# Help! 1 Yr old Rescue Seizures



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

I'm new to this site, and frankly new to online forums in general, but I'm at a loss and could really use some help. (Please if you're just going to be rude, go somewhere else, because I need genuine and sincere advice.)

We rescued a 9 month old, male, maltese in January. He was 1.7 lbs and in very bad shape. My vet said he hit the puppy lottery by finding us, but I truly feel I'm the one that hit the lottery. Bentley is the most amazing, loving, playful, happy dog ever. Over the last 3 months we've nursed him back to health and showed him as much love as is humanly possibly... yesterday he weighed in at a whopping 5.4lbs! Yay! 

Unfortunately, about 2 weeks ago, my little man started having grande mal seizures. The first one was exactly 2 weeks ago. Of course I called the vet off the bat & had him seen the next day, where they started bloodwork. Everything came back fine, his ALT level was normal, so they figured maybe it was just a one time thing. 12 days later, he had his second seizure @ 4am, another grande mal. I rushed him to the vet that morning, they did a urinalysis, and we scheduled the bile acid test for the next day. 20 minutes after leaving the vet he had yet another grande mal seizure. They wanted to admit him, I opted not to, because if stress was a trigger, being in a strange place would not help him. Instead, I took him home, and picked up a renal valium kit for precausions. The next day I dropped him off for the Bile Acid Testing. (Last Friday)

Yesterday, my poor Bentley had his 4th seizure (all of which have been in the last 2 weeks). 
The urinalysis came back clean, no crystals, and the bile acid pre test came back normal, the post came back elevated at 41.9. They are still thinking it could be a liver shunt but from what I've read, the bile acid level would be well over 100 to point to a liver shunt. Aside from the seizures, he exibits no signs of a liver shunt, and the seizures aren't correlated to when he eats.

I sent Bentley's records to another vet for a second opinion, and he decided to test for toxoplasmosis & distemper (yes, he was boostered for this in Jan). 
They've ruled out hypoglycemia, and say he's too young to be epileptic. 

Please, any insight would be so very helpful. We are just so devestated that Bentley is going through this, and we feel helpless.


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Welcome and thank you for adopting Bentley and taking such amazing care of him. I don't really know much about the seizures but I know there are members on here who are very knowledgeable about that and liver shunts and will try to help you as soon as they read your post. I think it's great that you found SM. It's been a lifesaver for many a member and you will be armed with knowledge when you meet with vets so you can ask the right questions and for the right procedures. Hang in there. BTW - what is Bentley eating? Is he on any anti-seizure meds now?


----------



## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

I'm no expert and not a vet, but I know that rosemary may cause seizures in some dogs. It is an ingredient in some foods. I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems.:mellow:


----------



## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

Welcome to SM and congratulations on the new addition to your family! I am so sorry Bentley is going through this, especially at such a young age! Unfortunately I don't have any knowledge of seizures and liver shunts but a lot of members here do, so hopefully you can get some insight in to what may be going on with Bentley. The only suggestion I can make is to look at his food and treats to see if rosemary is an ingredient in any of them - I have heard of dogs who have had seizures caused by rosemary in their food which stopped as soon as they were switched to a different food. Rosemary is a common ingredient in pet food and most dogs are okay with it, but it can cause issues in some dogs...so if no medical issues are apparent, I would maybe take a look at the food ingredients. Sorry I couldnt be of much help.


----------



## harrysmom (Sep 28, 2007)

Welcome to Spoiled Maltese!! I'm so happy that you were able to help Bentley, but I'm sorry to hear that he's having seizures. I have one dog with a liver problem, one who is epileptic, and one who has seizures that are definitely stress related. BTW, both of my seizure prone dogs started having problems at around a year or 18 months. None of my guys are on medications right now because thankfully their seizures are infrequent. I take my guys to an internal medicine doctor. Do you have a specialized veterinary hospital near you? If you tell us where you're located, maybe someone could recommend a vet. I would start with a visit to a specialist and see where that leads you.

Good luck and please let us know how Bentley is doing!

Debbie


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

Thank you, I did not know about Rosemary. I'll definitely check his food when we get home. 
Right now we feed his Science Diet for small/toy bread dry food, mixed with the science diet puppy wet food. 
He's not currently on any medications as the Vet chose not to prescribe in case it is in fact a liver shunt. From what I read, as Pheno & Potassium Bromide are processed through the liver so it could just hurt him more.


----------



## KAG (Jun 1, 2006)

I feel horrible about what you and your baby boy Bentley are going through. I had 2 girls who seized, but the reason, or diagnosis was neurological. A spinal tap and MRI determined what was wrong with my girls. Amy was 9yrs old and Lola was 5yrs old.

Yes, phenobarb and potassium bromide was prescribed. At some point, steroids were prescribed to ease inflammation.
If you do decide any of these medications, please make sure Bentley's glucose level is in check. And yes, have his liver enzymes checked on a regular basis. 

I'm praying for you and baby Bentley. I know the feeling of helplessness. It sounds to me like you're doing everything possible for Bentley. 

We're here if you need us. Please know that as a whole, we are an extremely loving and caring bunch of our babies, as well as each other. Anyone who says differently has no idea what they're talking about.
Kerry
xoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxooxo


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

harrysmom said:


> Welcome to Spoiled Maltese!! I'm so happy that you were able to help Bentley, but I'm sorry to hear that he's having seizures. I have one dog with a liver problem, one who is epileptic, and one who has seizures that are definitely stress related. BTW, both of my seizure prone dogs started having problems at around a year or 18 months. None of my guys are on medications right now because thankfully their seizures are infrequent. I take my guys to an internal medicine doctor. Do you have a specialized veterinary hospital near you? If you tell us where you're located, maybe someone could recommend a vet. I would start with a visit to a specialist and see where that leads you.
> 
> Good luck and please let us know how Bentley is doing!
> 
> Debbie


 
Hi Debbie, 

I've been taking Bentley to Andover Animal Hospital, in Andover, MA. We also drove up to Handel with Care in Derry, NH last night for a second opinion. 

Thank you for your response, I truly apprecite any advice I can get. 

Lauryn


----------



## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

Is it possible that the episodes are not grand mal seizures but something else--perhaps a heart episode?

I had a dog that had both epilepsy from a young age and syncopal (fainting-type) episodes when she got older. Another dog also had those types of syncopal episodes when his heart began failing. Sometimes they vocalize when going down and appear to thrash a bit, too. 

If your vet has not seen one of your dog's episodes, perhaps you could try to get a video of it to show what the episodes are like.

Hoping for the best for your little one! {{{{}}}}


----------



## socalyte (Nov 15, 2010)

I just googled Science Diet and it does have Rosemary Extract. Praying that that is what it is, and that taking him off it will stop the seizures!

You and Bentley are fortunate to have found each other-- sounds like it was a match made in Heaven. I'm so glad Bentley now has so much love and such wonderful care.


----------



## harrysmom (Sep 28, 2007)

The Bentley's Mama said:


> Hi Debbie,
> 
> I've been taking Bentley to Andover Animal Hospital, in Andover, MA. We also drove up to Handel with Care in Derry, NH last night for a second opinion.
> 
> ...


Lauryn,

Those are both just general veterinary practices. I don't know of any specialized practice in Massachusetts, but maybe someone who lives in the area might know of one and post about it. For example, I take my boys to Garden State Vets Garden State Veterinary Specialists - A Multi-Discipline Referral Hospital, coordinating all aspects of surgery, medicine and emergency care.. They are a group of all specialists and they might see something that a general vet might miss. My general vet told me that he is not comfortable treating one of my boys (with the liver problem) because he doesn't feel that he knows enough about his condition, and I appreciate his honesty. Sometimes a specialist can start you in the right direction and can work with your own vet. In my opinion, it might be worth a shot, especially if the seizures continue.

Debbie


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

socalyte said:


> I just googled Science Diet and it does have Rosemary Extract. Praying that that is what it is, and that taking him off it will stop the seizures!
> 
> You and Bentley are fortunate to have found each other-- sounds like it was a match made in Heaven. I'm so glad Bentley now has so much love and such wonderful care.


 
I also looked up the foods & treats we give him and found the same thing. Interestingly enough, his wet food does not contain Rosemary, and just in the last month have we cut back on the wet food and increased the dry. I'm taking him off the Science Diet immediately and going to pray that you're right. 
....and if you are, I'm going to kill my vet, because we've spent a fortune on tests. Kidding, I know they are doing the best they can, it's just so frusterating!


----------



## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

All good advice here. I have a dog that has seizures due to GME. Your dog needs a neurological consult. Do you notice any other symptoms other than the seizures? Gait problems? Droopy tail? Walking in circles, or head pressing? You will probably need an MRI and spinal tap and a number of culture (sounds like these have been started). And yes, he does need something to control the siezures. KBro has a lesser impact on the liver then phenobarb. And then, the next very important med will probably be prednisone, possibly at a very high dose to start to control the inflamation that is causing the siezures.

I am pasting a list of board certified neurologist in your state. *Please take notice of the second on the list.* You are lucky because you live near probably the leading DVM in treating GME sucessfully. *Dr. Allen Sisson*. He is absolutely the best for this particular problem. Good luck, and so sorry that you think anyone would be rude to you :-( 

*boston *

*Dr. Debbie Sue Ruehlmann* 
Angell Animal Medical Center 
350 South Huntington Ave. 
Boston, MA 02130-4803 
Tel: 617-522-7282 
Email: [email protected] or [email protected] 
MSPCA Homepage 

*Dr. Allen F. Sisson* 
Angell Animal Medical Center 
350 South Huntington Ave. 
Boston, MA 02130-4803 
Tel: 617-522-7282
MSPCA Homepage or MSPCA Homepage 

*grafton *

*Dr. Dominik Faissler* 
(Diplomate, European College of Veterinary Neurology) 
Foster Hospital for Small Animals
Tufts University 
Grafton, MA 01519 
Tel: 508-839-5395 ext.88758 
Email: [email protected] 
Foster Hospital for Small Animals — Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine 
*north grafton *

*Dr. Philip Anderson March* 
School of Veterinary Medicine 
Tufts University 
200 Westboro Rd. 
North Grafton, MA 01536 
Tel: 508-839-5395
Email: [email protected] 
vet.tufts.edu 

*weymouth *

*Dr. Stephanie Ann Kube* 
VCA South Shore Animal Hospital 
595 S. Columbian St. 
Weymouth, MA 02190 
Tel: 781-337-6622
E-mail: [email protected] 
Home 

*woburn *

*Dr. Gena Maria Silver* 
Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital 
21 Cabot Road 
Woburn, MA 01801 
Tel: 781-932-5802
IVG InTown Veterinary Group / Advancing the standards of veterinary care

*Dr. Mark T. Troxel *
Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital 
21 Cabot Road 
Woburn, MA 01801 
Tel: 781-932-5802
E-mail: [email protected] 
IVG InTown Veterinary Group / Advancing the standards of veterinary care


----------



## harrysmom (Sep 28, 2007)

The Bentley's Mama said:


> I also looked up the foods & treats we give him and found the same thing. Interestingly enough, his wet food does not contain Rosemary, and just in the last month have we cut back on the wet food and increased the dry. I'm taking him off the Science Diet immediately and going to pray that you're right.
> ....and if you are, I'm going to kill my vet, because we've spent a fortune on tests. Kidding, I know they are doing the best they can, it's just so frusterating!


Lauryn,

I sincerely hope that the problem is the food.... I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you and Bentley.

Debbie


----------



## kathym (Aug 5, 2006)

:Welcome 1: I just wanted to say i hope that your Vet can start the medication to stop the seizures and have some control on this situation with your little guy.


----------



## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Lauryn, if you live in the Andover area I would recommend that you call Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston (Jamaica Plain) and see if you can get an appointment with one of their internal medicine specialists. If you are willing to travel a bit further, I would highly recommend any of the board certified internal medicine vets at VCA Weymouth. They are all either grads of Cornell Vet School or did post-grad studies at Cornell. I may be a bit prejudiced but I think Dr. Bernstein, the medical director at VCA Weymouth is overall brilliant, is VERY knowledgeable about Maltese and liver issues, and is a former colleague of Dr. Sharon Center (Cornell), who I believe is the guru on toy dogs and liver issues. VCA Weymouth also has a highly respected board certified neurologist, Dr. Stephanie Kube. Pam has listed in her post above the contact info both Angell and VCA Weymouth.


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

pammy4501 said:


> All good advice here. I have a dog that has seizures due to GME. Your dog needs a neurological consult. Do you notice any other symptoms other than the seizures? Gait problems? Droopy tail? Walking in circles, or head pressing? You will probably need an MRI and spinal tap and a number of culture (sounds like these have been started). And yes, he does need something to control the siezures. KBro has a lesser impact on the liver then phenobarb. And then, the next very important med will probably be prednisone, possibly at a very high dose to start to control the inflamation that is causing the siezures.
> 
> I am pasting a list of board certified neurologist in your state. *Please take notice of the second on the list.* You are lucky because you live near probably the leading DVM in treating GME sucessfully. *Dr. Allen Sisson*. He is absolutely the best for this particular problem. Good luck, and so sorry that you think anyone would be rude to you :-(
> 
> ...


Hi Pam, 

Thank you so very much for your advice and for recommending specialists in the area. 
In response to your questions about other behavioral signs, there are none, he eats well, is energetic, doesn't head press, there's no circling, and the only time he blind walks is when he's in the post seizure stage. I've never heard of GME, nor have any of the vets brought that up, they all seem to be convinced it's a liver shunt. 
I've been worried that it is in fact a neurological problem, but again, would there be other signs? Maybe I just don't know what I'm looking for. 
I've watched youtube videos of head pressing, circling, and blind walking and I've never seen him do that. 

Both Bentley and I sincerely appreciate all your help, I'll certainly be contacting one of your referrals in the morning, thank you so much.

Lauryn


----------



## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Lauryn, I just reread your post and I agree that it doesn't sound like a shunt. But it doesn't sound like GME to me either. And while I, too, would expect much higher bile acid values (and have said many times here on SM that I'd expect them to be over 100), there could be a shunt present with lower values ... but generally there would be other indicative symptoms like ammonium biurate crystals, circling, head pressing, vomiting, diahrrea, etc. But there are usually other symptoms associated with GME, too, like head tilt, blindness, irregular gait, etc. Because you are thinking that it is possibly a neuro issue, my first choice of vets would be Allen Sisson at Angell. He would absolutely be my first choice of vets in this area of the country if I had even a whisper of a thought that my dog had GME. And Dr. Sisson has treated several Maltese and other toy breed dogs with GME. Good luck. I'm saying lots of prayers for your Bentley.


----------



## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

The Bentley's Mama said:


> Hi Pam,
> 
> Thank you so very much for your advice and for recommending specialists in the area.
> In response to your questions about other behavioral signs, there are none, he eats well, is energetic, doesn't head press, there's no circling, and the only time he blind walks is when he's in the post seizure stage. I've never heard of GME, nor have any of the vets brought that up, they all seem to be convinced it's a liver shunt.
> ...


 I'm relieved to hear that he isn't having any of those signs. Liver is a common cause of seizures in our babies. However you said his ALT was normal? And a post bile acid of 40 something isn't really too terrible (Lola runs about 50 post) But if you suspect a shunt you do need to get a good internal med consult. And possible scintigraphy. The blind walking after the seizure is called a post ictus phase. In seizures, there can be a pre ictal phase which is that moment before the seizure when the dogs seems to know something is going to happen (an aura). Lola always sits up really fast right before a seizure. Then there is the ictal phase which is the actual seizure and finally post ictus. Sort of a brief dazed spell after the seizure stops. I hope you find your answer soon...


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Oh,I sure hope he will be alright...so sad to rescue a sweet soul and have his new life get to a rocky start.
We're all praying for him.
We're all here to help so please ,no worries about any negative comments. We all do the best we can for our little fluffs and we learn from each other.
I learn something new,health wise for my fluffs all the time on SM.

Let's hope we see healthy happy piccies of Bently real soon!
Huge hugs!


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

MaryH said:


> Lauryn, I just reread your post and I agree that it doesn't sound like a shunt. But it doesn't sound like GME to me either. And while I, too, would expect much higher bile acid values (and have said many times here on SM that I'd expect them to be over 100), there could be a shunt present with lower values ... but generally there would be other indicative symptoms like ammonium biurate crystals, circling, head pressing, vomiting, diahrrea, etc. But there are usually other symptoms associated with GME, too, like head tilt, blindness, irregular gait, etc. Because you are thinking that it is possibly a neuro issue, my first choice of vets would be Allen Sisson at Angell. He would absolutely be my first choice of vets in this area of the country if I had even a whisper of a thought that my dog had GME. And Dr. Sisson has treated several Maltese and other toy breed dogs with GME. Good luck. I'm saying lots of prayers for your Bentley.



Thank you Mary, I feel much better knowing someone else is thinking along the same lines as me. I'm not a vet, and this is my first dog, but I've spent countless hours reading and researching and a shunt just doesn't make sense to me. His ALT was normal (53), no crystals in the urine, and there are no other behavioral signs (no one told him he was sick, that's for sure!). I did some reading on GME last night, and again, aside from the seizures I can't seem to find any other connection. Part of me is wondering if it is in fact the Rosemary extract in his food?! We are feeding only wet as of yesterday, and he's now gone 24 hrs w/out a seizure (yay!).
Any suggestions as to my next move? 
Do I give him a week on food w/out the Rosemary extract and see how he does. Or do I schedule a consult at Angell in Boston, asap? 

Side note, I just want to thank everyone on here for being so wonderful and compassionate, I never joined a forum before because I've seen so many people get ripped apart in them, so I was nervous. Hence my comment about not needing rude/mean feedback. So thank you all, for making this a very positive experience.


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)




----------



## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

That's great news that Bentley has been seizure-free for 24 hours! Yay! I so so hope it was the food! Hmmm...it's difficult to know how to proceed on this one. I think if it were me, I would still want to see a specialist to have him observe Bentley, look through all the test results and talk to you in depth about his history and symptoms. Sometimes just a conversation with a specialist is all you need because they can pick up on things the regular vet may have missed - that is what I have experienced anyways. Last year, my senior cat was showing signs of illness and I went through 6 months of various tests and got opinions from 3 different vets with NO diagnosis until I finally went to a specialist. He pretty much gave me a diagnosis within the first 10 minutes of our appointment - we did tests to confirm but he was absolutely right. So, in my opinion, perhaps you should go ahead and schedule a consultation with the specialist so you can fully rule out any serious medical conditions. I would definitely ask him about the rosemary and see what he thinks. 

I am so glad you got some great advice from wonderful, knowledgeable folks here - SM members are great! I joined about a year ago when I first adopted my puppy (even though he's not a maltese) and have learned SO MUCH on here - there is an immense amount of valuable information here that I would have been lost without!


----------



## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

The Bentley's Mama said:


> Thank you Mary, I feel much better knowing someone else is thinking along the same lines as me. I'm not a vet, and this is my first dog, but I've spent countless hours reading and researching and a shunt just doesn't make sense to me. His ALT was normal (53), no crystals in the urine, and there are no other behavioral signs (no one told him he was sick, that's for sure!). I did some reading on GME last night, and again, aside from the seizures I can't seem to find any other connection. Part of me is wondering if it is in fact the Rosemary extract in his food?! We are feeding only wet as of yesterday, and he's now gone 24 hrs w/out a seizure (yay!).
> Any suggestions as to my next move?
> Do I give him a week on food w/out the Rosemary extract and see how he does. Or do I schedule a consult at Angell in Boston, asap?
> 
> Side note, I just want to thank everyone on here for being so wonderful and compassionate, I never joined a forum before because I've seen so many people get ripped apart in them, so I was nervous. Hence my comment about not needing rude/mean feedback. So thank you all, for making this a very positive experience.


Lauryn, I don't know what to suggest, all I can tell you is what I'd do. I'm one of those people who strives to be ahead of the curve; to the extent possible I want to be prepared much more than I want to be surprised. So if one of my dogs started seizing I'd go first to my local vet to rule out the easy stuff like liver issues, infection, tick borne diseases, etc. If that stuff had been ruled out, whether my dog had stopped seizing or not, I would be consulting with a neuro. Seizing is not normal ... maybe it's food related, maybe it's liver-related, maybe it's idiopathic epilepsy, maybe it's the start of GME. All I know is that I would rather find out now and be prepared if/when there's another episode. And having a neuro already familiar with my dog is one less thing I have to worry about in the midst of a crisis. My personal choice would be to book an appt. with Allen Sisson at Angell. Should it turn out to be GME Dr. Sisson is VERY familiar with drugs, dosage and toy breed dogs.

You've probably figured out that I'm in Massachusetts, too. I use my regular vet for all the regular things like wellness exams, vaccinations, dental, spay/neuter. For specialties the vets I use or would use are:

Ortho - Tufts, Grafton
Neuro - Angell (Dr. Allen Sisson)
Internal Medicine - VCA Weymouth
Opthamology - Tufts, Walpole (Dr. Federica Maggio)
Cardiology - Tufts, Walpole or Angell
Liver Shunt - Cornell Vet School (Dr. Sharon Center)

Good luck with Bentley, don't hesitate to ask questions, and please keep us posted.


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

MaryH said:


> Lauryn, I just reread your post and I agree that it doesn't sound like a shunt. But it doesn't sound like GME to me either. And while I, too, would expect much higher bile acid values (and have said many times here on SM that I'd expect them to be over 100), there could be a shunt present with lower values ... but generally there would be other indicative symptoms like ammonium biurate crystals, circling, head pressing, vomiting, diahrrea, etc. But there are usually other symptoms associated with GME, too, like head tilt, blindness, irregular gait, etc. Because you are thinking that it is possibly a neuro issue, my first choice of vets would be Allen Sisson at Angell. He would absolutely be my first choice of vets in this area of the country if I had even a whisper of a thought that my dog had GME. And Dr. Sisson has treated several Maltese and other toy breed dogs with GME. Good luck. I'm saying lots of prayers for your Bentley.


Lauryn, _*
HE IS SUCH A CUTIE PIE!!!!!*_:wub:
Welcome to SM and I am so sorry your going through this. I wanted to add that I lost a 7 month old puppy last year to Liver Shunt. It started with seizures, and he had pretty much _all the symptoms_ Mary has listed in above post. We probably did not think of some of them (before the seizures) as a problem. He became very ill very very fast and I lost him within 2 weeks. I believe his numbers were way over 200 or more. The main thing I remember was the circling around the walls, tail down. He was always very thin and he had very very heavy dark tear staining starting from 1 month old. I will be praying for your baby, that it is the food. P>S> did the vet say if his health before you got him have any long term affects? And I know the vet said there were different degrees of Shunt.


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

The Bentley's Mama said:


>


Lauryn - I'm so happy that Mary and Pam chimed in. They are wonderful when it comes to serious issues with our guys and girls of this nature. I think I would see a neuro to try to get to the bottom of things. This is a wonderful forum and the first I've ever been on. 
I'm glad Bentley has been seizure free the last 24 hours and hope it might be the rosemary. When I read about rosemary when I first joined this forum and before I got Tyler, I decided never to go with a food with it... there are a lot out there but it can be avoided.
I just wanted to say how adorable that picture of Bentley is. What a doll. So glad you're working so hard at taking care of him. He so deserves it.


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

Sammie said:


> Lauryn, _*
> HE IS SUCH A CUTIE PIE!!!!!*_:wub:
> Welcome to SM and I am so sorry your going through this. I wanted to add that I lost a 7 month old puppy last year to Liver Shunt. It started with seizures, and he had pretty much _all the symptoms_ Mary has listed in above post. We probably did not think of some of them (before the seizures) as a problem. He became very ill very very fast and I lost him within 2 weeks. I believe his numbers were way over 200 or more. The main thing I remember was the circling around the walls, tail down. He was always very thin and he had very very heavy dark tear staining starting from 1 month old. I will be praying for your baby, that it is the food. P>S> did the vet say if his health before you got him have any long term affects? And I know the vet said there were different degrees of Shunt.


*Lauryn,
I should have added in my first post that based my limited experience last year, it does not sound like Bentley has shunt to me. *


----------



## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Another thing to check out but probably (hopefully) won't be the case either. I had a bitch who had episodes which appeared to be a seizure but were actually a collapsing trachea. It looked just like a seizure & she would pass out briefly. It was only when a vet thought to ex ray the trachea that it was discovered to not be a true seizure. 
Looking fwd. to some good news from you and your baby.


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Lauryn - how is Bentley doing? Still having seizures or have they still stopped? Praying for the little guy.


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

I am thrilled to report that Bentley has not has a seizure since Tuesday. His energy has been great and he seems to be doing quite well. 
Both the tests for Distemper & Toxoplasmosis came back negative.

I'm not completely convinced (just yet) that it was the rosemary extract in the dry food, but I'm hopeful. I make an appointment at Angell in Boston, this week, to be safe. 

Thank you again for all the advice and support, I'll keep you all posted! 

Lauryn


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

The Bentley's Mama said:


> I am thrilled to report that Bentley has not has a seizure since Tuesday. His energy has been great and he seems to be doing quite well.
> Both the tests for Distemper & Toxoplasmosis came back negative.
> 
> I'm not completely convinced (just yet) that it was the rosemary extract in the dry food, but I'm hopeful. I make an appointment at Angell in Boston, this week, to be safe.
> ...


Lauryn - great news. :chili::chili: I'm actually hoping that it was the rosemary because tho it's in a lot of foods, it can be avoided. Keep up the good health, Bentley


----------



## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Thanks for the update, Lauryn. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's the rosemary. Good luck with your appt. at Angell and let us know how it goes.

p.s. If your appt. is with Dr. Sisson ... I've never had a visit with him but have heard that he has an "all business" approach. Don't be put off by that. And I only say that because I have sent some people to my own regular vet but have warned them ahead of time that he is an excellent vet but has NO bedside manner.


----------



## KAG (Jun 1, 2006)

So happy to hear Bentley is doing well. My heart and prayers are with you both, Lauryn. 
xoxoxoxooxoxoxoxo


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

I'm heart broken to report that Bentley had a sezure this morning, in the car, while on my way to work. Talk about scary... pulling over on the highway and trying to keep him calm. Yikes.
I called Angell and we have an appointment at 6pm. 

So unfortunately, I don't think it's the Rosemary.


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

The Bentley's Mama said:


> I'm heart broken to report that Bentley had a sezure this morning, in the car, while on my way to work. Talk about scary... pulling over on the highway and trying to keep him calm. Yikes.
> I called Angell and we have an appointment at 6pm.
> 
> So unfortunately, I don't think it's the Rosemary.


Oh Lauryn. I'm so sorry. Nothing much scarier than something like that happening while you're driving. I'm glad you're getting him to Angell's. I'll be thinking of you and praying for Bentley. I think I also read somewhere that with rosemary that it probably won't start seizures in a non-seizure dog but in a dog prone to seizures it's best not to use it. 
Please let us know what you find out. And you are an amazing mom. :grouphug:


----------



## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

I am so sorry! I hope they can find out the cause and sort poor Bentley out.


----------



## harrysmom (Sep 28, 2007)

The Bentley's Mama said:


> I'm heart broken to report that Bentley had a sezure this morning, in the car, while on my way to work. Talk about scary... pulling over on the highway and trying to keep him calm. Yikes.
> I called Angell and we have an appointment at 6pm.
> 
> So unfortunately, I don't think it's the Rosemary.


I'm so sorry to hear that. Sending prayers and positive thoughts to both of you. Please continue to let us know how Bentley is doing.


----------



## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

So glad that you are going to Angell tonight, and hoping that you get to see Dr. Sisson. I have to say, I have never put much weight in this rosemary theory. If a dog is having regular seizures, rosemary is not the cause IMHO. Unless perhaps the dog has found a rosemary bush and eaten some of it. It is either something metabolic or neurologic.
(PS..I have heard that Sisson isn't the warm and fuzzy type, so don't be put off!)


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

Bentley just had his 2nd seizure today, the weird thing, I knew he was going to have one. I've never been able to gage when they were going to happen, but I just knew this time. This one was worse than the one this morning, it lasted a good 4 minutes, and it took him a good 25 minutes to really come out of it.


----------



## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

I'm so sorry to read this. I've been keeping up with your post but hadn't responded because I have no experiene with seizures. I really hope you get some answers tonight. Please keep us posted.


----------



## KAG (Jun 1, 2006)

I'm so heartbroken for you and the little guy. If it happens again between now and when you see the Doctor, try to record the seizure, perhaps with your cell phone. I know you know what a seizure is. It's just that anything and everything you can tell or show the Dr will help him immensely. 
xoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxooxo


----------



## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

MaryH said:


> Thanks for the update, Lauryn. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's the rosemary. Good luck with your appt. at Angell and let us know how it goes.
> 
> p.s. If your appt. is with Dr. Sisson ... I've never had a visit with him but *have heard that he has an "all business" approach*. Don't be put off by that. And I only say that because I have sent some people to my own regular vet but have warned them ahead of time that he is an excellent vet but has NO bedside manner.





pammy4501 said:


> So glad that you are going to Angell tonight, and hoping that you get to see Dr. Sisson. I have to say, I have never put much weight in this rosemary theory. If a dog is having regular seizures, rosemary is not the cause IMHO. Unless perhaps the dog has found a rosemary bush and eaten some of it. It is either something metabolic or neurologic.
> (PS..*I have heard that Sisson isn't the warm and fuzzy type, so don't be put off!)*


LOL...just realized that Mary said the same thing! But I have only read about him on the GME forums. And sorry your baby had two seizures today. I know they will help him tonight. At the very least some form of seizure meds.


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

I'm sorry for not updating everyone last night, it was a very long night. My appointment got cancelled, I'm not sure why, and Bentley had a third seizure at 9:30pm last night. This one was relatively short, 45sec-1min, but 3 seizures in one day is not good. We took him to the Brentwood ER, which now I'm regreting, because they were completely useless & a total waste of money. We're heading to Mass Veterinary Refferal Hospital this afternoon to see a neurologist there, because they were the only ones (worth seeing) that could get us in today. 

I'm at a loss and very discourgaged right now, but trying to stay strong for Bentley's sake. We're now struggling with how to pay for everything, I've spent $2500 in the last two weeks alone on appointments, tests, etc... and was told to be prepared to spend anywhere from $3000 - $5000 more on tests alone, which may or may not even give us an answer. Part of me feels like they are just trying to get more and more money out of me by running unnecessary tests. Where do I draw the line?! 

Sorry for the rant, I'm exhausted & so overwhelmed today. Praying that today brings good news for my little man.


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

KAG said:


> I'm so heartbroken for you and the little guy. If it happens again between now and when you see the Doctor, try to record the seizure, perhaps with your cell phone. I know you know what a seizure is. It's just that anything and everything you can tell or show the Dr will help him immensely.
> xoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxooxo


 
That's such a great idea, I feel like a dummy for not thinking to do that before! 
Thank you!!


----------



## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

oh lauryn i am of no help , but i will be praying for ur lil guy and hoping that you find an answer an a course of treatment soon. hugs !


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Lauryn - I'm so sorry that they cancelled your appointment. :angry: And they couldn't even reschedule for today considering they cancelled? Such a shame. Hoping the practice you go to helps you. And yes the costs for pets, like humans can be staggering. As soon as I got Tyler I got Pet Insurance and though I haven't needed it much, I knew I wanted in in case of catastrophic illness or injury. I would still recommend that people who get dogs, purchase it so that it doesn't come down to "Can we afford this?" which in these times is very heart wrenching. I think you need to find out about costs and see what tests that were run already can be used...I'd explain that it is an issue which it is especially when it gets into thousands of dollars. I think it's a really good idea to shoot video if he seizes again. I'm hoping at least they'll put Bentley on an anti-seizure med so he doesn't have to go through them. Sending prayers.


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

I am so sorry for Bentley. Everyone who has had to deal with all the Vet visits for an ill pup knows what your going through......Hang in there. :wub:


----------



## The Bentley's Mama (Apr 20, 2011)

FINALLY, some good news. 

Bentley was seen today, by a WONDERFUL neurologist at IVG (Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital). She spent 2 hours with me, going through records, explain her thoughts, and doing a neuro exam.

The best part about our visit, she confirmed what I've been trying to tell every other vet I've seen... it's not a liver shunt causing his seizures. Further, she agreed that he needs to be on PBr, and started his loading dose while we were there. 

The bad news... she thinks all signs point to GME, which cannot be confirmed without a MRI and a Spinal Tap, and can be fatal in some cases. 

Plan of action... to keep Bentley on the PBr, and use the Valium as needed for seizures. We are going to wait 2 weeks to allow the PBr to get into his system and see how he does, and have a "telephone follow up" (pending there are no new or worsening symptoms) and plan on scheduling a MRI & Spinal Tap as soon as possible. 

Thank you all for the prayers and support, it means the world to us. 
Though I didn't get "good news", I feel like for the first time in a month, we took a couple steps forward. I will continue to keep everyone updated, and welcome and appreciate continued advice from all. 

Thank you again!
<3 Lauryn & Bentley


----------



## KAG (Jun 1, 2006)

Aww, praying the potassium bromide keeps the seizures at bay. So glad you like the neurologist. You must feel like you're on a rollercoaster, Lauryn. Please give Bentley kisses from me and my girls. 
xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxox


----------



## kathym (Aug 5, 2006)

Praying for Bentley to start responding to his meds rayer: So glad that your new Vet sounds like she can really help .


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Lauryn - I'm so glad you got to go to a neurologist whom you felt good about and prescribed a course of action. I'm hoping the meds work and how wonderful for her to spend that much time and REALLY listen to you. :thumbsup: 
Pam seems like she was pretty much on the money with her first post to you. I'm glad you were able to go to someplace she recommended. Even if it is GME, Pam has been managing her sweetheart Lola with GME and doing wonderfully. She's a great source of information for so many of us when it comes to medical issues. We love you Pam :wub:
Hoping you will be able to relax more now that you're getting some answers. Give Bentley big hugs and kisses from his Aunt Sue and Cousin Tyler. :grouphug:


----------

