Still (knock on wood) so far so good with Bryce… (though he’s NOT happy with me!)

If anyone’s up for playing veterinary detective prior to our $$$ neurologist visit $$$, here are all the facts about the episodes that I could come up. (I had tried to videotape the 2nd episode, but learned that it’s really hard to hold a dog, videotape and panic all at the same time – I got 2 out of 3 of those things right.)

When it happened:

– Both days @ 2PM.
– Had been out and about in the house for about 10-15 minutes – having cookies, running around, jumping on/off sofa, light playing with Jayda, fetching toys …
– No sign of anything unusual until the episode began – he was bright, alert, not shaky, unusually hungry, anxious or anything – just normal Brycey.
– Both episodes were shortly after he did some very excited spinning in one spot.

What it looked like:

– Looked “funny” – “glazed over”
– Stepped wide in his rear
– Seemed unsteady, collapsed (rear) – Front did not collapse. Might have been holding right (both?) front legs a little stiff, but didn’t seem extraordinarily rigid (like “seizure” type rigid).
– No “paddling”, no loss of bowel/bladder control
– Didn’t appear to lose consciousness
– Started to be able to stand and again in a little while – uncoordinated, slow at first, gradually went back to normal
– Episode lasted around 3 minutes.
– No panting or difficulty breathing, didn’t cry out, seem painful or act particularly distressed.

Other things that may or may not be significant:

– Ran in an agility trial just a week earlier. Energetic and bouncing up and down like a crazy man after his runs (he was very pleased with himself!) Speed consistent with other recent events. Absolutely nothing unusual.
– Lots of leaves down in my yard – they sometimes stick in his fur (ate something toxic?)
– Had a dental scaling a week before. There was a little gingivitis, but no infections, no bad teeth and virtually no bleeding. However, because of his myeloma and just as a precaution he was …
– Finishing up the last couple of days of a round of amoxicillin. He had never been put on amoxi before for anything that I can recall. (Byce has been known to have weird problems with normally innocuous drugs – for example, Flagyl).
– Wiped out while running in house over the weekend (slippery spot in hall – his foot went under instead of on top of the rubber backed rugs I have there). I didn’t think he hit his head and he didn’t SEEM any the worse for wear afterwards but he landed pretty hard.
– His main meals are around 5-6AM and 5-6 PM, but he gets cookies occasionally throughout the day. Gets a small snack (cube of cheese and a couple of kibble) at bedtime.
– He spins a lot (duh – he’s a sheltie!), including his “dinner dance” when I feed him. This spinning MAY have been a little more intense/ focused in one spot.