No sooner when I found an engrossing website when she had her second seizure by my feet at 6:20am, as I was at the computer. It was a classic grand mal, with her first looking dazed and her eyes flipped back, then she curled into a ball and convulsed, with her legs then getting rigid. My office is small and crowded, and she was banging her legs against the computer table. I held her head to protect her brain, all the time trying not to panic. She had a third seizure at 7:50am and without calling the vet beforehand, I drove straight to Bisbee to see Dr. Snyder.
The office wasn't too busy and I was seen at 8:30am, speaking with Dr. Snyder and Elizabeth, the Swedish vet tech who looked at Sadie so lovingly the entire time. Then she had another seizure in the exam room at 9:20am. The doctor and vet tech left the room and I was alone with Sadie. She was immediately given a sedative (diazepan, a "doggie valium") that almost immediately calmed her down.
Sadie was alert enough in the afternoon to play fetch with Minnie and Zeke, but late at night the seizures came back with a vengeance, first at 9:48pm, then 10:12pm and pretty much non-stop most of the night. Needless to say I got little sleep and was stressed out. Every seizure was a grand mal, and she often didn't even relax between them as she panted heavily. Kevin heard her seize at 2am and said she was going non-stop.
She had been sleeping next to me on the couch but got herself to the bathroom on her own. Kevin could hear her head hitting the bathroom wall. That was the time I actually slept a bit, but when I was up she seized some more, by now looking completely exhausted.
It was unfortunate that that Thursday was my first day back to work at the high school and I had to get ready. Sadie would be alone for a few hours until Eric would wake up. I didn't know what to expect. I had been reading about epilepsy in dogs all night. Some were promising, others were not. (What if Sadie has a brain tumor? Or a brain infection?)
When I left to go to work on Thursday, I hugged a very tired Sadie and said good-bye to her, thanking her for the great years together. Seeing her so ill was unbelievable to me. As healthy and active as she always had been, I was not ready to see her go. Yet reality would bring me back to a very sick and weak dog on the floor, barely alert. She lay on the cool tile floor in the dining area, but hardly had the strength to lift her head up. She took her medication but then soon lay her head down again.
I kept busy at work, but on my way home remembered Sadie's condition. Would she still be alive? She wasn't on the tile floor when I got home. She had once again moved herself bath into the bathroom. Maybe she chose the bathroom because she was separated from the other dogs, and there was water nearby? Eric said she had been seizing. The vet office had called me while I was at work (I can't get cell phone reception at the high school and got a "missed call" message on my phone instead.)
"Bring her here immediately" said the vet tech when I finally returned the call when I got home. Then Dr. Snyder talked to me. "This doesn't sound good" she said. "Dogs that have cluster seizures often die from the trauma" she added, being honest with her diagnosis. At 3:40pm I drove Sadie back to the vet with Eric to help me carry her via a sheet. Dr. Snyder upped her medication and agreed to take Sadie for overnight care, something she does only for certain patients as her clinic has no overnight treatment facility. The vet crew takes animals to their private homes for observation.
Dr Snyder's prognosis was sounding better now that she had seen Sadie, as the sedative calmed her down again and Sadie was alert enough to look around, even though I was an emotional mess. I wasn't ready to see my hiking dog, Superdog Sadie, fade away. She had always been a healthy and active dog. German Shepherd Dogs, I learned, are prone to epilepsy.
Having Sadie under medical care Thursday night gave me time to sleep, and I slept soundly from 9:30pm until I had to get up Friday morning. I called the clinic at 9am and the prognosis was also good, with Sadie having one small seizure overnight but who was now resting quietly under the sedative.
Friday after work I drove straight to the clinic to pick up Sadie. She was still heavily sedated but alert. The diazepam made her legs very wobbly, but she seemed to be able to see and hear. "I was afraid I was going to lose Sadie" I confided. "We may still lose her" Dr. Snyder replied. "Sadie is still in danger." Dr Snyder does not sugarcoat anything and I respect that.
Last weekend I spent the entire weekend watching over her, afraid to leave the house. I didn't hike, didn't walk the other dogs, and spent little time away from her. We kept her in the bedroom with the blinds closed, away from the other dogs and other stimulation. Even Kevin was concerned about giving her extra care.
By last Tuesday we could no longer keep cleaning up after her and allowed her outside with the other dogs once her walk was strong enough. She was given a prescription for 80mg phenobarbital and potassium bromide, both to be taken every 12 hours. The antibiotic Baytril was for five days, a pill ever 24 hours. It's now been ten days since that horrific first seizure. She hasn't had any more seizures since being back home, and I make sure she gets her meds on time. I'm watching for any long-term damage but can say that Sadie is getting stronger every day. The first five days she showed weakness in her hind legs, but as of yesterday even Kevin said she's walking stronger, more straight and is faster in her motion. She also barked for the first time two days ago at two passers-by in the alley, and darted outside when she saw me handle the carpet cleaner. She prances to the side gate when Kevin comes home from work so that she can welcome him home with the other dogs.
The biggest change is that she hasn't shown an interest in her beloved tennis balls. We are not trying to get her back into her obsession as she was pre-epilepsy, as her desire to play fetch was often around the clock. She continues to have a healthy appetite (with healthy poops!) and now even wakes me up at 3am every day for her early breakfast. I hope I can take her hiking again. I haven' hit the peaks since before Zeke came down with parvo. I know that Sadie will be on medication for the rest of her life, but as long as she enjoys a high quality of life, she will remain my beloved hiking dog.
Two weeks later and still no new seizures!
ReplyDeleteAre you sure that Sadie didn't ingest some Oleander? If she chewed on an oleander twig or leaf, that could cause seizure/death. Oleander and Chinaberry tree's are extremely toxic.
ReplyDeleteMike, I did consider that since we have Oleander along our back yard. Sadie has never chewed on that, though. She hasn't had a seizure since this event in early August. She still takes twice daily a dosage of phenobarbital.
ReplyDeleteI am also wondering if perhaps having another alpha female (Minnie) that the added stress gave Sadie the seizure. I have been watching the two females more closely.