02/10/2011–Focal Seizure

I believe Topaz had what is called a Focal or Partial seizure tonight. I was laying in bed and I thought I could feel him shaking or shivering. He’s done this before, so I really didn’t think anything of it.

I called him up closer to me and noticed his head was kind of bobbing and he had that far away look in his eyes. He also seemed to get a little rigid like he was going into a Grand Mal seizure.

I got really worried because I was alone and he was on our bed and I wasn’t ready to deal with a seizure alone so I texted my husband to come home.

I observed him on the bed for a short time and decided to give him his typical after seizure cocktail just in case this was a type of seizure. While I was getting that together I grabbed my camera and took a little video. He didn’t look like he was in any immediate distress and was responding to his name and everything so I gave our other dog some ice cream and let his melt for a minute in some warm water before mixing in the rest of the ingredients (valium, PB and rescue remedy).

Here’s the video:

I posted this video on Facebook and also asked in the Epil-K9 and people who responded do believe it was a focal seizure.

My husband did come home as requested – thank you, honey! – and he called the vet on the way. They said that we did everything they would do and for us to just watch him. If it gets worse to bring him in. We didn’t have to take him in, but I was ready to!

Topaz slept for a bit and when it was time for his night pills he was still a bit shaky so I gave him some more valium and his regular PB dose and then we went to bed.

He was really clingy and needy for most of the night, sleeping right on me for a long time (not his usual). But he did well through the night with this episode not escalating to anything more.

He went 164 days without a seizure, which is just AWESOME! And I am not totally resetting his clock now, but starting a new countdown from this episode.

Other than this, everything has been great. I suspect he got into the cat food once in the past week, but besides that, all has been normal.

We have to take him to the new vet next week or the week after for a blood draw. I’m hoping that will go off without a hitch. The vet is not his favorite place to be! I will update again after the appointment.