I have only had Ju-Ju (my 10 year old Chi) since February. His owner informed me that he had seizures. She didn't know how often and he hadn't been seen by a vet in at least 5 years. I took him to my vet and he recommended not starting the phenobarbital until we actually saw a seizure and could document how often they occurred. Well after about a month, Ju-Ju woke me up at 2 am having a seizure. He sleeps with me at night and I thought he was just rummaging around underneath the covers to get comfy. When I pulled the covers back I noticed his arms and legs were crossed and his head was slightly cocked to the side. He was just frozen and stiff. My cousin is epileptic so I knew to try to just calm him. It only lasted for about 20 seconds and he was fully out within 5 minutes. I could tell he was out because he jumped up and started kissing me all over my face! He also was extremely hungry afterwards. Two nights later, same thing, same way. It lasted a little bit longer but not over 7 minutes (from the time the seizure started to the time when I could tell he was back to normal-kissing me in the face). I took him to the vet the next day and they started the pheno.

I haven't seen anything else until this morning at 5 am. He was violently convulsing! It lasted for like 5 minutes? He tried to bite me and my husband. I know they are sort of out of it while seizing so we just stayed calm. Once the violent seizing slowed down, his body jerked and his eyes blinked like you could tell the firecrackers were going off in his head.

The only difference I noticed when we went to sleep was Ju-Ju was having a hard time breathing. His nose sounds like it is full of mucas. My vet checked it when he did Ju-Ju (emergency) dental cleaning. He felt his breathing issue was connected to the rotten teeth canals leading to his nasal cavity. When he was seizing he really looked like he was having a heart attack or something?

My vet is out today so I will have to wait to see him in the am. Any suggestions? Why was he convulsing so violently? He receives his med once a day. We haven't skipped at all?

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If I could be the person that my dog thinks I am...

Aw poor Ju-Ju. I am so sorry that he has to go through this. One of my big boys has had seizures for the last 5 years. I am lucky that he has never needed medication. He goes for months between seizures and they have really decreased in severity over the last two years.

A couple of things that I learned while researching causes of the seizures is that diet and weather play a large role is seizure activity. Thunderstorm season brings on an increased number of seizures due to the electrical activity in the environment. Dogs seem to be sensitive to this electrical instability and if prone to them will have increased number as well as intensity of seizures.

What has always worked for me is to keep Bear calm. If he is not already lying down, make sure he is laying down on his side, talk to him gently, when he starts to come out of it, I stroke his body while still talking gently and then he usually comes round in less than 5 mins.

If you want more details about what I have learned doing my research, you can pm me.

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Thank you Mandy for the beautiful siggy...Lysa, Harley and Simon

My heart dropped as I read what you watched when Ju-Ju had his violent seizure. You must have been so scared for him. I'm not familiar with this, and hope someone else here can offer some advise, but in the mean time, I'm sending all my good health vibes your way. Do you think he's had a reaction to the Pheno? Maybe a smaller dose would be better? Please let us know what you vet says. Rochelle. xoxo

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That is scary. I can't imagine witnessing it. Chanel had a seizure about a month after I adopted her. I got a message from my boyfriend at the time about 10 minutes after I started work that night. I was terrified all night that I was going to come home to something terrible and they absolutely would not let me leave early.
I don't have any advice though. Its only happened once, but Im scared its going to happen again. We couldn't figure out what may have triggered it.
I hope your baby gets better. You're both in my thoughts.

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Thank you Tricia!

Hello, I have a lab that started having seizures 5 yrs ago. He takes pheno 60mg twice a day. It only lasts 12 hours, it has to be given at the same time everyday. I give it at 6am and 6 pm, every day at the same time. He has not seizured sence starting the med 5 yrs ago. You have to be very dilagent. You may also have to adjust the med he may not be getting enough, talk to your vet about dosing Bid.

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I am so sorry to hear your little one has seizures! I hope they get under control with meds soon...it is so hard to watch them go through that.

My sister is epileptic, and we also had a great rescue dog (Misty) who suffered from seizures as well. It is so heart breaking to see anyone go through that.

Poor little one. I'm keeping him in my thoughts and hope that the right meds/dosage will get them under control soon.

Awwww. I have no experience in this at all but it sounds like a few people have. I send good thoughts and well wishes your way. Still amazing that you got her at 10. You're a good person. Take Lysa's advice, she knows her stuff.

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I am so sorry you are going thru this! I don't know if I could go thru it with out it breaking my heart! Such small bodies to be going thru something so big! I know someone on here will be able to help you out. Sending you healing vibes!

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~~Kim~~