Warning: Undefined variable $href_target in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/phpGiggle/phpgiggle-config.inc.php on line 44
Dog has a seizure when he hears loud noises. | Ask A Vet
 

 


Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Stimulus sensitive seizures.

Species: Dog
Breed: pomerainean mix
Age: More than 15 ye
Hello, My dog is part pomerainean and part something else. He is about 25lbs. He is also 16+ years old. He is starting to show his aging more and more. He has some hip displacment , getting cateracts i believe he also cant hear very well. For the last year or so he seems at times to have trouble keeping his balance and walking a straight line. Like he is being pulled to one side. All that being said the main reason i am contacting you is this. About a year ago i was playing my electric guitar kinda loud and all of the sudden rambo started freaking out. He was barking wildly and flopping around on the ground. His heart was beating very hard and fast also. I took him to the emergency vet and they told me he probably had a siezure and to just watch him. Then about 3 months ago while my wife was running the vacume he had another episode like the first one. These siezures or what ever they are last around 45 minutes from start to finish . Then today i was outside cutting a piece of wood with a skillsaw and boom, he went into another episode. Running around barking wildly , running into things, flopping around on the floor. He actually cut his lip open this time because he was banging his head on the wall before i could get to him. Its becomming very apparent to me now that these seizures are being brought on because of loud noises. Wich is a little wierd because as i said he is almost deaf. He has not had such an episode without there being a loud noise first. He almost never barks normally either. Does that seem possible to you that loud noises could trigger these episodes? Also i am wondering if maybe this could also be connected some how to his equilibrium problem. Like maybe he might have an ear infection and the loud noise maybe hurts his ear so much it causes a siezure? Obviously you would probably wonder why i dont just take him to the vet to check. When i took him to the emergency vet i mentioned that possibility to him and he said he did not see an ear infection. But it didnt seem to me that he really checked his ear that closely for the $250 he charged me. I just want to know another opinion. Right now i am not working so my money is kinda tight. Thats not to say i cant come up with a little for the vet.. So tell me what you think...Thanks


Warning: Undefined variable $related_questions in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Warning: Undefined variable $related_articles in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Aw, poor little Rambo. It sounds like these episodes are very unsettling.

What you are describing sounds like something that we call "Stimulus-sensitive seizures". In dogs, the most common reason for a stimulus sensitive seizure is some type of noise. In people, this type of seizure can be triggered by flashing lights (like strobe lights for example).

It's interesting that some noises will set him off even though he is deaf. My guess is that he can still hear certain frequencies and this is what is setting off the seizures.

He may be able to be helped with an anti-seizure medication such as phenobarbital.

There is a possibility that his seizures could be caused by a tumor in his brain. Unfortunately if this is the case then the phenobarbital may only help temporarily.

I hope he is feeling better soon!

Dr. Marie.



Warning: Undefined variable $displayed in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/answer_np.php on line 253
Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Just 1 more quick question , about his problem with his eqilibiam , could that be caused by an ear infection?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

While an inner ear infection can cause equilibrium problems, it really shouldn't cause the seizures that you are describing. Seizures originate from the cortex which is kind of like the outer covering of the brain, and an infection inside the ear shouldn't cause seizures.

One possible connection is if there was a tumor in the middle ear that was also affecting the cortex of the brain. But this is really not very common!



Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Dog died suddenly. Dr. Marie - We had a Yorkshire Terrier (would have been 12 years old in August).... (97982 views)

Bad smell on dog. Our doxie gets the worst smell coming from her vagina area. Whatever she sits on,... (114631 views)

Do male cats go into heat? Hi, I recived a new male cat and I would like to know if exist a "tablett" or... (10800 views)

Cat limping and vomiting. Today I noticed that my cat was limping a bit. Later on in the day I noticed that... (24295 views)

Hypothermic dog. Two days ago my black lab pup fell threw some ice, he was in the water for about 5... (12521 views)

How often is heat cycle? Bonnie is a pure chocolate labrador & was 6 in september (2011). I'm wondering how... (29363 views)

Hypothyroidism in Sheltie. Hi My dog had a thyroid test and the results came back as .8 which he said was low... (10911 views)

Surgery on 14 year old dog. Chyna has in the past few months developed a mass or cluster of lumps that are dark... (16151 views)

Sore leg in 16 year old cat. Hello We have a cat that is about 16 years old. The last couple of days she has... (7532 views)

Puppy not gaining weight. my puppy is one month old and is not gaining any weight and is not active not eating... (12865 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.