Convulsing Puppy
I am
writing because my 6 month old pug puppy has been having convulsions with
some vomiting 3 to 4 nights a week for about 2 months. I am not sure if
they would be considered full-blown seizures because the contractions or
convulsions generally only last a minute or so, and the dog can remain
standing. It always happens between 2am and 6am, and the dog seems to
know it is coming. He becomes fearful and curls up next to me in bed. He
has had the normal vaccinations, and at the last vet. visit, the vet only
asked what he was eating. He eats scientific brand puppy chow, and all
the normal things puppies try to get away with eating, (sticks, dirt,
paper, etc. . . ). We are usu. successful in keeping him away from too
much foreign material. Please clarify the difference between seizures and
vomiting/convulsive activity.
Your puppy is seriously ill, and you should not delay in taking him to your veterinarian. He may have gastritis, canine distemper, epilepsy or another severe disease. Your veterinarian will require a complete history of the problem, and may need to perform tests, including x-rays and blood tests. Gastritis is a stomach ache, and can be caused by food allergies, parasites, infections, blockages toxins and other diseases. Sometimes a dog goes through a series of deep abdominal wretches before producing a regurgitation. This retching may be interpreted as convulsions. All causes of repeated vomiting need veterinary attention. If a puppy vomits once, and otherwise seems fine, he may have eaten something that disagreed with his stomach. A single vomiting does not necessarily warrant a trip to the doctor. In your pup's case, vomiting over two weeks, the condition is beyond a simple stomach ache, and immediate attention is warranted.
Convulsions may indicate primary epilepsy, metabolic disease, infections or parasitism's in the central nervous system, or many other serious conditions. Sometimes motion during a convulsion is upsetting to a pup's stomach, and causes secondary vomiting. Again, the causes are many and serious. One common disease of young puppies, causing vomiting and convulsions is Canine Distemper. This is a highly contagious, often fatal, viral disease affecting all ages and breed of dogs. Vomiting puppies progress into more severe symptoms, including fever, depression, lack of appetite, and mucoid discharge from the nose and eyes. Distemper is best controlled through vaccinations. The mother of a litter of puppies should be current on vaccinations to pass her immunity on to the pups in-utero and via her milk. The pups should received their first Distemper vaccination between six and eight weeks of age.
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