I have a co-worker here at work that has a labrador who is almost 2 years old, and his labrador had a seizure this morning for about 1 minute (foaming of the mouth, disorientation, confusion, uncontrollable urination)

Just recently had a vet visit for his annuals (with lepto and lime a few days after)

I am wondering if he has TVD, would that cause a seizure? Or would epilepsy come to mind before TVD?



TIA

I would think of a vaccine reaction before TVD... Why would you think it was TVD?

Im not sure if this would be a reaction to vaccine. His first seizure (same symptoms) was just after christmas, and he had no vaccinations then.

Seizure would come to mind with those symptoms. Have they spoken to their vet - run any tests afterward? Have them keep track of any seizures; when, duration, symptoms and discuss with their vet.

Is there a chance that he is getting something monthly, such as a heartworm pill or a flea-tick preventative to which he is sensitive? It does sound like idiopathic epilepsy, and if that is the diagnosis, I hope that a couple blood samples will go to the researchers. Hope he does okay. I had my seizing rescued Lab until she was about 15.5 years old, and she was an incredible dog. I'd do it all again, although I'd rather have had her without her problem.

Generally not for TVD but if he has a Reversed PDA (another heart condition) than the initial sign once it has progressed is a "seizure" caused by the blood being too thick that it sludges in the brain. If not treated the dog can die very quickly, any type of seizure activity like that should be worked up. I rushed my JRT to the vets where she spent the next week in ICU having tests until they had ruled out other possibilities.It happened when my dog was about 18 months old.

First of all one seizure is just a seizure. Until a dog has a second seizure no suspicion of a seizure disorder is aroused.

Dogs can have adverse reactions to vaccinations, even if they have previous had no allergic reaction to a vaccines. Most of the symptoms have to do with hives and difficulty breathing, but seizures are a possibility--though rare.

The vaccine for leptospirosis has previously caused more adverse reactions than other vaccines. But reportedly the improved lepto vaccines do not have as many adverse reactions.

As an owner of a TVD dog, no, a seizure is not a usual symptom of that particular problem. If the dog had simply collapsed then maybe, but not what you describe. Why? Does the dog have a heart murmur?

How about vaccine overload, a tick disease, or hypothyroidism?

The dog had seizures. I haven't personally heard of seizures related to TVD. If there is the concern of TVD then do an echo color dopper.

The main thing the owner and vet need to find out if there is a medical reason for the seizures besides epilepsy. It could be caused by vaccinations but usually that happens within 24 hours. It still could be a reaction, for example an allergy to the lyme vaccine.

If the vet can find no other reason for seizures, related to other organs or a reaction to a vaccine or medication then the dog is usually given the status of having idiopathic epilepsy .

A proper, indepth blood and physical work up is in order. Make sure they check thyroid values which can be done through Dr. Jean Dodds for a more reasonable cost. Overall, they need to rule out other causes. If no causes are found it sounds like typical, epileptic seizures.

I wouldn't play guessing games, I would try to get to the bottom of the cause. It's either medically induced or epilepsy which the dog is at the average age for having a 1st seizure.

Yes, if it's idiopathic epilepsy please send blood samples. They must be along with the same from a non-seizing sibling which constitutes a pair. Just the 1 dog is not going to make as much of an impact on the research as a pair. Only 3 pairs are left to complete the main part of the study.

No! The dog has had ONE seizure--if the dog had a seizure at all--the "seizure" was not even observed, much less diagnosed by a professional.

Regardless of the lack of diagnosis, ONE seizure should NEVER be called epilepsy--even if no cause is ever discovered.

Please do not jump to medical conclusions that will be likely to scare the family.

Kate - the poster said in a subsequent post that the dog had his "first" seizure over a month ago, so it sounds like he's had at least 2.

If 'Anon' in post 3 is the same as the OP (which it appears to be) the dog had it's first seizure about a month ago (not after vaccines) and now a second one. Two seizures, a
month apart, and in the prime 'epilepsy' age group would make me want more information. If they can get to a vet quickly post seizure, bloodwork could rule out toxicity and glean light on the diagnosis. I agree with the poster who recommended Jean Dodds for thyroid.
Even if it's not deemed 'epilepsy' at this point, let the breeder know and hopefully contribute blood on a sibling and the affected dog to research. You have to describe the episodes completely and they may say theres not enough information to warrant blood. You can giive them follow up if/when the dog has another one, but it would be great to have another sibling pair if the dog does have epilepsy.
Sorry to hear you are going through this.

The dog had two seizures about a month apart according to OP's second post.
Yes, a medical work up is in order. So is reviewing what is given about a month apart, such as HW preventative, flea or tick preventative, etc., or if a rug cleaning product or exterminator was used about that far apart to give the vets more clues. My girl had thyroid issues and was a vaccine reactor as well as having idiopathic epilepsy. Managing everything kept her from her cluster seizures, which developed as she got older and was spayed. Eventually, her thyroid meds went down to less than my friend's little Sheltie got, but we didn't stop them entirely.

As for a "couple blood samples," yes, I meant from a close relative and the dog itself IF it turns out to be IE.

OP, good luck with it all.

Thanks, Patty, I get very confused by these multiple anon and breeder posts.

For heaven's sake people, if you truly want useful information, be clear in your presentation of information and use your name or at least something that clearly links one post to another.

OK setting that aside, has the dog been diagnosed by a competent professional as having a seizure disorder (different from one seizure and different from having seizures related to known causes)? If a diagnosis has not been given (and I assume that the OP does not think it has), then I still suggest that we stop jumping to medical conclusions and coming up with courses of action.

If the dog has not been diagnosed with a seizure disorder (and this does take a substantial workup to rule out other causes of seizures), then submitting blood samples for research is not going to be useful to the researcher. In fact, it will confuse the research if the dog turns out to have, for example, a brain tumor or is taking a medication that causes seizures (such as metronidizole) or has a thyroid disorder.

Yes, the owner said the dog has had 2 seizures.

I appreciate everyone's feedback and I will pass the information a long to him.

Thanks.

And remember that although two of been observed, it is possible that the dog has had others that haven't been seen.