Experience with epilepsy?

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lenistar

Member Since 2012
Hi, everyone,

I hope you're all staying safe and healthy.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with epilepsy in cats because I'm kind of freaking out. I was just sobbing on the phone with my mom, jumping to the worst case scenario.

Background: Dusty is non-diabetic, has suspected IBD, mild to moderate (but stable) kidney disease, and mild heart disease, for which he was recently briefly (about a week) on atenolol (it was, we think, causing him to be lethargic and lose his appetite to the point of almost not eating, so the vet suggested we stop). His appetite has since improved.

Anyway, on 3/26 Dusty did something I had never seen him do before. It's very hard to describe but almost like he was batting at the air in slow motion. I feel so guilty now, but I didn't call the vet right away because, even though I took note of it and it startled me, it honestly didn't occur to me that it could be a seizure. I thought it was just a fluke.

But when he did it again a few days later I called right away. They asked if I could get an episode on video because I was having a hard time describing it. The next time he did it, I managed to get it on video and sent that in. His vet thinks it could be a sort of seizure/mini-seizure and said if it happens again he'll need to come in. He just had a mini-episode today (first time since 3/31), and I'm TERRIFIED it's a brain tumor. I'm reading up online (maybe a bad idea) about idiopathic epilepsy as well, so maybe that's what it is, though I'm not sure how common that is in cats.

Also, his most recent blood work from 3/18 indicated elevated ALT. We're going to start meds for that but they needed to be compounded first and that took a bit of time, and then when he started to lose his appetite we didn't want to throw too much at him until that was stabilized. His appetite is now back to normal, thankfully, but the vet said to start the liver meds tomorrow if he didn't have any other episodes but now he did today.

I'm so sorry for this very rambling message. I'm quite nervous and scared. I'll be speaking to his vet on Wednesday when she's in and will schedule an appointment to get him in.

Thank you so much,
Leni & Dusty
 
I have no experience with epilepsy. Maybe some members here do? Hang on for more responses. I am sorry you are going through such a terrifying time with Dusty. I hope you can get this sorted out sooner than later.
jeanne
 
It's honestly hard to tell. I tried talking to him today when he was mid-episode (today's was milder than in the video - at least what I saw - I was working at my computer and looked over at him and he had started), and it was hard to tell if he could hear me or not.
 
What was the blood glucose level after this happened?
Could have been hypoglycemic symptoms.
Even non-diabetic cats can have hypoglycemia.
This document describes hypo symptoms, at different degrees of low blood sugar.
Sticky How to treat HYPOS - THEY CAN KILL! Print this Out!!

Tagging @Diane Tyler's Mom who has a non-diabetic cat with seizures. Controlled with medications, for about 8 years now. Her cat Perry.
 
lenistar said:
Hi, everyone,

I hope you're all staying safe and healthy.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with epilepsy in cats because I'm kind of freaking out. I was just sobbing on the phone with my mom, jumping to the worst case scenario.

Background: Dusty is non-diabetic, has suspected IBD, mild to moderate (but stable) kidney disease, and mild heart disease, for which he was recently briefly (about a week) on atenolol (it was, we think, causing him to be lethargic and lose his appetite to the point of almost not eating, so the vet suggested we stop). His appetite has since improved.

Anyway, on 3/26 Dusty did something I had never seen him do before. It's very hard to describe but almost like he was batting at the air in slow motion. I feel so guilty now, but I didn't call the vet right away because, even though I took note of it and it startled me, it honestly didn't occur to me that it could be a seizure. I thought it was just a fluke.

But when he did it again a few days later I called right away. They asked if I could get an episode on video because I was having a hard time describing it. The next time he did it, I managed to get it on video and sent that in. His vet thinks it could be a sort of seizure/mini-seizure and said if it happens again he'll need to come in. He just had a mini-episode today (first time since 3/31), and I'm TERRIFIED it's a brain tumor. I'm reading up online (maybe a bad idea) about idiopathic epilepsy as well, so maybe that's what it is, though I'm not sure how common that is in cats.

Also, his most recent blood work from 3/18 indicated elevated ALT. We're going to start meds for that but they needed to be compounded first and that took a bit of time, and then when he started to lose his appetite we didn't want to throw too much at him until that was stabilized. His appetite is now back to normal, thankfully, but the vet said to start the liver meds tomorrow if he didn't have any other episodes but now he did today.

I'm so sorry for this very rambling message. I'm quite nervous and scared. I'll be speaking to his vet on Wednesday when she's in and will schedule an appointment to get him in.

Thank you so much,
Leni & Dusty
Click to expand...
Hi Leni, I'm so sorry this is happening to Dusty
In the beginning my cat would all of a sudden start to drool and dash around for about 30 seconds or so and then lay down with all 4 paws stretched out
He didn't hear me , then come out of it like nothing happened and was ravenously hungry.
Happened about 2 or 3 times in one day
Took him to the vet and said it was seizures, put him on phenobarbital liquid form
Started off at a low dose, sorry can't remember right now

Stopped for awhile and then started and had to increase dosage

Still kept having them but this time was not running around like crazy at all
He would just start to drool and have his mouth hand open and just stare into space
They do not know what's going on at all
My vet then added Keppra along with the phenobarbital, the genetic for Keppra is levetiracitam liquid form
The seizures only lasted about 6 or 8 seconds
As of now he hasn't had one in over a year and I was able to cut down the dosage on both medications

He couldn't hear me when these were happening, the vet said they are not in any kind of pain and if you Google it , it says the same.
I can't say if this looks like a seizure to me, I would show the video to your vet
When he is doing this is he drooling at all, if you go right in front of him can you tell if he sees you and acknowledges you
 
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I just have human epilepsy, and they happen when I sleep. I have no knowledge of them, more than when I wake up I have torn every necklace and have real fierce scratchmarks on my neck/troath and/or upper arm. It's however afterwards I really really feel anything from weird brain melting, to nausea, to just completely lousy day after. There is Grand Male and Petite Mals as it is called. In the very first beginning of it all in 1997 I could sit in day time and it was as some smacked on so strong electric electrocuting zaps going right through my brain, so strong I lost my orientation and breathing for those seconds these zaps came.

It is just so very different the seizures from person to person. Some hurt themselves really bad during them. Some have lighter cases.
 
I had a dog with epilepsy. When I adopted her she was having several seizures a day. She was on phenobarbital. Once we found the best dose for her she went down to only having a few each month. It is scary, especially when you don't have any experience dealing with it. But after Sculley had a seizure, she always seemed normal like it never happened.
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Hi Leni, I'm so sorry this is happening to Dusty
In the beginning my cat would all of a sudden start to drool and dash around for about 30 seconds or so and then lay down with all 4 paws stretched out
He didn't hear me , then come out of it like nothing happened and was ravenously hungry.
Happened about 2 or 3 times in one day
Took him to the vet and said it was seizures, put him on phenobarbital liquid form
Started off at a low dose, sorry can't remember right now

Stopped for awhile and then started and had to increase dosage

Still kept having them but this time was not running around like crazy at all
He would just start to drool and have his mouth hand open and just stare into space
They do not know what's going on at all
My vet then added Keppra along with the phenobarbital, the genetic for Keppra is levetiracitam liquid form
The seizures only lasted about 6 or 8 seconds
As of now he hasn't had one in over a year and I was able to cut down the dosage on both medications

He couldn't hear me when these were happening, the vet said they are not in any kind of pain and if you Google it , it says the same.
I can't say if this looks like a seizure to me, I would show the video to your vet
When he is doing this is he drooling at all, if you go right in front of him can you tell if he sees you and acknowledges you
Click to expand...

Thank you for this information and for your kind words. How long since Keppra was first diagnosed with seizures? I'm just so worried what Dusty is doing is indicative of a larger problem with his brain. I don't even want to write the word. But I guess sometimes these things have no known cause?

I haven't noticed any drooling. If it happens again, I'll go right in front of him and see if he acknowledges me.

And of course we'll go to the vet.

Thank you again :bighug:
 
lenistar said:
Thank you for this information and for your kind words. How long since Keppra was first diagnosed with seizures? I'm just so worried what Dusty is doing is indicative of a larger problem with his brain. I don't even want to write the word. But I guess sometimes these things have no known cause?

I haven't noticed any drooling. If it happens again, I'll go right in front of him and see if he acknowledges me.

And of course we'll go to the vet.

Thank you again :bighug:
Click to expand...
Hi there I don't know what you mean when you said How how long since Keppra was first diagnosed with seizures.

Do you mean when was Perry first diagnosed with seizures?
If so its been about 8 yes. When the phenobarbital doesn't control them then they add Keppra with the phenobarbital.

Over the last year in was able to cut down his dosage on both meds
He goes for blood word every 6 months to check the phenobarbital level.
Perry has never had one that bad like in that video, they only lasted for about a 30 seconds or so when he used to run around, then only for about 6 OE 8 seconds without running around at all just staring into space and tons of drooling.
Like I said hasn't had one in about a year. Please keep us posted
 
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Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Hi there I don't know what you mean when you said How how long since Keppra was first diagnosed with seizures.

Do you mean when was Perry first diagnosed with seizures?
If so its been about 8 yes. When the phenobarbital doesn't control them then they add Keppra with the phenobarbital.

Over the last year in was able to cut down his dosage on both meds
He goes for blood word every 6 months to check the phenobarbital level.
Perry has never had one that bad like in that video, they only lasted for about a 30 seconds or so when he used to run around, then only for about 6 OE 8 seconds without running around at all just staring into space and tons of drooling.
Like I said hasn't had one in about a year. Please keep us posted
Click to expand...
I'm so sorry my apologies my mind just wasn't working right, and I inadvertently wrote, "Keppra."

I'm very glad to hear that Perry is doing well on medication. Did they ever determine a cause? Or is it thought to be idiopathic?

I'll definitely keep you all posted. Thank you so much.
 
lenistar said:
I'm so sorry my apologies my mind just wasn't working right, and I inadvertently wrote, "Keppra."

I'm very glad to hear that Perry is doing well on medication. Did they ever determine a cause? Or is it thought to be idiopathic?

I'll definitely keep you all posted. Thank you so much.
Click to expand...
No cause, they just don't know why
Found this on internet
Symptoms and Types
Seizures in cats are usually preceded by a short aura (or focal onset). When this occurs the cat may appear frightened and dazed, or it may hide or seek attention. Once the seizure begins, the cat will fall on its side. It may become stiff, chomp its jaw, salivate profusely, urinate, defecate, vocalize, and/or paddle with all four limbs. These seizure activities generally last between 30 and 90 seconds. Perry's did not last this long like I said. How was Dusty today. Perry also has kidney disease just like Dusty
 
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