Expert: Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT - 9/21/2010

Question
My 1 1/2 yr. old Aussie had a sudden episode a few weeks ago - ears back, frothing/drooling, slight shaking, eyes staring.  I took her to her vet (I thought it might have been a toxic ingestion or a seizure)- he guessed that it could have been an allergic reaction to a bee/wasp bite.  What do you think?  Is there an Epi pen for dogs?  I am concerned that if she gets stung again or maybe multiple bites she might not live.  I sure hope that it was not a seizure.  Your thoughts please.

Answer
Idiopathic epilepsy runs in Australian Shepherds, as does hypothyroidism, both of which can cause seizures.  I would rather err on the side of caution and get a full thyroid panel done on the dog, and read up on epilepsy here: http://www.canine-epilepsy.net/ and here:
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/
Kidney and urinary problems can also cause this, so a urinalysis might be the first thing to do, since it's also the cheapest.  In my area, a thyroid panel is about $90.  The good news is that if it is hypothyroidism, the meds for that are very inexpensive, less than $20/month for one of my dogs.
If you purchased your dog from a reputable breeder, the breeder will want to know that your dog had a possible seizure.  Good breeders, while they occasionally have a seizure dog, work very hard to remove dogs from their breeding programs that produce this.  Good luck and I hope your dog never has another incident.