My old dog has daily seizures. Should I consider putting him down?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Skittle! You should take her in. I would try to video tape an episode on your phone for the Vet to see. She needs an exam and blood work. I worry they are focal seizures. Common causes of focal seizures in a geriatric Golden are: low blood sugar from a tumor, metabolic conditions like liver or kidney failure or a brain tumor. I wish Skittle the best!

I am concerned that there is something more going on with Bob. Especially with his age if he has never had seizures before he could have gotten into a toxin or it could be a brain lesion. If Bob is not on any medication for seizures I would talk to your veterinarian about starting some. Twelve seizures in three days is a lot. The only way to give you a definitive answer is an MRI but seizure medication will hopefully help. Regarding Bob's skin I would have your vet take a look to see if it's an infection or not. If the seizures do not stop regardless of medication we always have to evaluate how Bob's quality of life is at home. I hope Bob feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Ruby has been having seizures. These episodes can be very frightening. When I see a patient for seizures under the age of four, I suspect they are due to epilepsy. However, when I see an older patient that begins having seizures, I am more concerned with a brain tumor, toxin, or diseases that create electrolyte imbalances. I would start with bloodwork to make sure there is no sign of any other problem. There are medications that can be given to control the seizures and make Ruby more comfortable, but I suspect the seizures will become more frequent over time. I wish I had better answers for you and Ruby.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear about your Mom's dog! Causes of seizures in older dogs are: brain tumor, metabolic changes (liver or kidney problems), low thyroid, vascular events (stroke), infectious causes (tick borne disease), Granulomatous disease in the brain, and less likely epilepsy. It is best to have him seen by a Vet. He should have his blood, urine and thyroid checked. If he is having a lot of seizures anti-seizure medication should be started and possibly steroids if a brain tumor is suspected. I hope this helps and I wish your Mom's dog the best!

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Olaf! The food change is very unlikely to be the cause of his seizures. The most likely cause is epilepsy. If Olaf is having 2-3 or more seizures in a 24 hour period (clustering) that is an emergency and he should be hospitalized and started on anti-seizure medication. If there isn't a 24 hour emergency hospital in your area then you need to have him see first thing in the morning when your vet opens. I hope this helps and I wish Olaf the very best!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rocco. I typically start seizure medications when the seizures are occurring every 4-6 weeks. I will also start meds if the seizures seem to becoming longer in duration, most intense or if the pet is having difficulty recovering from an episode. I hope this information helps!

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!