I have just been informed that a pup from my first litter (almost 2) has started focal seizures. Is this hereditary? Looking online it looks like it is usually injury or infection related. I kept a pup from her second litter and was planning on breeding her but now I am concerned. No other seizures reported. Grand mom started seizing at 7 but doctor has not diagnosed epilepsy, rather liver issues.
Am I fooling myself into thinking all is okay? Would appreciate advice, thanks.

JMO it sounds like its in the lines.

the person with the dog must start keeping a journal of each date, time of day and length of time of seizure activity. I'd like to know how the vet came up with "focal".

exactly what is a "focal " seizure?

Didn't you just answer your own question?

Hereditary?

Grand mom started seizing at 7 but doctor has not diagnosed epilepsy, rather liver issues.
Am I fooling myself into thinking all is okay? Would appreciate advice, thanks.

To Wondering -

All seizures are caused by abnormal electrical disturbances in the brain. Partial (focal) seizures occur when this electrical activity remains in a limited area of the brain. The seizures may sometimes turn into generalized seizures, which affect the whole brain

Maybe run a tickborn disease panel to rule out that source of infection, especially Ehrlichia. Realistically, it is more likely in this breed to be hereditary than environmental, but pet or breeding prospect, the diseases should be ruled out, as should liver disease. This is why we need to support research for a genetic test for hereditary epilepsy. Let us know what you find out. If it turns out to be probable epilepsy, please send the blood of affected/unaffected sibling pairs to research as previously noted on this forum. With a genetic test, carriers might be able to be bred safely. Thanks!
http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/93/3/198-a?ck=nck

I have been there with a pup that started this at a young age...I went thru the "hopes" that it was all those "other" things you read about that could cause "a" seizure. My vet told me, every dog is allowed one seizure before we label it...
My pup had focal seizures, she would go two years with nothing and I would think, thank God (she was on no meds). Then she had another one, we ran blood tests and her thyroid was low, so we put her on med, for that and again, 2 years free of seizing and I thought, well, good. I only fooled myself because as she aged (6 rs) she went into generalized seizures and they progressed to clustering. And ironically, her grandmother had focal seizures at age 12 but just like you-due to liver failure (un related). Don't take the chance because though it "could" be nothing if this pup has had more than one seizure you are most likely looking at epil and some type of hereditary issues. But, please submit blood work to the research project going on and you will have made a wonderful contribution to the breed, just in a different manner. I'm sorry you are being faced with this.

"My pup had focal seizures. . . I only fooled myself because as she aged (6 yrs) she went into generalized seizures and they progressed to clustering. "

I had a similar experience with a show-quality rescue of unknown origin. I fell in love with her, and, since she had special needs, I ended up keeping her. The age progression was the same: focal seizures the first few years, then a grand mal, a sudden rapid progression into prolonged clusters. Thankfully, the meds controlled them. With the first seizure I finally knew why the show trained adolescent was in rescue! She was a wonderful and beautiful girl, a memorable character, gentle even in the throws of full seizures. I have to wonder how many other wonderful dogs are lost to the breed because of the disease and no test--and conversely, how many dogs are bred because we have fooled ourselves.

I know of a bitch who had mild focal type seizures who was bred before the seizures started and she had a severe fitter in that litter with grand mal type seizures. Epilepsy is epilepsy and even in one family you can strike some dogs having mild fits and some having severe. It is the tendency to having a low threshold for seizures to occur that is inherited.

I think what Oh Boy means is that everybody has a seizure threshold. Something, electricity or drug, can lower a normal mammal's seizure threshold temporarily, but one seizure does not epilepsy make. With epilepsy, it is easier to have a seizure because the seizure threshold is permanently lower, as I understand it. (A lower than normal seizure threshold means it is easier to have a seizure, abnormally easier to have a seizure.)
See link from Epilepsy foundation:

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/
I am having trouble getting forum to show the link below, so I am going to put a hard return in it. Cut and paste the two lines together to get the whole link.

www.epilepsyfoundation.org/answerplace/Medical/seizures/
science/mechanisms.cfm

You know, that is one of the big pluses in sending in blood for research. You can send in blood from a sibling pair, plus parents & whatever other relatives you can round up. Most likely the vet will not charge for the blood draws. You might spend $30-40 for shipping the entire family's blood in one box. When they figure this thing out, you will be told if your dogs are actually clear, carriers, or affected. Which means, you could effectively test a half dozen dogs for $30.

I think Ummmm answered you perfectly clearly. You asked a question, then stated that the dam also has seizures (doesn't matter what kind they *think* the seizures are).
Too much of a coincidence. Sorry.

Hereditary?

ummmm

Didn't you just answer your own question?

Hereditary?

Grand mom started seizing at 7 but doctor has not diagnosed epilepsy, rather liver issues.
Am I fooling myself into thinking all is okay? Would appreciate advice, thanks.

Dear Ummm,
Ummm, no I don't think so. Your comment wasn't an answer, at least you could have answered with your remark. So far no one is saying epilepsy, but I am well aware that you can go to many doctors until you get the response you want. So I was hoping for some advice from folks that may have dealt with this. The epilepsy site actually comments that focal seizures are not usually epilepsy but more thoughts would be appreciated. I don't want to throw the towel in on my pup but I also don't want to breed this disease. Thank you.

one of our boys who has since passed(04) had focal seizures that started at age 5.
his few litters he had some of his get had epilespy(grand mal seizures)
he was neutered and lived to be 12 a great pet for my oldest boy, LeeAnne

Epil. has different degrees, just because you have "focal" seizures, they are still seizures. Anyone who has lived thru this wants so much for it to be something else. You don't have to make any decision now about your pup, as Joan said, send in the blood and just hopefully your donation may help them identify this for certain.
I think you already know in your heart the right thing to do-you don't need anyone here to confirm yous suspicions. However, I know hearing the experience of others may give you the push you need. As other posters replied, focal seizures can and do progress to worst degrees of the disease.

A seizure is a seizure is a seizure is a seizure seizure is a seizure....don't continue the line.
Send in your blood sample so maybe we can get a test for this horrible disease.

a seizure is a seizure, yes. But seizures may come from trauma, encephalitis, heart worms...a great many causes which have absolutely NOTHING to do with whether or not a line should be continued to be bred. Complete diagnostics have to be done to determine the cause of seizures. Educate yourselves and send in those samples.

Wishful thinking Thomas. While what you said is true in some cases, the OP already said the dam had seizures too.
So if she wants to bury her head in the sand and say the seizures she keeps producing in this line are all caused by some other enviromental disasters, fine.
And lightening may strike twice too.

Thomas

a seizure is a seizure, yes. But seizures may come from trauma, encephalitis, heart worms...a great many causes which have absolutely NOTHING to do with whether or not a line should be continued to be bred. Complete diagnostics have to be done to determine the cause of seizures. Educate yourselves and send in those samples.

I fully intend to send in blood draws and hope to get some of my buyers from that litter and current litter to do the same. Hopefully I can get the grand dam (who is seizing) to send in a sample too. Currently my girl is not having issues, lets hope they don't start for her. I won't throw my current pup out with the bath water yet, maybe I will get lucky and a marker will be found in time to determine if she is clear. I have some time...
Thanks for your responses.

Gluten intolerance (cilliac disease in humans) can also cause seizures.

I hope they find the marker and your girl is clear.

I had a seizing dog here, loved him to bits like you wouldn't believe. I can tell you I'd spay and place your entire line. One would hope that the marker test will come around, but by that time, you may not have seen your pup seize and thus breed it.

Your pet families trust you to do what is right. Your dogs have seizures. As a pet lover I wouldn't want a seizing dog. As a responsible breeder, I certainly wouldn't want to produce it. I happens yes, and I thank my lucky stars everyday I have not produced it, but let me tell you, if I did, all of my dogs would be castrated so fast it would make your head spin.

My seizing boy from wonderful show lines, CH pointed lived to be 47 months old, each day a wonderful gift until the seizures took over. Broke my heart.

Use your heart and not so much your head with this one. Your girl has no place in a breeding program. Its not baby with the bathwater, its throwing out the water because its too hot for the baby.