Black lab just started having more frequent fits - advice?

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DuckToller

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We have an 8-year-old black lab, got from the Blue Cross when he was approx 14 months. He has had the odd fit every now and again, where his legs go wobbly, he looks like he is drunk and he staggers, falls down and then sometimes rolls violently from side to side. It last from between 5 and 10 minutes usually.

The vet said if he was only having one or two a year and they were only lasting a short time, it wasn't worth putting him on drugs. They always seem to be brought on when he gets over-heated or dehydrated(ie rabbitting frantically with the terriers) so we walk him early in the morning on a hot day and he didn't have any this summer.

But on Sunday we were watching Star Wars and he fell off the sofa during the laser-thingy fight and started fitting. And he has just fitted again. During both fits he was very distressed as he is aware of what is going on and can't understand it.

I will obviously take him to the vets but has anyone else got a lab or similar that fits and is on drugs? Do they affect them in any way ie side effects, etc?
 
My old lab used to have a fit every now and again,vet said best to not put her on meds. It only ever happened if she was asleep and then something startled her and she woke up,she would stagger,roll eyes l would have to hold her and just keep her quiet for a few moments or so and it would go
 
My dog Malic started with fits last march. His were very violent and horrible to watch. he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Now im not saying thats whats wrong with your doggie as fits can be caused by a number of things. He was on medication to control the fits and he did extreemly well on them for the next 6 months. Unfortunatly he had to be PTS a few weeks ago as things just got too much for him. the tumour was begining to afffect his lifestyle and he became very poorly. Anyway the answer to your question is that i think without the medication we would not have had Malic for those extra few months. Has your vet considered doing any tests to see what is causing the fits?? because the type of medication would depend on what the cause was. I would def have some tests done as tbh fits generally tend to get worse if not treated as there is always a cause. And when you have seen a dog badly fitting its the worst thing ever.
frown.gif

Dont get disheartened though, dogs can live many years with the right medication.
 
Thanks for advice, will see vet tomorrow. As he has had them intermittantly for some years, she thinks it is epilepsy as that is quite common in black labs apparently (one of the faults of inbreeding). It is horrid for him because he is so distressed and doesn't know what is happening to him. Poor boy. He has never had two in a week so not sure if its a coincidence or epilepsy getting worse.
 
My late Father was registered blind and had 3 black labs as guide dogs since he was blind. The first fitted pretty much like yours but was managed on medication. He has just been put down at the age of 16!!!!!( He outlasted my Father!)
The second fitted much more and was sadly put down but those fits were very frequent. Try not to worry as it can sometimes be managed well.
 
Thanks for that. He has now had three fits in the last five days, so I think it's time to see about medication.

It's the change in frequency that is the puzzle, from one or two a year at most. We only said the other day that he hadn't had a fit in ages... famous last words. Did your father's hurt themselves at all when fitting? Sometimes Max rolls violently from side to side and accidentally bangs his head on the floor or wall with great force. We have to hold him down so he doesn't do himself any damage.
 
Hi we have a Border Collie who is five she started having fits when she was one. Apparently this is very common in this breed of dog (Epilepsy).
She is on 2 forms of tablets and her fitting is now controlled although it doesny stop fits, it certainly controlls them.
We find that Beau is generally resting when she goes into a fit and sometimes she actually looks at you and then starts, its extremly scary and very upsetting but very common apparently.
Beau bites her tongue which is the worse and you really want to try and stop her but of course we cant, we make as much room for her as possible and keep her in the dark after.
 
No they didn't hurt themselves but that was due to restraint. One had to immediately retire as obviously it wasn't safe for a guide dog but the other under medication worked right up until he was retired then lived until 16!
 
So the medicine doesn't stop them but makes them less violent by the sound of it? It seems to come on slowly, legs go all shaky, then suddenly gets worse. Last one took 8 minutes.

We could always put it down to a trigger before, either he got too hot or dehydrated on a long walk, but the last two had no apparent trigger.

Just wondered whether putting him on medicine will affect him in any other way - does it have any obvious side effects? Our last dog was on rimadil for arthritis and he didn't like it, made him lethargic and he went off his food but don't know anything about epilepsy meds for dogs.
 
Llewelyn, the only side effects which medication has on our dog is it makes her hungry. The medication is very similar to steroids, so we have to watch her weight.
Now she is on medication when she does have fits they only last a minute at the most and she comes round from them very quickly, where as before she took a couple of days.
Claire
 
Thanks - that doesn't sound too bad then. We have to watch his weight anyway being a lab! 8-9 minutes for a fit is too long, he is conscious throughout and quite frightened. Will speak to vet about getting pills.
 
The pills Malic was on did seem to stop the fits occuring more frequent. However if he did have one we were given Diazapam tubes ( up the bottom ones ) To give him so it brought him out of the fit much quicker. Malics fits were extreemly violent though, he was unconcious throughout and had he not been brought out of them sooner he would have certainly died. They say a fit any longer than two mins is deadly. Hope you got your doggie sorted.
 
At first you wouldn't realise it's a fit, he goes all wobbly, like he is drunk almost, and he starts to lose his balance then goes down on the floor. Best way to describe it is that he seems to be trying to cling to the floor as if we were having an earthquake or something- very odd. Only gets worse after about 4-5 mins, then we have to hold him steady to stop him rolling around. Will definitely ask about diazepam - sounds like he needs that. Cheers.
 
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