Anyone any experience of seizures/fits

[siennamum]

This has been in Vet forum, but no replies so I thought I would try in here.....

Please help
My friend's 12 year old healthy fit tb x arab had a seizure three weeks ago. He remained standing but leant heavily on his right side against the wall. He had full body convulsions and muscle twitching all over his face, neck and sides. He appeared to lose sight in his left eye and his head was twisted to the left. This lasted approx 5 mins and although hyper aware he seemed fine after. The vet x rayed his neck and thought his symptoms were related to arthritis at C6/7 and muscle spasm. However he had another longer seizure in the same position three days later. The vet has CT scanned him (nothing unusual) and done full bloods (nothing unusual) and done a spinal tap to check cerebrospinal fluid (no infection)
My friend isat a totally at loss as he's cost more than £4000 on tests in the last week. He is still at the vets but no actual results. The vet hospital is very well known and she's used them for years and trust them fully.
Any suggestions gratefully received. Epilepsy, meningitis and tumours have been excluded already.
Thanks v much

 

[dotty1]

I would imagine it is epilepsy, brought on by something. My son has epilepsy and although he was having regular fits it can only be confirmed by an eeg which can pinpoint where it is coming from. I doubt you can do eegs on horses.
Convulsions can be brought on by infection/temperature but I would have thought he would be a poorly horse for it to be that bad.
No reason has been found for my sons epilepsy after eegs/ct and mri scans so it is possisbly hormonal.....maybe horses could have the same??

 

[fatpiggy]

This has been in Vet forum, but no replies so I thought I would try in here.....

Please help
My friend's 12 year old healthy fit tb x arab had a seizure three weeks ago. He remained standing but leant heavily on his right side against the wall. He had full body convulsions and muscle twitching all over his face, neck and sides. He appeared to lose sight in his left eye and his head was twisted to the left. This lasted approx 5 mins and although hyper aware he seemed fine after. The vet x rayed his neck and thought his symptoms were related to arthritis at C6/7 and muscle spasm. However he had another longer seizure in the same position three days later. The vet has CT scanned him (nothing unusual) and done full bloods (nothing unusual) and done a spinal tap to check cerebrospinal fluid (no infection)
My friend isat a totally at loss as he's cost more than £4000 on tests in the last week. He is still at the vets but no actual results. The vet hospital is very well known and she's used them for years and trust them fully.
Any suggestions gratefully received. Epilepsy, meningitis and tumours have been excluded already.
Thanks v much

On what basis has the vet ruled out epilepsy??? I have 18 years experience of it, so I'll PM you.

 

[theopuppy]

Was just going to post about seizures as my horse had a full blown one thrashing about on the floor two days ago. He has had bloods- yet to get results.

Judging by the lack of replies it looks like not much information or experience of this.

The vet said it's unusual in horses. Having googled it , it looks like it's generally unknown why horses have seizures and the eventual out come is to PTS as it's dangerous to ride a horse with these symptoms. I'm bracing myself!!

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

Was just going to post about seizures as my horse had a full blown one thrashing about on the floor two days ago. He has had bloods- yet to get results.

Judging by the lack of replies it looks like not much information or experience of this.

The vet said it's unusual in horses. Having googled it , it looks like it's generally unknown why horses have seizures and the eventual out come is to PTS as it's dangerous to ride a horse with these symptoms. I'm bracing myself!!

Not sure about the standing seizures, but a few years ago one of my ponies had the thrashing round on the floor type fits, one minute he'd be stood there perfectly normally the next he'd be on the floor with legs and head thrashing about. Vet came and took bloods, it turned out he must have eaten something poisonous. The fits lasted about 3 days and seemed to be set of when he spooked or jumped at something which sadly for him happens often. After about a week he was back to normal apart from his black eye where he hit the wall, and never happened again since.

 

[pennyturner]

I had an arab that dropped to the floor like a stone. Would get up 2-5 minutes later with no ill effects. Didn't thrash around.

Usually triggered by girth being tightened or mounting, so we think it was a stress response, although we took him hunting the day after the ban, and he dropped in walk when he was perfectly happy, so who knows?

 

[fatpiggy]

Was just going to post about seizures as my horse had a full blown one thrashing about on the floor two days ago. He has had bloods- yet to get results.

Judging by the lack of replies it looks like not much information or experience of this.

The vet said it's unusual in horses. Having googled it , it looks like it's generally unknown why horses have seizures and the eventual out come is to PTS as it's dangerous to ride a horse with these symptoms. I'm bracing myself!!

Hi, have pm'd you as requested, but that last paragraph is the standard thing vets come out with and actually, its bol**cks. There is plenty known but seizures but they still think it is rare (it isn't) and can't be bothered to look.