Re: Doggie wobble

Why do we do it!I know why because we couldnt get along without them, thats why.

Re: Doggie wobble

Would you be likely to have any toads in your garden?
I have heard that if they try and pick a toad up in their mouth they can get similar symptoms.
Just an idea.

Re: Doggie wobble

Interesting, madmare. I suspect there ARE toads around. Will have to google that to find out more. Thankfully, he is still fine.

Re: Doggie wobble

Had search to find this thread and resurrect it, as there are so many more people here now and I might get a few more ideas.
Bennie had an almost identical episode yesterday (why always when the vet is closed?!). I didn't see the beginning of it but he staggered into the room and then staggered outside in a confused looking state and vomited again. Dozed for ten or fifteen minutes and then right as rain. As it's eighteen months since the first episode I'm thinking this is unlikely to be real epilepsy, and more likely to be something he has eaten/come into contact with. Any more ideas? It's so horrible to watch, and all I can do is cuddle and try to comfort him.

Re: Doggie wobble

Hi Ania has Bennie had his heart checked recently?
See my earlier post, my dog had similar episodes.

I wouldn't rule out epilepsy .

Re: Doggie wobble

Thanks, Meg. He had his heart and his ears checked when I first got him and it was fine. But I will take him for a check now that he has had a second episode. If it's only once every couple of years I am not too worried, but if it IS epilepsy I suspect it could escalate. I hope not.

Re: Doggie wobble

I would certainly get him checked out....as conditions such as heart, epilepsy and Cushings Syndrome need to be ruled out.

Re: Doggie wobble

Yes, I will get him checked. Just a point, though - as epilepsy is a diagnosis of exclusion, it is not one of the things that can be ruled out!

From all that I have read on canine epilepsy, I have to say that I think this is unlikely. But I'll see what the vet says.

Re: Doggie wobble

Further back in this post someone mentioned toads, which reminded me of a nasty little episode one of my dogs had with a toad, which I'll tell you about Ania.
At bedtime one night I sent mine down the garden for their last wee and after only a minute or so, one of them came running in looking dreadful. It happened so quick.
Her pupils were dilated, she was foaming and bubbling at the mouth and trembling. I'd had a rat problem under my shed at the time and so the first thing I thought of was she had got to some of the bait, so I ran outside and checked but saw this was not possible. Just as I got to my back door I saw a small dark shape laying by the step, so shone my torch on it and saw it was a big fat toad. I instantly recalled reading ages ago, how they're skin can affect dogs, so was pretty sure this was the problem. I also knew the antidote to the poison in their skin was milk! I guess this had only taken a minute or two but my dog was foaming like a rabid animal by then and it was distressing her greatly (and me)! I got a bowl of milk and started bathing her lips and mouth but it was impossible to bathe her tongue & throat in the milk so I offered it to her to drink and she drank like she hadn't drunk for a month. By the time she finished her second small bowl she was much calmer, had stopped shaking and her eyes were looking more normal. The milk works very quickly.
Although it was about 11.30 pm I phoned the vet to ask if I had done right, and he said yes, and that the toads in this country were not poisonous in the way toads abroad were, and she should be o.k. but just keep an eye on her. Needless to say I had her curled up with me all night so I could feel and hear if she needed help, but other than being frightened, she managed fine and was her old self by morning.
I believe she must have seen the toad creeping about and grabbed it but came unstuck when it expelled the nasty stuff from its skin bumps straight into her mouth to defend itself.
I now know a toad lives under my patio, and a frog as well, so on wet nights in the warmer weather I go out before I let the dogs out, and usually find him crawling about between the patio pots somewhere, so I just put a large flowerpot over him for a few minutes so the dogs don't see him, then let him go again after they come back in - just incase the silly dog hasn't learned her lesson!

Re: Doggie wobble

Just a thought, but do you have any plants or fruits in your garden that could be harmful to dogs? Some years ago friends of ours had an Irish Wolfhound which ate a number of fallen damsons, the damsons fermented in the dogs stomach and the dog was staggering around, foaming at the mouth and being sick, fortunately next morning he was as right as rain.