My dog is lethargic and sad with seizure history. When to worry?

This is a difficult question to answer, but generally a dog in discomfort will stop eating, become lethargic or may whine/pant excessively even at rest. Since the frequency of the seizures has increased, have Bandit examined by your veterinarian. There are medications that can be given to control them. Begin a Seizure Log. Note the time and duration of each seizure as well as information such as diet and activity before and after. This may help your vet pinpoint causes.

Hello, Yes, it can be normal for dogs to experience a change in behavior and attitude for a few days before and after a seizure. These are called the pre and post ictal phases when the brain is preparing and recovering from the seizure. Knowing that she has normal blood work helps to support this. Keeping a journal of Bell's seizure activity and behavior changes can help you over time better predict and anticipate this. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I'm sorry that Layla is having seizures. Lethargy, stumbling, excessive sleepiness and decreased appetite can all be caused by seizure activity. The brain undergoes an enormous amount of electrical stimulation during a seizure and can take a while to recover. If by the morning she's not improving, I would recommend taking her to your veterinarian for evaluation. They may recommend blood work to look for possible underlying causes of the seizures. Depending on the frequency and severity of her seizures, they may also recommend that anti-seizure medications are started. I hope this helps and that Layla gets feeling better soon!

It is not uncommon to have 24 Hours of lethargy and “post-ictal” behavior especially after a cluster of seizures such as JJ experienced. However, it is also possible that he has something more concerning going on in his brain causing the seizures and lethargy such as encephalitis or cancer. If the behavior or seizure events continue then I would encourage you to have a follow up appointment with your veterinarian to discuss further diagnostics and possible anti seizure medication. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I’m so sorry this is happening with Bandit. It could have been a true seizure, but it is also possible that it was what we call a syncopal event due to the heart not being able to supply the brain with enough oxygen. It can look almost identical to a seizure. I would really recommend he proceed to an emergency veterinarian tonight. If this is not possible, then please have him seen by his regular veterinarian tomorrow morning. They can evaluate if he needs to increase his cardiac medications or if they think it was a true seizure they will discuss testing and treatment recommendations for seizures. Good luck to you and to Bandit. I hope he improves quickly.

Some people do notice lethargy and difficulty walking with levetiracetam, but in general these side effects improve after a few days to weeks. If Milo's seizures started recently I would also worry that the lethargy and trouble with balance could be signs of neurologic disease. Seizures in an older dog are most commonly related to a lesion in the brain such as a tumor. I would recommend rechecking with your veterinarian to have Milo examined - you may want to discuss additional tests like an MRI to determine a cause for the seizures or discuss alternative anti convulsants.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The falling/lethargy episode you described may have been a seizure. This may be due to toxin ingestion or epilepsy, which does occur occasionally in older dogs. Head shaking may be related or unrelated as an ear infection. I recommend having Sami seen by her vet who can perform bloodwork and x-rays and prescribe anticonvulsant medications if the seizures continue. I recommend bringing a video of the episode if you are able to, as his will be really helpful in determining if the episode was truly a seizure. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!