracey's Duke 8/2 conservative

I know this isn't about disc issues.  Duke had his disc surgery 11 months ago and is doing well from that.  Tonight, while out on a walk he had a seizure.   He has never had one before and it was awful to watch.  At first his back legs just went out from under him and it appeared he went down.  I was thinking oh no not another disc episode.  Then front legs went down, head went down and started to shake violently, then his whole body just started to convulse and flip around on the pavement.  I didn't know what to do.  It lasted about a minute.  After he just laid there.  I thought he was dying.  I kept talking to him and finally he tried getting up was struggled and kept going back down.  So then I thought maybe there is something with a disc.  When he finally stood, he was hunched and his tail was tucked.  He was panting and seemed disoriented.  I called a neighbor to come pick us up because I couldn't get him to walk and had my other dog on a leash too so I couldn't pick him up.  I am just wondering if anyone knows what could have possibly happened.  I've read some online information and have ruled out toxins.  There is nothing in my house or yard that he could have gotten.  I wondered if possibly the surgery he had which was under his neck, could have anything to do with this.  Brain tumor was another option I read about.  Wouldn't the mri they took around his neck before his surgery have shown if there was a brain tumor?  I am just terrified right now.  I have been through so much with him and still trying to pay off the surgery.  I am planning to take him straight in to the vet tomorrow morning and hope I can get some answers.  If anyone here knows anything or has every had this happen to your dog, please reply.  Thanks

My Stevie has epilepsy - I understand how incredibly scary seeing a seizure can be, especially with an IVDD dog! Please let me know what your Vet says. If there is anything that I can do to help please let me know. Dodgers List is focused on IVDD, that is where our expertise is, but there are tips and techniques for helping to protect your boy that I might be able to help you with.

Hi,
I am concerned my Duke may be having another disc issue.  I wrote last week in "other concerns" about him having a seizure on last Thursday night.  I took him in on Friday and the vet could not find a definitive reason for the seizure.  She did blood work and xrays.  His red blood count was high and liver enzymes were high.  She put him on a liver supplement.  When she showed me his xrays, all organs appeared to be normal, but she did point out another area of calcification between L6 & L7.  Now I am beginning to wonder if some of his recent behaviors may be disc related.

First, I noticed a few weeks ago that he seemed to be licking his back paws excessively, mostly the right. It isn't all the time, but when he did, it seemed excessive.  Then he developed a little rash on his stomach so I thought there must be something he is allergic to and attributed the paw licking to that.  But I'm thinking the rash is probably heat related and seem to remember him having some rash bumps last summer too.  Before his seizure last Thursday evening, I noticed while walking, he kept jerking his right back leg up and chewing on his paws.  I thought at first he had gotten into some ants.  It was a few minutes  later that he started the seizure.  I have been watching Duke closely for the last week and I believe something is definitely going on. I haven't seen any evidence of seizure activity since Thursday night, but something just isn't right and I wonder if this could be a back issue creeping up on us.  I have also noticed unusual behavior on our last two walks. I didn't walk again until Tuesday out of concern that he would have another seizure while out walking.  Since he did not, I resumed on Tuesday evening.  I'm watching him very closely so I'm obviously noticing every little thing. But this does concern me. Tuesday evening I took them out for a walk. As we started out down the driveway, right awayt I noticed Duke's right back leg seemed to be jerking upward in a weird way. It seemed worse when he pulled on the leash. He didn't appear to be in pain but maybe he was just excited to get out and walk. He also seemed to twist his body in a weird way when it happened and sometimes would pull his back paw up and bite at it. I even checked to be sure I didn't have the harness too tight . After we got a ways down the street, it seemed he was fine and I didn't notice the leg jerking for the remainder of the walk.  I did not walk them on Wednesday because of this. Tonight (Thursday) I tried again and it started again immediately as we walked down the driveway. He also appeared to stumble a few times as he walked up into a nearby yard and then back down onto the street again. By the time we had gotten a few houses away, I decided to turn back home. I tried taking him out again alone so I could try and video but this time he refused to walk. I don't know if maybe it was because I left his sister at home, but he would not take a step. I picked him up and moved him to the street to see if he would walk back to the house and again, he wouldn't take a step. But as soon as I got him in the house he seems to be walking fine again. I don't notice any obvious signs of pain but wonder if there isn't some pain causing this strange walking behavior.  I don't know if the seizure and him flipping around so wildly could have caused this or if there was already a back issue and it caused the seizure or if they are completely unrelated.  

At this point, I'm not sure what steps to take. I am going to crate him tomorrow while I am at work.   I've emailed his vet and asked her to contact me asap in the morning to give me instructions and/ an appt to bring him in.  I don't know how I'm going to handle this again.  It happened last year just as I started back to school and am gone all day, and now it started up again after I returned to school and will be gone all day.  It's just too much!  I am still paying for his last surgery!  I know I'm getting freaked out too soon but it just seems we can't get a break!  

Any advice!  Please!

thanks
Tracey

My vet had her tech call me and said to begin crate rest immediately.  She called in the normal prescriptions Tramadol, Prednisone, and Methocarbamol and said to start him on those and call her on Monday and give her an update.  I am having his ct scan from the neuro vet mailed to her office so she can use it as a comparison to the xray she had taken last week when I brought him in for the seizure.  I am also giving him the 1/2 Pepcid.  It's been a year since we've done this, so I am not sure if I give it at the same time or 30 min before and once or twice a day.  I forgot to ask about that so if anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.

Of course, I will continue to update.  
Thanks again