Expert: Jana Connell RVT, CVT - 8/11/2010

Question
QUESTION: I was awakened last night by something banging, repeatedly into my bed. I could hear thrashing around and then realized my "puppy" was moaning too.  By the time I turned my light on and found him on the other side of my bedroom, I noticed he had lightly piddled on the floor, was laying on the floor, repeatedly trying to get up but could not.  I sat on the floor with him and tried to sit him up but he moaned and laid his head on my lap.  He could not.  He was just falling all over the place, as if his legs were asleep?  After about 15 minutes, while waiting to hear from the Vet, he moved about 5 feet into my hallway.  Little bit later, moved downstairs with me.  The whole process took about an hour and a half.  The Vet told me it was best just to watch him overnight since he seemed to be becoming okay.  I sat up and watched him for another hour with him laying on me.  (He is very dramatic and quite the Momma's boy).  Just then my daughter came into the house, he barked 4 times, then jumped up..kind of slowly...and ran to her!  It has been suggested that he possibly had a seizure, do you think that is possible?  He is a Great Dane pup, he was born March 21, 2010 and is 55lbs.  The next morning he didn't show a single sign of an episode of any kind, and proceeded to try and rip my sod out, jump in our pool, then run around like a nut!  Does this sound indicative of anything serious? I'm trying to be lighthearted, but I am petrified of anything happening to my baby boy.

ANSWER: It's very possible that he had a seizure. The best thing to do is mark this on your calendar and if he has another one you will know how far apart they are.

Young dogs do get epilepsy. Generally the age of onset is 5 yrs or older but young dogs get it too. If that is the case and he does have it, you need to get the breeder know where you got him from.

In the case that he does seizure again, your vet may not put him on medication unless they become more frequent. That's why it's important to mark it on the calendar.

You will not know for sure what is going on until he has another one. Acting normal the next day is perfectly normal as well.

So yes, if he does have epilepsy it is serious, but treatable for life.

I understand your fears, but it is better to be educated on this than be in the dark.

So keep an eye on him, write this one down and just be prepared.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your prompt response.  I am very worried about this.  He is so young, it just doesn't make sense.  I wanted to clarify that it was not the Vets (2) I spoke to last night that offered the idea of a possible seizure. They said it would be rare, but possible for it to be "neurological".  They didn't even feel it necessary to see him.  I did contact the breeder, she still has her 2 Danes and said there is not any history going 2 generations back of seizures, and is in contact with the homes his 11 brothers/sisters went to and none have had this happen.  Do you think it still a likely answer? Will this make him sick? Will he be able to live a healthy life?

Answer
Well "neurological" still means a seizure. Now there are a lot of reasons for seizures. He could have had a low blood sugar episode as well, but considering that he was asleep at the time it sounds more like a seizure.

He may never have another one. He may have more. There is no way to predict it. The vet didn't need to see him because he knew that by the time he got there he would be normal again.

I wouldn't fret over it at all unless he has another one. There is no point in being worried about it because it may never happen again.

Being young has no bearing on it. Yes, young dogs don't usually get this, but many do. It's just the way things are.

So again, just be prepared and don't worry about it. Unless he is seizuring daily, the vet won't put him on medication.

Most all dogs live long, normal lives with epilepsy, if he indeed does have it.

If he has another seizure, then you can contact the vet and have him looked over.