# Seizure after anestheia



## tobysmom (Jan 7, 2009)

Hello everyone,
I just joined this group today and wish I would have thought to join sooner. I am a little frustrated with the vets in my area. I have moved to a rural area and been here about 2 years. I am only on my second vet and only changed after my scottish terrier died from cancer. But that is another story. 

I have a 4 yr old golden retriever named Toby. He weighs 102 lbs and that is down from 105 so I am really proud of him. A few days ago my husband inadvertently left a fishing hook outside after some winter fishing and my Toby thought he would eat it. I took him into the vet and they had to use anestheia to remove it. When I was finally able to pick him up the vet took me aside and said that he had given Toby a combination of two drugs to put him in a light sleep to remove the hook and after he had removed the hook he started to have a seizure. He said it only lasted about 20 seconds and he gave him some valium anyway. The vet said that it really scared him that Toby had a seizure because he has no history of it. He just really wasn't sure what caused it. I was sent home with antibiotics and told to watch him. I asked what the seizure looked like and he said what a typical seizure would look like. His mouth was open and his head was shaking and his legs were stiff out in front of him. He did not lose control of his bladder or anything. 
He seems fine and it has been two days since he has been home. But now I am starting to wonder if he hasn't had seizures before and I thought it was one of those doggie dreams. In his sleep sometimes he will yip repeatedly and his legs will twitch alot (sometimes it looks like he is running or just his feet will move back and forth) and you and can see his eyes moving alot under his eyelids. But never any bladder loss or anything. Anybody have any suggestions or has anyone known of this happening after anesthesia? 
Thank you so much.
Susan


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Hmmmm....anesthesia can cause problems sometimes. My golden bloated after anesthesia recently, 3 times in 3 days and she had never bloated before in her life. 

What you're describing when he's sleeping sounds normal, like dog dreams. I wouldn't worry about that.

I would get the names of the drugs the vet administered and keep those on hand. If he ever needs to have anesthesia again, I would definitely let the vet know what his experience was with these drugs in the past.

I hope he's okay! Fish hooks ... ughhh. Those are nasty


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Bumping this! Anesthesia has always scared me. Even people have had bad reactions to it.


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

I have never had a dog that had seizures after anesthesia; however, one of our cats had 2 or 3 seizures after he was neutered, but that was about 2 years ago and he hasn't had any since and he never had them before being neutered. It had to have been the anesthesia.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I wondered when you said he was moving his feet is it just twitching or does his whole legs look like he is running? I ask because I have one golden that has the running legs when he has seizures but he is foaming at the mouth and whole body doing different movements and nine times out of ten he loses his bladder and loud noises like whining. If his legs are just twitching then I think it is just normal dog dreams. 
I wonder if you would be able to video tape it and show it to the vet and ask if it is the same thing that happened after his surgery. I know that anesteshia can cause different things to happen like with Daisy (JoEllen). 
I am glad that you could find us and hopefully it was a one time episode with the seizure. Good luck and give that boy a big kiss.


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

I want to add that since you know Toby may have issues with anesthesia, be sure to schedule any future surgeries earlier in the week. If there are problems, your vet will be available.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Believe me, even a petit mal seizure is identifiable. And a grand mal for sure is. What you have seen sounds just like dog dreaming. Mine do it all the time.
I have had goldens with both petit mal and grand mal seizures and you would know.

I am very paranoid about anesthesia. My BIL's dog almost died from it during a spay. 
That's why I don't get my boys teeth cleaned.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

*last august my gitrl, honey, had a dental and had a fatty tumor removed from her chest (where her ribs join) at tahe same time. We were not sure of the type tumor til removed and sent off. I had just lost my golden girl, kaycee to cancer in may, so was extremely worried about this lump on honey's chest.*

*i stayed at the hospitalfor the surgery and when he was over the tech came and got me to come to the recovery to sit with oney--she was having halluinations. I was told this is pretty common, but i had never seen it before and had i not been warned it would have scared the daylights out of me seeing her like that.*

*she was on a pad & comforter on the floor and she ha her legs going trying to get to her feet, her head was swinging around here eyes were enormous and she was "seeing" something that was scaring her. She was crying such pitiful cries, so scared. I sat on the floor and held her head. I was scared she woud ripe the stitches out of her chest with a back foot. All i could do was hold her head and talk to her. *

*she was like this for about 30 minutes and once the gas wore off she was acting normal, we put her in one of the icu cages to be watching---ad my vet had me come back to the or to watch a spay yep, my vet and i have a great relationship. He knows i am a farm girl, have treated animals for all kinds of injuries, etc and do not panic or get sick . I am always there in the waitingroom during any kind of surgery or dental.*

*this is honey a few weeks after the surgery.*


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Did your dog receive the very common sedative Acepromazine? It is very commonly used and usually very safe. However, it is notorious for triggering seizures in a small but solid percent. My Finn cant take it, but my other two are fine with it. It would be useful to ask your vet is acepromazine was used bc then you'd know to steer clear of it.


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## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

I guess (like you) what scares me the most is that the vet was surprised. (Hello, you are in charge here.)

I hope it is a one time deal, and never happens again. I am sorry this happened to you.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Tobysmom*

Tobysmom:

What you are describing as the legs moving, twitching and whining a little that is doggie dreaming.

What happened to him with your Husband I am not sure what that was.
Hopefully other people here have more expertise in that area.


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

What you describe sounds pretty normal to me. Both of mine did it. Comet could halfway knock me out of the bed sometimes 

I think they are dreaming, basically.

You will know a seizure when you see it. The first time it's the most awful thing you'll ever see.

I know. My Dakota has been Epileptic since about age 5 or 6. The first time I had no idea what was happening and it scared be beyond believe.

4 years and several dozen seizures later, it has become one of those "ok, here we go. Let's do what we gotta do", which is basically give him his Valium Suppository and then just lay beside him and keep him safe until it's over.

The vets are insistent that they feel NO pain whatsoever. Their sweet little brains just short-circuit for a few minutes, then reset. The worst part of all of it is the confusion they have when they wake up.

It's all a part of normal daily living around here these days. He is on meds, and seizes about once every 4-6 weeks. He always seizes when he is asleep.

-Larry



tobysmom said:


> Hello everyone,
> I just joined this group today and wish I would have thought to join sooner. I am a little frustrated with the vets in my area. I have moved to a rural area and been here about 2 years. I am only on my second vet and only changed after my scottish terrier died from cancer. But that is another story.
> 
> I have a 4 yr old golden retriever named Toby. He weighs 102 lbs and that is down from 105 so I am really proud of him. A few days ago my husband inadvertently left a fishing hook outside after some winter fishing and my Toby thought he would eat it. I took him into the vet and they had to use anestheia to remove it. When I was finally able to pick him up the vet took me aside and said that he had given Toby a combination of two drugs to put him in a light sleep to remove the hook and after he had removed the hook he started to have a seizure. He said it only lasted about 20 seconds and he gave him some valium anyway. The vet said that it really scared him that Toby had a seizure because he has no history of it. He just really wasn't sure what caused it. I was sent home with antibiotics and told to watch him. I asked what the seizure looked like and he said what a typical seizure would look like. His mouth was open and his head was shaking and his legs were stiff out in front of him. He did not lose control of his bladder or anything.
> ...


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