Could my dog's incontinence be a sign of an upcoming seizure?

The most common symptoms of a full-blown seizure in older dogs include drooling, violent muscle spasms, running movements of his legs, loss of bladder and bowel control and possible vomiting. So the incontinence may be part of the seizure. But anyway in a situation like this you NEED to get your dog to your vet as quickly as you can, to stop seizure if persistent or any more seizures and start diagnosis of the underlying cause The leading causes of seizures in older dogs changes and while epilepsy is the leading cause of seizures in younger dogs (under 6 years old), in senior dogs the leading causes include brain tumors, liver or kidney disease, trauma, poisoning, under active thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).

I just answered your other question (https://www.petcoach.co/question/?id=814394). I've reiterated here for reference. I understand how frightening it can be when seizures occur. Seizures can be caused by a variety of conditions, such as epilepsy, toxin exposure, portosystemic liver shunts, or brain tumors, among others. While most seizures are treated with medications, the precise treatment is depends on the cause of the seizures. Gardenal (also known by the generic name phenobarbital) is a very common medication used to manage seizures in dogs. When used long term (as is often the case), it can cause elevation in the liver enzymes. It's important to routinely monitor full blood chemistry panels and phenobarbital levels in the blood while using this medication. I am concerned about Chhutki's very low sodium levels. Looking at the low ratio of her sodium and potassium levels, it's possible that she could have Addison's disease (hypoadrenocorticism). Very low sodium levels can cause neurologic issues, which could also be the cause of her seizures. At this point, a balanced commercial dog food (such as Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet or Purina ProPlan) is her best dietary option. Yogurt, table foods or over the counter supplements are not going to help with this issue. Chhutki really needs to be further evaluated by her vet to get to the bottom of this issue. Further diagnostic tests, such as an ACTH Stim, bile acid testing and an MRI would be helpful. Your vet may also need to hospitalize her for fluid therapy to slowly increase her sodium level to see if the seizures improve. I hope that she feels better soon!

Since Cali was having neurologically abnormal repeated behavior, seemed unaware of your presence, and lost control of her bladder, it seems likely that she had a seizure. One of the most common causes of seizures in a 3 year old dog is epilepsy, but other possibilities include liver diseases (portosystemic shunts), toxin exposure, or brain tumors. If another episode occurs, take a video to show to her vet. There is no need to rush to a vet after a one time occurrence, as she will likely not be started on any seizure control medications. However, should Cali have another seizure within a 24 hour period, she should go to an ER vet because this would be considered a "cluster seizure".

By medications, I am assuming you mean medications for incontinence. There are several medications available to treat this problem, and some patients will respond to a different type than the one they are currently on. You may also be able to increase the dose of the current medication, or give it more frequently. If Katie has not been evaluated for other possible urinary issues with your vet, it may be a good idea. She may have been misdiagnosed as urinary incontinent when in fact she may have urinary bladder stones, kidney disease, UTI, or a congenital defect causing urine to leak (like an ectopic ureter). If by medications you were not referring to those for incontinence, then she may be urinating frequently as a side effect of those medications. Incontinence medications may help with this issue. With either scenario, I would recommend that Katie see a vet for evaluation and possible medication adjustment.

I wish I had a little more information to help you with this question. IF she is just starting the medication and is on a loading dose then she could just be pretty drunk from the medication and may improve in time as her body adjusts. However, if she has been on the meds for a while and these are new changes then I would be concerned that this may be part of her underlying neurologic problem and not due to the meds. Regardless, I would encourage you to follow up with your veterinarian soon. In the meantime if you have other questions I would encourage you to request a consultation for more direct question and answer and “discussion” format. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

That's a great question and one we do not have a lot of information to provide a definitive answer. It is actually uncommon for owners to report a pre-ictal phase. In the rare cases that do, typically it is head twitching lasting less than a minute prior to octal period. Now the post-ictal period can last from hours to days (up to 72 hours in my experience). In your pet's case, it may be that she has a prolonged post-ictal phase and then begins to seizure. If your pet began having seizures after the age of 7 years, then it is less likely she has idiopathic epilepsy or liver disease (though hepatic encephalopathy must be ruled out). Patients that have late onset seizures (>7y) are most likely to have intracranial disease such as an inflammatory condition or tumor. I would advise you to document the episodes and consult your veterinarian to discuss diagnostic tests and treatment.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. I recommend contacting his veterinarian. He will likely need to start another medication to control his seizures. Phenobarbital, potassium bromide and zonisamide are common choices. However, your veterinarian will know his medical history and which would be the best choice. Being able to have his seizures better controlled will improve his quality of life. I hope this information helps!