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Old April 1st, 2004, 06:59 AM
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anne d anne d is offline
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Dog is drooling and having seizures

Last night my dog, a 6-year-old boxer, was crying all night and she was very attention seeking but once the food from the kitchen was removed from her sight she calmed down so I thought it was just because she wanted a snack so we all went to bed without further ado. But around 3 in the morning she got up and started walking around and crying again so I got up to let her out of my room so I could get some sleep myself. About an hour later my mother woke me up saying that she and my father were going to the vet with Bonnie because she wouldn't calm down. .
The vet couldn't find anything specifically wrong with her so my parents came home with her again a couple of hours later and the next morning my mother and I decided that I would stay home from college to keep an eye on her because both she and my father are going out of town today, though my father said that there had been nothing wrong with her when he took her for a morning walk and I didn’t need to stay home.
Around 9 she suddenly started drooling excessively but stopped after 5-10 minutes. She had done so earlier but my mother thought it was because she was licking her paw where the vet had stung her with a needle. Then at 11 I heard what I thought was the sound of her running around in the sitting room with some of her toys but when I went downstairs she was laying on her side on the floor with foam all around her mouth and her legs twitching violently. I immediately called the vet who told me to just hold her until it was over and then make sure that she didn't get up too fast because she probably wouldn't be able to stand on her legs and then she might fall and hurt herself. After about 15 minutes she was able to walk again on trembling legs and then she kept on walking to and from every room in the house unable to calm down. Finally after about an hour she settled down on my bed but then she started crying again and later the excessive drooling started again. It has stopped again now but she's still either walking around or laying down crying all the time. I have no car so I can't get her to a vet but one is stopping by later in the afternoon but when she couldn't find anything last night I doubt she'll be able to find anything now because it is not very likely that Bonnie will have another seizure while the vet's here.
Does anyone have an idea about what it might be or ever had an experience like it?


5 minutes after I posted this I went downstairs to sit with her when she started chewing on her tounge, then the drooling started again and then she had another seizure and now she's just walking about like she did after the first seizure.
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Old April 1st, 2004, 07:38 AM
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Iggette Iggette is offline
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Hi anne d

So glad you are seeing a vet asap nice of them to come to your home

There are some pretty smart people here that can probably help you, I am just a fellow dog owner

I just had to say ......that my father in laws dog did exactly what you are explaining and he eventually found out that his dog had diabetes and he was having the seisures because his levels were all messed up, maybe you can mention the possibility

Hope you find out soon poor puppy must be so bewildered at all this going on hope Bonnie gets better soon

(((((((((((((anne d and Bonnie )))))))))))))))))

Someone should be here soon to help you figure this out and maybe a few suggestions
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Old April 1st, 2004, 08:42 AM
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Anned,seizures are scary,I know,my son is epileptic,but he's had it all his life...When it's happening suddenly like in your boxer,it's probably an underlying medical problem,could be diabetic,tumors...or many other things.The vet should do a thourough examination...
Epilepsy cannot be diagnosed just by bloodtests...
But I only know from my son,not dogs...Good Luck!
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Old April 1st, 2004, 09:12 AM
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Chany Chany is offline
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Anne d, Just curious but was your dog just recently vaccinated?
The only other thing in my small library ( sorry ) is hypothyroidism, it seems to be on the rise in some dogs. Sorry can't be more help . Please keep us informed of what you find out from the vet. Also if your current vet can't help you get a second opinion from a different one, or maybe even a homepathic vet if there is one available near you.
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Old April 1st, 2004, 01:37 PM
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anne d anne d is offline
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Thank you for your replies.
The vet came and took a bloodsample but can't say anything untill she gets the results back and with Easter coming up that could take a while. She mentioned both epilepsy and diabetes but Bonnie hasn't been drinking excessively which is usually a diabetes indicator.
Bonnie was fine all afternoon and managed to sleep through most of the examination but then she had another seizure around 7. The vet left som valium but the seizure was over before we could give it to her so I don't know if the medicin will help at all but even if it does I don't want to have to give her medicine every time she gets a seizure if it's something that's going to happen every day.
She is already on three different kinds of medication which she has been since she was 6 months old. Two pills and one powder which she gets for her three heart conditionsn and some might say What's one more? but if it comes to that I think we'll have to end it. It's not a life for her if she's going to collapse every day and be on so much medication.
But we'll give her time and see what the vet thinks is best.

And no, she was not recently vaccinated and I read that hypothyroidism has symptoms associated with a slow metabolism which should mean that she would have gained weight which she hasn't. In fact she has lost weight since Christmas.
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Old April 1st, 2004, 02:07 PM
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Boxers tend to have very significant health problems genetically. Did you get this dog from a breeder?

Call the breeder see if any of the line has the same problems and ask what the diagnosis was/is and how to treat it. Sometimes it saves the vet doing needless workups and tests if you can find out from the breeder.

Best of luck
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Old April 1st, 2004, 02:21 PM
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Anne..Having taken care of my epileptic son,the Valium is not neccessary,it's something the hospital will give to calm down the patient usually AFTER a seizure,it's not going to prevent another seizure and not something he would be on for a long period.
But first of all you have to find out the reason....poor dog,it must be very stressful for him and for you of course
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Old April 1st, 2004, 03:09 PM
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anne d anne d is offline
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She got the three heart conditions because of inbreeding (is it called that) but I doubt there is any history of epilepsy in that line. And I don't think the breeder will be thrilled if we contact them because we raised hell in the "Boxer society" in Denmark when we learned about her heart conditions because it is a big problem that the breeders don't have to check the dogs for that kind of things.

About the valium. The vet told me to give it to Bonnie during her seizure and if it didn't stop then give her one more dose. But she only gave us two for the night and then we're supposed to call her tomorrow so I don't think the valium is a permanent solution.
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Old April 1st, 2004, 03:40 PM
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Chany Chany is offline
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anne d its sounds like you're going to have some difficult decisions ahead of you. It must be very hard for you. Take care.
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Old April 1st, 2004, 04:33 PM
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chico2 chico2 is offline
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AnneD,I did not see at first that you are in Denmark,wave to Sweden for me,I am from Stockholm,Sweden
I wish you and your dog all the best,6 yrs is not old for a boxer,or is it?
If he is epileptic,there are good drugs he can take,but it takes time to find out what works the best,but whatever desicion you make,let us know what happend.
Most people come on this site because there is a problem,even I did,I had and still do have a problem with my cat Rocky,not medical..pets.ca is sometimes heartbreaking but mostly fun and informative.
I've learned more about dogs than I need to know,especially since I have 3 cats...Good Luck!
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Old April 1st, 2004, 08:50 PM
C J Modisette C J Modisette is offline
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My Chihuahua just went through a similar situation on Tuesday but, unlike your Boxer, in a Chihuahua it can be fatal. Your vet should check the sugar levels in your dog's blood. It could be the opposite of diabetes, hypoglycemia, which does not have the symptom of drinking alot. Chihuahuas are prone to this problem and there is no reason why other kinds of dogs could not suffer from it, too. I need to make sure that my dog gets some form of sugar every day, syrup and water mixed for example, and I won't have a repeat of the scare on Tuesday. It would be nice if it turns out that the solution for you Boxer is as simple. Good luck.
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Old April 2nd, 2004, 10:46 AM
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anne d anne d is offline
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Thank you all for your suggestions and kind replies but we have come to the conclusion that we will see her through the weekend and then let the vet put her to sleep on Monday.
Bonnie's been having seizures all day and she seems to be in some sort of coma. She just walks around bumping into everything and everyone and she's not responding to anything - sound, touch or smell. When she's finally able to lie down and relax she sleeps until her next seizure and then it starts all over again.
We will get the result of the blood sample on Monday but it is most likely that it's a brain tumour or some other kind of brain damage that's causing all this and while 6 years old is not old for a boxer (they can be up to 15) she does have three heart conditions and she will not be able to survive the surgery. Even 4 years ago when she had her palate shortened the vets told us that it was a risky operation and this is her brain we're talking about.
We are ruling out epilepsy because though I know you said that epilepsy can’t be diagnosed by blood tests alone from what I’ve heard the dog is perfectly normal between the seizures and as I’ve already told you Bonnie is not herself. She acts like her brain has already shut down and is just waiting for her heart to follow and we can’t in good conscience keep her alive so unless something miraculously happens over the weekend then we’re taking her to the vet on Monday.
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Old April 2nd, 2004, 11:58 AM
C J Modisette C J Modisette is offline
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You have my condolences. It is very difficult to lose a family member, but it is probably for the best in this case. My thoughts are with you.
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Old April 2nd, 2004, 04:57 PM
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AnneD,I understand and as difficult as it is,it's probably the best for your Bonnie.Still it does not make it any easier,we've all been there...
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Old April 3rd, 2004, 06:00 AM
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anne d anne d is offline
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It's not Monday yet but Bonnie was put to sleep half an hour ago. We came downstairs this morning and she couldn't get up from her basket and if we helped her to get up she just stood there for a few minutes before falling down. Her legs couldn't support her anymore and when the vet came she agreed that it wasn't a result of the medication we gave Bonnie yesterday.
All signs indicated that it was in her brain the problem was. It didn’t have to be a tumour; it could also be because her heart had never been able to pump enough blood around for the past 6 years because of her heart conditions.

Bue she had a good life and was very much loved. She's the only dog in the family (we've had 4) which was allowed to sleep in our beds. She always slept in my bed though she also had a basket in my room.



And one last picture of Bonnie looking worried for no reason
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Old April 3rd, 2004, 08:56 AM
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{{{{{{Anne and family}}}}}}}}}

You did the best you could! Bonnie is at peace now.
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Old April 3rd, 2004, 09:30 AM
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Chany Chany is offline
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Sorry for your loss anne d . Hugs to you.
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