Another head tremor episode, and a new observation...

[froggz]

A few minutes ago I heard what sounded like one of the dogs licking and didn't pay much attention. After a moment though it just didn't sound right. I got up to check and Sadie was having one of her episodes. It only happens once every few months and typically only lasts as long as it takes me to get to the kitchen. The usual remedy is vanilla ice cream and water in a bowl.

This time I noticed as soon as her focus was on the bowl the tremors stopped. I pulled it back a bit to see if it was over but within a few seconds it started again. So I set the bowl down. As she finished she was alright. But within probably a minute of finishing it the tremors came back.

This happened probably 3 times before I just sat down with the bucket and constantly put small amounts (teaspoon or so?) of ice cream and water into her bowl as well as biscuits. I kept her focused and eating for at least five minutes before I took a break to see if it was over. Thank goodness it was!

She's doing alright now and I'm waiting for my nerves to settle LOL! I feed two meals a day, and she's eating more than 1 1/2 per each meal. This totally caught me off guard!!

[kazzy220]

I may have missed previous threads on this!! Sorry .. just can't seem to get the time to get my daily ebn fix as I used to have!!!

What causes the head tremors .. is it low blood sugar? Is that why the icecream helps .. a quick sugar fix like a diabetic??

[Libra926]

It sounds like low blood sugar to me! As a fellow diabetic, I know ice cream helps me. Was there an increase in activity level that you noticed?

[cali~jenn]

I am not sure what exactly causes them but I know when Cutty has had them it is more the fixation on something that makes him able to stop rather than sugar. His last one was in the middle of the early morning and I woke up to him having one and he started licking my arm. (ocd) so I let him lick away for a while and so long as he was focused on that he didnt shake. If I pulled my arm away and he wasnt done it started again. Ice cubes have helped with him also so I think it is more a mind over matter type of something rather than sugar. They are scary when you dont know what they are but it is more of a twitch and maybe annoying rather than scary to them I think.

[TessaAndSamson]

I agree with Jenn, I think it has more to do with getting them focused on something else versus low blood sugar. With Samson they will come and go without me having to intervene at all.

[froggz]

I agree too. I thought it had something to do with the blood sugar as well when I first started researching about it, but with her tremor the other night that thoughts out the window. I wonder what really causes it

[cali~jenn]

Have heard it could be allergy related although Cutty has only had a few randomly so a specific food wasnt so much connected with his. I think that is the question of the year, what causes them?

[NikkiSchoolcraft]

I dont know what causes them either, but I hate watching Winston have them. If any of you figure it out, please let me know.

[froggz]

I hate when Sadie has them too. I've gotten to the point where externally, there's no panic, no rush or anything anymore. I know what to do to get them to stop. I won't like and say I'm not in a panic on the inside though! This last one had my heart racing when it wouldn't stop right away. She always tries to make me feel better by doing her "diva curtsey" and jelly bean dance when the ice cream comes out but it looks SO uncomfortable.

[Teresa]

Fred had them a lot as a pup and I gave him Corn syrup . As he grew older they where less ,he is 2.5 yrs old and they stopped about 1.5 yrs old .Nothing stopped the head tremers but the syrup.

[kazzy220]

I have a client who is a very severe diabetic. One evening he had eaten ALL the right stuff ... and his wife is very meticulous to make sure that his diet is 100%. His wife was on the phone, just after they had finished eating dinner and he said he had to use the bathroom. She was so busy on the phone talking to her sister that it took some time to realise that he had not come out of the bathroom!! She found him, barely concious, still sat on the toilet unable to move or even to have any form of conversation. His wife said that she was terrified that he had had a stroke. It never entered her head that it could be anything to do with blood sugar levels because they had done EVERYTHING right. The paramedics were called and took his blood sugar, it was so low that it was lucky that he had not slipped into a full diabetic coma. Within seconds of getting his insulin he was fine.

The reason I'm saying this is that from your stories it does seem as if there is a link to blood sugar somehow. I've heard ice cream mentioned, and corn syrup. All high sugar foods. @froggz You said you had given Sadie her usual food .. but the story about my client proves that even with the right diet and nutrition blood sugar can still sometimes drop.

And the only reason I'm writing this is because I do find things like this fascinating ... so sorry to ramble on about it.

[Lacey28]

Wow! I have never heard of this happening in dogs before. We have many diabetics in my family and as I nurse see it everyday but am surprised to hear how common it is with dogs. I this site I learn something new all the time!