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Help!

goda

goda

Well-known member
Luka, my 2.5 year old Tri Color is having some sort of Seizure activity. It is fairly new and we don't know what it is. If you have any advice please send it my way before we head to a neurologist. Here is a video of what is going on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfVfbEv3f54

Thanks in advance.
Goda
 
Definitely take the video with you to show the neurologist. That looks a lot like what my Clancy experienced at around the same age. We went to the ER, but no diagnosis was made (since it was over by the time we got there). About nine months later he had his first grand mal seizure and was diagnosed with epilepsy.
 
Thanks!

StillPooh said:
Definitely take the video with you to show the neurologist. That looks a lot like what my Clancy experienced at around the same age. We went to the ER, but no diagnosis was made (since it was over by the time we got there). About nine months later he had his first grand mal seizure and was diagnosed with epilepsy.
Click to expand...

I will at least have an idea of what to look for.
 
A friend of mine with Cavvie had similar incident

She just looked at this and her dog also had a seizure like that.... she thinks epilepsy but maybe not. Good luck!!! Report back on what you find out
 
I have seen many seizures, syncopal episodes and vestibular incidents over the years - but I'd bet my next (albeit layperson!) paycheck that this is SM related scratching and is not related to epilepsy or seizure, syncope or vestibular. Look carefully at the rear left leg which is making a lot of obsessive scratching motions - sometimes making contact and sometimes not (phantom) - which is throwing him off balance as he walks. He seems to be scratching his side rather than his neck.

Rod's site lists neurologists in Washington state that are familiar with SM (in RED) - here is a link:

http://www.cavalierhealth.org/neurologists.htm#Washington

If this were my Cavalier, I'd quickly make an appointment with one of the neurologists familiar with SM.

Best wishes,

Pat
 
I live in Washington also and my girl, Ruby was diagnosed with SM a few weeks ago.
We went to the VCA Specialty Center in Lynnwood. Dr. Kline is great and very kind. I believe she can help you if you haven't found anywhere to go yet. (I'm sure that link is a great resource too!)
I hope you get this solved soon so you and your sweet dog can feel better soon. :)


-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums
 
I just saw the link. Dr. Karen Kline is listed in red which means she knows her stuff.
Hang in there, and please let us know how things go.
Praying for you... :)

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums
 
It certainly looks as if it could be SM related scratching. I would agree with Pat about consulting an experienced neurologist.
 
I agree it looks like SM. My SM girl has vestibular episodes and while they look somewhat like that (the circling) they are also very different and i've also had a dog who has had grand mal seizures and they are truly different from that. I agree with Pat, take this video to a neurologist ASAP so they can get your baby on medication and hopefuly make him/her more comfortable. Let us know what happens.
 
Love my Cavaliers said:
My SM girl has vestibular episodes and while they look somewhat like that (the circling) they are also very different and i've also had a dog who has had grand mal seizures and they are truly different from that
Click to expand...
Clancy's grand mal seizures look nothing like that. But prior to progressing to that point, he did have an episode that resembled the one in the video.
 
SM may not be familiar to you -- it stands for syringomyelia and is, sadly, a widespread neurological disease in the breed. Many of us here have dogs with the condition -- three of my fives cavalier have it to varying degrees; two quite mild and one moderate, treated with a couple of medications daily. Surgery is also an option to consider if you get this diagnosis.

There's more information here:

www.smcavalier.com
www.cavalierhealth.org
http://www.veterinary-neurologist.co.uk/faq.htm

The first site, which I set up, has a number of videos of cavaliers with various degrees of Sm which you may find useful. The second site has lots of info on the condition and lists of neurologists far more up to date than mine. The third is the SM FAQ from neurologist Dr Clare Rusbridge, generally considered the leading expert on the condition.

Let us know what a neurologist says. I would urgently try to get a referral as this type of activity indicates a considerable degree of discomfort and potential pain. Please let us know what you hear back -- there's lots of support here whatever the diagnosis.
 
I don't think episodic falling because there's no collapse, but it is worth looking at the videos there too for comparison.

I do think this is likely to be SM -- that foot banging and the fact that he has to stop to scratch at times, plus that C shape his body makes are all typical for SM -- would strongly recommend seeing a neurologist and bringing along this video to show or bring the URL. I don't think this is a seizure at all but an SM pain episode. I think you will find some of these SM cavalier videos have similar elements:

http://sm.cavaliertalk.com/video/videos.html
 
Having two cavaliers with Episodic Falling I have to say the video does not present with anything I recognise as an EF seizure.
Ruth
 
Please let us know how things go. I concur with the above suggestions to see a neurologist. The behavior is very similar to what my girl does although her symptoms are not as strongly pronounced. To me, it doesn't look like a fit or seizure but rather an SM related episode. Many pronounced SM symptoms....but don't panic, see a neurologist for guidance.
 
Update

Update: Luka had an extensive physical exam today and blood was drawn. He has to have an MRI tomorrow morning. He's in decent spirits in between the Seizure-like episodes. The specialist noted that he has some pain and discomfort in his neck area and reassured me that the worst case scenario Spyringomyelia is treatable as I cried like a bumbling idiot.

Dr Kline was very kind, she noted that he had pain and discomfort in the neck area, she also said it could be a number of things. I showed her the various videos. I will keep everyone posted!

Thanks for your support.
 
Best of luck with the MRI. At least when you have a diagnosis the vet will know what and how to treat.
:xfngr:
 
Let us know how things go. I have to be honest though and say treatment is very variable with SM and is generally an attempt to address pain as long as possible -- the specialist you spoke to is a bit underinformed :(. There are ways to attempt to address the pain, but no way to cure it, and it usually continues to progress -- surgery in some cases does stop progression but will not always help symptoms that have already occured due to existing neurological damage; medications only cover the pain and will not halt progression. It is very hard to predict what will happen in the case of any individual dog though the younger the dog is showing symptoms the more severe the case usually is and the more important to decide on a treatment approach. The links I gave will provide a lot of background.

Many, many of us on the board have had or currently have dogs with this condition with a wide range of outcomes. Clare Rusbridge's neurovet site provides the most detailed information.

After the MRi and additional tests you will know a lot more -- please feel free to talk to us all at any time and ask any questions as so many have been through this and know exactly what you are going through, as well as the tests and treatment options.
 
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