[hl3b]

My now 12 week old yellow lab started having these episodes where his legs tense up, sometimes he can walk but is very clumsy, usually he lies down on his belly, he's shaky and can't stand up. This always happens either right before or right after meals. He will literally crawl spasmodically to his food and start eating during this. I can see his body relax, he'll stand up, finish eating and then he's fine. During the times it has happened after a meal it lasts 1-2 minutes and then is fine. He never loses conciousness - is completely alert through whole thing. We started feeding him every four hours and saw some improvement but still happening. Vet has done fasting blood sugar - normal; waiting for results of further testing, but nothing really fits. Has anyone else seen anything like this?

 

[Mary Jane]

I haven't. That sounds scary, I hope the vet can pin point it and treat it successfully!

 

[jzgrlduff]

Oh no, that doesn't sound good. Poor baby, I hope everything is OK.

 

[TangerineFizz]

What are you feeding him?

and I'd be taking him to a second vet asap.

 

[imported_zoezoe]

What are you feeding him?

and I'd be taking him to a second vet asap.

Definitely would like to hear what you are feeding.

 

[whitelab21]

he could have a type of epilepsy. Epilepsy can be caused by many things, adnormal brain tissue, low blood sugar, chemical imbalances (which in your case this sounds more causeable). because this happens right at meal time, your dog is becoming exicited, the chemical imbalance could be causing him to have these episodes. Thats just a shot in the dark, but sounds a lot like it.

I have included some links for you. Hope this helps and please keep us updated
http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/epilepsy.html
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/site_map.htm

 

[hl3b]

We started him out on Wellness, switched to large breed Nutro, then back to Wellness because these episodes started about the time we put him on Nutro. Not noticing change with switch back to Wellness, we think that was coincidental. We did however, see a change by switching him from 3 meals a day to feeding every four hours. Episodes have not been eliminated but are fewer. I should not have used the term seizure in my first post because it really doesn't fit as he does not lose conciousness and is completely alert, he just can't stand up. I just talked to my vet and got the results of a bioacid which were normal, further ruling out a liver shunt. She's putting him on antiobiotics in the meantime while we await results for neospora. If negative, we'll be referred to a specialist. Thanks for all of your input. I appreciate all!

 

[saskasmum]

Please let us know how he goes on poor fellow our thoughts are with you. :angel:

 

[whitelab21]

just FYI a dog can have seizures and not fall unconscious. in one of my links i posted has a video of a mild seizure and the dog never goes unconscious. seizures can be located to specific areas and affect the muscles causing a dog to loose balance, shake, have tremors and sometimes last only a few seconds. this can sometimes only affect hind legs, heads or entire left and right sides. seizure types range greatly

glad to hear that it most likely isn't epilepsy though

 

[imported_zoezoe]

ditto what whitelab said. My Zena has seizures (not often, thank God), but she is totally alert when it's happening. She can't stand, falls over and attempts to "crawl". Excessive drooling and licking. I'm assuming your pup doesn't have a fever ... where did you get him? Is it possible she was exposed to distemper? Praying they find what the cause is.

 

[WigWag]

It sounds like EIC (exercise induced collapse) to me. Dogs collapse when they get super excited. They don't lose consciousness and will flounder around with their back legs not working. After a few minutes it passes and they are fine.

http://www.thelabradorclub.com/library/eicstudy.html

 

[cinderbay]

I would look into seizures. run just about every test you can IMO. It has to be very scary to witness.
Could be something like even the excitement of eating triggering an episode.