Why to Shih Tzu dogs have seizures?
aldayarbrough from Center, TX
There are several reasons for seizures. I'm a 20-year veteran of veterinary hospital work and do not know of a predisposition for this breed to have seizures. Ask your vet. He/she is the only one who can tell you why your particular dog is having seizures.
I think seizures are common, especially in small breeds. I have two rescued LH mini dachshunds who both have seizures (and my dad and brother each had a dachshund with seizures.) Of the 4, only one of mine has them often enough to be on phenobarb.
Why have you not taken this dog to a Vet for a proper diagnosis? Is the same one with ammonia IN him/her?
As Glenns Mom said, nobody in this forum can tell you why, but the dog is suffering.
Jennifer
Northern Virginia
If you did the other post too and have a puppy that is having seizures with high ammonia blood levels then a liver shunt is a very likely culprit. That means that blood isn't going through the liver to detoxify it and toxins build up causing seizures. It can be expensive to diagnose and treat (with surgery). You need to talk to your vet. There are diets that are low in protein and medicines that can help lessen the signs, but ultimately if the shunt is severe and you do not have surgery, your pup will die at an early age. Epilepsy doesn't usually start until a dog is around 2 years old.
I would certainly take the pup to the vet if she has continued seizures, but when my shih-tzu was a puppy she had a seizure in the first few days we brought her home. Luckily, she has never had once since, but to this day I think it was caused by her not eating. The little goof didn't eat for the first two days we had her!
I rushed Murphy to the Vet within minutes of his seizure. This was the 1st one. Some history - Murphy will be nine yrs old 15 May. I've had him since he was five weeks old. He did have some vomiting problems for several months that simply disappeared. He has always been to the Vet regularly and right away if he seemed sick.
While we were stationed at Eielson AFB, in interior Alaska, he did get a case of Giardia - also known as "Beaver Fever", I think. He was really sick but the Vet treated it aggressively and he was cured. We are currently at Luke AFB in AZ. The Vet did a complete blood workup and things look fine - a few slight elevations that he said is expected after a seizure. He also is having a test done for Valley Fever that I understand is here in the area but he he said he actually would be surprised if it comes back positive - results due in this weekend.
Murphy's seizure lasted a long period of time. His eyes were moving up and down so rapidly they were almost a blur. We are about 10 minutes from the Vet and they were still moving when we got there. It continued for another 45 minutes. Doc is concerned for a brain tumor because of the length of the seizure and the fact that his little eyes were moving up and down. He put Murphy on phenobarbatol for now but plans to discontinue it Sunday. If Murphy has another episode after the drug cease, he says he will refer us to a neurologist. I was just wondering if I could find anyone else who's baby had experienced something similar. By the way - I would NEVER NOT take my baby to the Vet immediately at any time something isn't just right with him! And we have always used a civilian Vet rather than those offered on Bases sine their hours are more accessible.
I have a shih-tsu who has seizures sometime 2 back to back .
Took him to the vet done bloodwork and fecal test no sign of any reason for seizures please is there anything else i can do his seizures terrify me they last as long as 3mins to 4 mi
