Introducing Fraser - our sweet Fraser has crossed The Bridge

Hey Naomi,

I am making a big leap in even mentioning this (and hopefully you won't see a repeat so this will all be a moot point!). But I believe that small focal seizures could possibly cause what you are seeing. I don't know a whole lot about them, but I think you can have a brief episode of abnormal behavior such as twitching or tremoring followed by vomiting and/or diarrhea.

The reason why this has stuck in my head is because my Peg went through months of unexplained vomiting episodes before we witnessed her having a grand mal seizure. We'd not infrequently get up in the morning to find multiple spots of spit-up around the house that had happened during the night. We could never figure out what was going on because she otherwise seemed perfectly OK. But then we saw the first actual seizure, followed by vomiting and diarrhea. We still don't know for certain about those nightly spit-up episodes -- whether or not they were precursors or related in any way. But the interesting thing is that they totally stopped once we started her phenobarb. So I do now think that they had to be somehow related neurologically.

As I say, this probably has nothing to do with Oz and I feel creepy about writing anything that would sound scary. But since you are asking, I felt obligated to throw it out there in case Oz's episodes continue. :o

Marianne

Hey Marianne,

With those seizures, were they petit mal in appearance? As in the unfocused eyes, inability to respond etc? I was sitting next to him and patting him during the shakes and he was quite responsive the whole time, looking at me and leaning into a leg massage, then got up took 2 steps forward and vomited. The shakes then stopped immediately, which made me think gut pain. I have seen him shake like this in the past (but we're talking 4+ years ago) when he hurt his back and would have muscle spasms. That's why I thought pain initially, then gut pain after the vomit.

I ask about the appearance of peg's seizures as I have had a severely epileptic dog before and know only too well what they look like (he ended up stabilized on 5 1/2 phenobarb a day, was a mini doxie) but we managed that for 9 years before he passed over aged 13.

Anyway, at this point Oz ate all of his dinner, proceeded to eat a greenie (dental treat) and then polished off some biscuits, so appetite is obviously not affected. He has kept it all down for at least a couple of hours since and is not showing any signs of discomfort at the moment. Will continue to watch him closely, but thanks for the heads up. If it continues, I will discuss it with vet as potential possibility. Just hope I don't have to go down that route obviously ;).

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Originally Posted by Trish

! What on earth are you doing at school with your students that involves a ladder?!?! Nighty nite!!

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You kidding? Performing Arts, we are always up and down platform ladders, rigging and mounting stage lights etc, but in this case I was just trying to get a chair out from behind it for one of the kids and sandwiched my hand between the chair and step. Hurt like hades! Still swollen and prob blue tomorrow, but that's just the excitement for the day :rolleyes: I have moments of complete clutziness some days :D

Naomi,
I am so sorry that Oz has been having some spells. They are so scary.
You sure have you hands full. You said that he had a grass allergy. Could he possibly have eaten grass? That would make vomit, but that doesn't explain the twitching.

Hugs to you and the boys,
Kathy

Hi Naomi,

I honestly don't know if Peg had any genuine neurological issues prior to the grand mal seizures. But this is what we experienced. From the time she was fairly young, she would occasionally exhibit a really weird behavior in that she'd be sound asleep on the couch and then suddenly jerk awake, bolt off the couch, and then walk around the room flipping her head back towards her tail as if there was something bothering/biting her in her hindquarters. It didn't last but a few moments, but always followed exactly the same repetitive pattern every single time it happened. No vomiting though, and no loss of consciousness or responsiveness, per se (although she was always focused on her behind and not me when I called to her).

During the same time period, we'd get up in the morning and find several areas of spitting up all around the downstairs. Never caught her in the act, though, so never knew what was happening, although a couple of times when I was dozing on the couch, she did leap off the couch and immediately started spitting up. Then just over two years ago, she started having grand mal seizures for which there was no mistaking what was going on, and that's when we started the phenobarb. Since beginning the phenobarb, there have been no obvious seizures, and also no night-time spitting-up and also not a single one of the weird jumping-off-the-couch incidents, either. So even though I have no idea whether they were also neurological in origin, all I can say is that she's stopped having them since the phenobarb...

Having said all that, I think it very unlikely that seizuring is Oz's problem. But Peg's history was just weird enough that I thought I'd go ahead and mention it.

Marianne

Hmmnn. Thanks Marianne, doesn't sound like that's what's happening with Oz, but I will keep it in mind. We've had nothing further overnight either, so I guess I'll just watch him through the next couple of days and see if it repeats. Poor boy, he looks so pitiful when he's throwing up. :(

Awww, poor Oz. Hope he doesn't do any more throw up. Their little bodies just look like it is turning inside our or something. I hate it when Molly throws up. Then she goes and tries to eat it for like a second course. Gross!!! I know dogs do that and it's all natural but still....GROSS! Not that she'd try to lick up yellow bile though, hers is usually food when it happens.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

EEK! I don't like the sound of that Marianne, but seems like once you got on top of it everything went pretty well!

I will stay on the ate something he shouldn't have, so pleased to hear nothing else coming up since yesterday. Poor Oz, I HATE when I vomit and also hate to see their wee body heaving. Poor things, but yes it does turn the stomach like Sharlene said when they turn around and eat it.... or worse if they see the cat puke they also consider that a tasty snack. Ack I am nearly dry retching typing it so will shut up now :D

Will check in later to see if all has kept down today! Tonight is the ABs first game of the season vs France so we are off out soon to watch it (not at the park though!) Flynn has his All Black jersey on and we are all ready to cheer!!! (ohh must change his avatar!)

Well so far so good. There was a tiny bit of clear/white spit up on the floor this morning, but none of the yellow bile from the last two days. Again I don't know who did that little bit, but my guess is Oz. Anyway, he ate all his dinner again this evening, plus greenies again and no tummy upsets or shivers, so let's just hope it was a one off freak spell.

Meanwhile, Fraser is still good, we had his girlfriend here for a few hours this evening but he didn't go all frisky this time. Hope he is feeling ok, so hard to tell with him sometimes. But at least he ate all his dinner without complaint as neither of them ate their breakfast this morning. Fussy bums. At least I can say that neither of them have EVER tried to eat their own up-chucks again, that's too gross to contemplate! <shudder>

Oh yeah, question: How much pumpkin blocks up, and how much unblocks (so to speak) :p I know there is no definite quantity, but a guide would help me out. I never knew about the pumpkin trick until coming here. :D

Glad to hear that the spit ups are looking better (no bile) That is a good sign.
Ahh, Frasier, Frasier, just doesn't Always feel like chasing the ladies. Every casanova needs a rest now and then. :)
I think that it isn't you give this amount for constipation or that amount for diarrhea. Pumpkin seems to be more of a regulator. So, you give the same pretty much for either.

The dogchatforum says:

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It depends on the size of the dog but as a rule of thumb a couple of teaspoons daily for a small dog or a couple of tablespoons for a large dog. You may have to disguise it in you dog's favorite food.

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I know some dogs love it and you can just put it on your finger and they will lick it off. Others need it mixed in food.

Remember, no pie filling, just plain pumpkin. To save it, fill an ice cube tray, freeze, then pop into baggies for storage in freezer and thaw one out when you need it.

Hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin