Only Seizes in Car???

[trappedinga]

Hi. I am the owner of a 6 1/2 year old Golden Retriever Mix (and when I say, MIX, I mean MIXED). She was dropped outside my house in a rainstorm as a very young puppy. (She was about 8 lbs. - full grown, she is about 78 lbs.) Anyway, my vet and I are trying to figure out if she has epilepsy or??? The ONLY TIME she has a seizure is when we put her into the car to go somewhere - groomer, vet. Because of her seizures, we don't "go" very many places. The vet insists he has NEVER seen a dog who only seizes in the car and has implied that she "must be seizing other places". Well, I have been her "mom" since she was tiny, and NO, I have never seen her seize any other place.

Does anyone else have a similar situation? The vet wants to start her on phenabarbitol, and I am supposed to take her to "see him" on Saturday. We are trying to decide if she needs a regular dose of phenabarb, or just a preventative several days before a trip.

Any response is welcome.

Thank you,
Wendy

[Chris Douglas]

Hi wendy,

although this isn't a "going for a car ride" exactly ... it does show that single situation's can cause seizures:

http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/disease ... inpets.htm

in this case it was every time they went to the vet's ...

and my vet mentioned early on that a person she know's has a seizure issue with their dog every time the doorbell ring's or someone knock's on the door, excitement over company arriving ...

so in one way your very fortunate to know what the "trigger" is ...

Chris and Molly

[cesullivan]

The way my neurologist explained it to me is there is a seizure threshold. Many things can lead up to seizures and the triggers can be different. I think of it as building up, building up, building up and when she gets in your car, the extra excitement throws her over the top and she has seizures.

Pheno works by building up a blood level so before a trip may not help. A drug like Keppra that I use to prevent clusters in Cali may be a better option as it can be started and stopped and I don't believe it needs to be weened off like Pheno.

Best of luck.
Chris