With all the interest in EIC and epilepsy, I though it might be good to describe a recent experience I had with one of my dogs. Jake was at the trainer's last week, aired in the morning- fine. When he was let out to run some marks, he scrambled wildly out of his crate (not his usual casual style) and collapsed- could not stand without hobbling or walk without falling down. The trainer promptly closed up shop and took Jake to the vet. The vet noticed that his eyes were not focusing and were rolling around. He had a temperature of 103. She gave three possible diagnoses- blunt trauma, neurological problem or inner ear infection. Since it was the only condition that was immediately treatable, she put him on antibiotics and steroids for the ear infection. He very quickly got better and went back to the trainer's yesterday after spending the long weekend at home and seeing my vet, who confirmed the diagnosis and treatment and noticed that one eardrum was redder than the other. My vet's mother had had an inner ear infection in the past and had no symptoms before she suddenly fainted. I have since had another person describe the same thing- no pain, just a sudden fainting.

Just thought I might spare someone else the scary time I and especially my trainer went through when we thought it might be something untreatable. The key is the rolling eyes. The nerve that controls the muscles that focus the eyes goes right past the inner ear, so if there is inflammation that nerve will be affected.

And yes, I read the string about steroids, but when your dog can't walk, it is more important to treat the immediate problem than it is to worry about future reproductive problems! Jake is now 100% normal and back on the truck, preparing for his first try at Masters next weekend. Wish us luck!

Peggy, I'm so glad Jake is okay - how scary! I'd heard about this problem with inner ear infections but nothing in such details as what you described - thank you!!! Good luck at the trials next weekend & pls send an update aftewards!

Thanks Peggy for the information. It brought back a memory of the GSD that my family had years ago - we returned home one Sunday evening to find our older boy stumbling, holding his head at an awkward angle, and his eyes rolled back. We thought the worse - a stroke - and rushed him to our vet who opened his office for us. It turned out to be an inner ear infection and he lived to the ripe old age of 16.