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Canine Behavior/Wheaton Seizure
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Question
Hello Jody Hillas,
I read your question about your family Wheaton having seizures multiple times a day. I have a male Wheaton named Sami. He is nine and has had four seizures that we know of, over the last six or seven months. He had one tonight, which prompted me to get on line. I think he looses sight, use of his back legs, and his over all balance in general is severely compromised. He growled and snapped at my boyfriend this week, which is completely and totally out of character. Did you find anything else out about your wheatons's seizures or medications that could help me?
Wendy,
I'm sorry you are having to deal with seizures in your dog. It can be scary to watch a loved one have a seizure. I must clarify, though, it was not my own dog I was talking about in the previous response. I was responding to another concerned dog owner - much like you - about her dog. She has not ever written back, so I do not know if she and her vet found any other medications to help curb the frequency and duration of the seizures that dog was experiencing.
The odd behavior of your dog snapping at your boyfriend is possibly related to a seizure. If he'd had a seizure just prior to the incident, or shortly after the incident (up to a couple hours later), then it is possible that this was part of the overall seizure experience. If the nearest seizure was more than a day before or after the snapping, then it was not likely directly related. Although, it is possible that there has been some neurological damage from seizures that allowed your dog's bite inhibition to be reduced.
I would strongly suggest a trip to the vet. Discuss openly the seizures and the symptoms you believe he experiences along with the seizures. Describe for the vet, the dog's behavior in the time leading up to, during and immediately following the seizure (up to 90 minutes before, and up to 30 minutes after) so that the vet can get a clear picture of what is going on for the dog.
There are several medicines available to help prevent seizures. I am not a vet and so cannot discuss these drugs with any authority. I'm sorry I cannot be of more direct help in this matter. I wish you the best of luck. Please write again if there is something else I can help you with.
Jody
http://gooddog-dogtraining.com
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Answers by Expert:
Jody Epstein, APDT
Expertise
IF YOU BELIEVE YOUR DOG IS ILL OR INJURED, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS NOT THE FORUM TO ADDRESS URGENT MEDICAL ISSUES. I AM NOT A LICENSED VET AND HAVE NO DIAGNOSTIC SKILLS. ***I have been answering questions on All Experts for over 2 years now. I enjoy being able to offer assistance in this forum. I do need to be clear, though. If you’re looking for free advice about a specific behavior question, you MUST submit your question to me via All Experts. If you bypass All Experts and write to me directly through my website, I will ask you to submit via All Experts. On the flip side, if you’re local to Los Angeles and you wish to speak to me privately about an in person consultation, please go through my website. I appreciate your assistance in keeping my volunteer work on the volunteer site.*** I can answer questions about the following canine behavior issues: obedience, timid/fearful & fear-based aggression, nuisance behaviors, families that are expanding with either new human or new animal members. If you have potty training questions please first read my trio of blogs at http://TheGoodDogBlog.gooddog-dogtraining.com If you still have questions after reading the blogs you can post your specific questions here. PLEASE be as specific as possible when asking a question. Give me a detailed example of the situation - dog's behavior, body language, circumstances surrounding the issue, what the consequences are (another dog's response, your response), etc. I can only provide insight if I can get a picture of the whole scenario. If I ask for further details, please provide them. In person I would normally observe for at least 90 minutes to assess the situation and the dynamics before offering tools and suggestions to modify it. In writing it is ever so much more difficult. Thank you for your participation in the process.
Experience
I am a canine behaviorist and obedience trainer. I have owned dogs my entire life.
Publications
http://gooddog-dogtraining.com
http://TheGoodDogBlog.gooddog-dogtraining.com
http://blog.petsicon.com/
Education/Credentials
I have a graduate education in animal behavior and learning. (While I completed my coursework and did the requisite research, I did not defend a dissertation. I am qualified, but not certified and so technically not a doctor. This is commonly referred to as Ph.D.-ABD which means All But Dissertation.) My educational focus was with non-human primates, but my personal interest is with domestic dogs and their relationships with humans and other animals. I continue to educate myself to canine-specific behavior through extensive reading, online interactive workshops, vidoes and attending canine behavior conferences.
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