# Had Quite a Scare -- Can Anyone Help?



## Beau's mom (Oct 6, 2011)

At 4 this morning I awoke hearing a loud thud. DH said, "the dog fell off the bed." Of course, the 1st thing I did was go into the bathroom -- and, while I was sitting Beau literally crawled into the room behind me. He wasn't walking -- but crawling. I picked him up and his whole body was stiff as a board. He clung to me and was sooooooo afraid.

I quickly put my shoes on and carried him to the car. On my way, I called the vet and announced that we were coming and that he had had a seizure of some type. When we arrived (neglecting every stop sign and red light en route), the vet was at the door waiting for us.

She took him into the examining room immediately. Except for his usual vet-hospital jitters, he seemed fine (as long as I held him in my arms). She tested neurological signs and palpated him all over. She listened to his lungs and heart. She told me that he was tender along his lower spine and that his heart rhythm was irregular. She did an EKG and expressed his anal glands.

Throughout it all, she was wonderful with sweet Beau. She said that she didn't think it was a "normal" seizure -- because he didn't jerk, lose consciousness, or lose control of his bowels and bladder. She said there were no residual neurological signs to indicate a seizure. Although his heart rhythm was irregular it was normally irregular (??). She offered to keep him to watch him -- but I said, no. I'd rather watch him myself. And so, we went home and went back to bed for a few hours while I stared at him.

This afternoon we went to visit Karen & Scott Stephens to make appropriate introductions before I leave Beau with them for 2 weeks at the end of May and beginning of June. He was fine while we were there, ran around with the other dogs, and seemed just like Beau.

Bottom line -- neither the vet nor I have any idea what happened. Maybe he had some kind of seizure. Maybe he fell off the bed in his sleep and scared himself, banging his back. [I should say that our bed is only 18" high and he landed on very padded carpet.] Tonight he has been fine -- except he chewed his paw raw, necessitating some antibiotic ointment and a temporary boot so that he can't hurt it any more.

Has anyone seen anything like this? Any ideas are appreciated greatly. He wasn't the only one scared to death early this morning . . .


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

wow that sounded scary for sure. No idea . Hopefully it was nothing serious.


----------



## Regina (Mar 9, 2013)

Not a lot of advice to offer, perhaps he just fell off of the bed. But I will say that my little guy had a seizure once, and he did not loose any bladder or bowel control. The vet checked his thyroid and found it was slightly abnormal, and she stated that sometimes if their thyroid is abnormal it can cause seizures. The other thing I do know is if they are chewing a part of their body it can be due to pain or discomfort. He could have strained his paw or fell on it causing discomfort. Hope this helps.


----------



## Lola :) (Nov 20, 2012)

Poor thing! I hope little Beau is doing well


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I don't have anything to add, except thaT I hope Beau is fine, and has no further problems!!!


----------



## Cailleach (Jan 30, 2010)

Hope it's nothing serious. I'd consider contacting a canine chiropractor (SP).


----------



## DapperTuxedo (Apr 15, 2013)

Lorraine that sounds so scary. Sending you and Beau lots of comforting thoughts!


----------



## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

Poor Beau - I'm so sorry to hear about his fall & possible seizure. It really sucks when our furbabies are sick. I'm praying that this was a one time thing and he'll be better tomorrow. All the best, Jeanne


----------



## Atticus (May 17, 2011)

That does sound scary lets hope he just had a bad dream, fell off the bed, got a little hurt,scared himself and is fine now! Hope so, tough that this happens right before you leave. You must be quite relieved to go from driving to the emergency vet to seeing him running around PHEW!!!!


----------



## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Lorraine, so sorry this happened to Beau. Maybe it was that he fell off the bed and frightened himself and was a little sore. Hopefully, it was a short lived, one time event! Sending positive thoughts to you both!


----------



## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

Poor Beau, and poor you! That must have been so scary. I don't have much to add except to say that Timmy is afraid of many things and does tense up when I go to see if he's okay. I hope he was only afraid, which seems very possible, it's scary when I've fallen out of bed being sound asleep, imagine being Beau's size. I have a cat with epilepsy so I know about seizures and hers are unmistakable. Hope everyone is on the mend!


----------



## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

If he had a seizure, I doubt he would have fallen out of bed. Twinkle fell out of our bed when she was 15 and hurt her back. We had to stop letting her sleep in the bed after all that time. She's mostly okay now, but it set her back for a long time. She now sleeps in a bed under the rack where all the other dogs' crates are in the dog room. She complained a couple of nights, but takes to it okay now.


----------



## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

sorry for this scare. sounds to me like the fall hurt his back a bit. what made you think a seizure? I hope he continues to act normally. Glad it was such a low bed and soft rug. he may have just scared himself.


----------



## Beau's mom (Oct 6, 2011)

Thanks for your input, everyone! Missy, I thought it might be a seizure because he didn't walk ("crawling" is the only way I can describe it) and because of the total body stiffness. That's where my brain went. He was obviously scared -- and so was I. All I could think of was getting him to the vet while I kept repeating, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."

Last night Beau was glued to my side in the middle of the bed. No untoward events, thank goodness. It's a gloomy day. As usual, he won't go outside. Everything seems normal today.


----------



## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I hope it was a one time thing and I'm glad he seems back to his old self.


----------



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Cailleach said:


> Hope it's nothing serious. I'd consider contacting a canine chiropractor (SP).


ditto. Tillie injured her back at some point last fall, she would go rigid, trembling, etc ... I have to take her to the chiropractor at the first sign of trembling now.


----------



## Beau's mom (Oct 6, 2011)

Thanks everyone! Beau has been his sweet (and sometimes annoying) self today. I know, because I haven't taken my eyes off him!! I appreciate that you care.


----------



## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

So glad Beau's feeling better. I can only imagine how scared you were! I sure hope this was a one time thing. Keep us updated.


----------



## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Yikes, that is scary  Maybe he was just really scared from a nightmare and that would explain the heart rate.
Glad he's okay.
Kara


----------



## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Yay!!! Annoying!!!!! no better testament to them feeling better than them being annoying! 

I know how you must have felt Lorraine, I would have been petrified. we went through a scary undiagnosed thing with Cash when he was just 1. glad he is better.


----------



## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

So glad he seems to be feeling better!


----------



## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

That is so scary Lorraine! I am glad beau is ok and feeling better!!


----------



## lilac258 (Jan 9, 2010)

My dog has had 4 similar episodes over a 2 year span. She loses movement in her hind legs and tenses up as though she is cramping up. She has fallen off the bed once and nearly off the couch another time just because she cant walk. She never convulses or goes unconscious and I am able to communicate and make eye contact with her the entire time. Each episode has lasted 30 seconds to 1 minute. She's been tested in every way except an MRI and they can't find anything wrong with her. She is a purebred and it looks like we are coming to the conclusion that she has idiopathic epilepsy and it's genetic. I can say, and I dont know if this means anything, that all but one of her episodes was while she was on heavy antibiotics (for a whole different issue!). The most recent time I am convinced was triggered by a high anxiety situation she was in. I completely understand and sympathize with what you went through. Our first few times were so scary but 2 years later shes healthy and we deal with it. Hope this helps to hear our story and that your fur baby is happy and healthy.


----------



## Beau's mom (Oct 6, 2011)

Thank you, Lilac258!! (Sorry I don't know your name)
I guess you saw my post on FB that Beau had his second seizure yesterday. You are the first one who has described the exact same event sequence. I'm relieved to hear that your episodes are infrequent -- and I'm hoping that turns out to be the case with Beau!
Please feel free to "friend" me on FB -- and please PM me if you would be interested in a play date for our "kids." Your baby and Beau look quite similar!! We're not far from you in Blue Bell.
Thanks again!


----------



## Ruth4Havs (May 13, 2013)

wow, what a scary moment for you!:O we where all very worried when Chester broke his leg. i hope this won't happen to Beau ever.


----------



## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

More than 30 years ago when I was first married, my DH got me a Cocker Spaniel puppy. I named her Gypsy. When she was about 1.5 year, she had her first seizure. Scared me to pieces. She had others over her lifetime, typically if there were unusual stresses, lots of company or travel, something of that sort. However, she lived a long and otherwise healthy life. The diagnosis was Idiopathic Epilepsy just meaning there wasn't a specific, identifiable reason for the seizures.


----------

