Help Needed! Seizure - related to ear infection/meds?????

[Momma2Bullies]

Hi again friends,

Apologies for starting a new thread - I had posted this in another thread but since my question is different I was hoping to catch some more input.

My boy Wilbur had a grand mal seizure 4 days ago. This is the first time I have ever experienced something like that. I have already been to my vet for blood and urine tests.

Since the incident he has been 100% fine and normal. On Friday I had a lengthy discussion with my vet. I am waiting on blood/urine results which I should get today (Monday), and then I have to decide if we proceed with an MRI.

My vet flat out told me that some may think it is premature to have an MRI with one seizure, and that it was 100% my choice.

Some facts:
-Wilbur is 4 1/2, 60 lbs,
-has seasonal allergies and food allergies (both him and Layla have been on hypoallergenic vet food since they were 1, so it is not anything changing in his diet).
-He had knee surgery when he was 10 months and has been good ever since. He didn't get into any poisons or toxins.
-I know he is old for epilepsy to start.

About 10 days ago, for the first time ever, he got ear infections. He never gets them - Layla does, but never him. The vet (not my usual vet) prescribed Surolan ear drops to be administered twice a day. Within 3 days I noticed that his ears were totally full of the medication, like it wasn't being absorbed or anything. But I kept putting a drop or two since his infections were bad (yeast and bacteria). 5 days of these drops and he had the grand mal seizure. I asked my vet if this ear drops or if the ear infections could have anything to do with it. She said she will look into any possibilities and find out. In the meantime he is off those drops and on oral antibiotics.

Has anyone ever experienced a seizure related to ear drops or to ear infection? (My Aunt has a bassett hound and she 100% believes that his seizures (one or two a year) coincide with ear infections).

So, at this point I don't know what to do. I fear that the blood and urine tests will show everything is normal (I mean no explanation for the seizure) and then I have to decide if I put him through an MRI, or wait and see if he has another seizure.

I am completely torn - is it neglectful to wait? Is it cruel to put him through a possibly unnecessary test?

Thank you to @Libra926 and [MENTION=11014]nellbell[/MENTION] for your comments in the other thread!

Thank you all xo

 

[ddnene]

I'm SO sorry to hear this, I don't have any experience w/seizures… I just wanted to offer support. I will tag some members that may have more input...

 

[nellbell]

Nell's seizures were not obviously related to a recent infection and/or meds, however, she had eye and ear infections that her previous vet had been unable to clear. I remember reading and researching at the time and finding that rarely an infection can travel to the brain and that can cause seizures. That was one of the reasons presented for an MRI. It was hard for me to ignore that and pass on the MRI, but the second doc did say that if it was something bigger in the brain causing the seizures, we'd know it before too long because it would otherwise present.

You are NOT neglectful to wait. In hindsight, if Nelly hadn't had a cluster, I would have waited on the meds as well as the MRI, but we needed to get her stable. If he's stable, I think it's fine to wait. Don't beat yourself up. We all just do the best we can with the cards dealt and info at hand.

Hope Wilbur's seizure is a one off.

 

[Libra926]

I don't think waiting is bad idea. An MRI / spinal tap can be an expensive and also unnecessary test. There are so many different reasons for a seizure to happen, an MRI would only shed light on one area, the brain.

I waited and have never done an MRI on Vegas. I was prepared to do it... but my vet told me a few things that encouraged me to wait. The number one thing was his age. At only 10 months old, a brain lesion is highly unlikely (but not impossible).

It is a decision that you will have to make.

There are many people on here who have experienced a 1 time only seizure thru the years. There are so many possibilities and "what ifs".

If he ends up having another one and the ear infection is cleared up... I might consider it.

Keep us updated on how he's doing.

 

[Momma2Bullies]

Hi all,

Update: We have decided to hold off on the MRI for now. Wilbur has been ok and no incidents so far.

His blood work came back as follows: thyroid is low and he will be starting thyroid meds (I guess the "normal" range is 7 to 47, he came back as a 6). Whether this caused the seizure is not known.

He has has a very high white blood cell count and the pathologist noted that the white blood cells are abnormal in shape. I am trying not to freak out about that one.

I will be taking him to a neurologist for a neurological test and consultation... we will go from there.

 

[TyTysmom]

Hi all,

Update: We have decided to hold off on the MRI for now. Wilbur has been ok and no incidents so far.

His blood work came back as follows: thyroid is low and he will be starting thyroid meds (I guess the "normal" range is 7 to 47, he came back as a 6). Whether this caused the seizure is not known.

He has has a very high white blood cell count and the pathologist noted that the white blood cells are abnormal in shape. I am trying not to freak out about that one.

I will be taking him to a neurologist for a neurological test and consultation... we will go from there.

Thanks for the update. I hope that this all works out, and Wilbur is fine. No need to freak out, if he's doing good, that's a great sign

 

[2BullyMama]

Hi all,

Update: We have decided to hold off on the MRI for now. Wilbur has been ok and no incidents so far.

His blood work came back as follows: thyroid is low and he will be starting thyroid meds (I guess the "normal" range is 7 to 47, he came back as a 6). Whether this caused the seizure is not known.

He has has a very high white blood cell count and the pathologist noted that the white blood cells are abnormal in shape. I am trying not to freak out about that one.

I will be taking him to a neurologist for a neurological test and consultation... we will go from there.

Thanks for the update.... good luck -- sending lots of prayers and positive thoughts all turns out good

 

[Momma2Bullies]

Thanks guys - also I should add that my vet feels there is zero correlation between the seizure and his ear meds/ear infections. The neurologist tech felt the same way. They said that while minimal, the thyroid levels are more likely to have been a contributing factor.

 

[Momma2Bullies]

Hi
Just wanted to update people on Wilbur - all of his bloodwork came back as normal, even thyroid (within normal limits). I had a consultation with a neurologist and he has diagnosed idiopathic epilepsy. I have Wilbur on an anti-seizure drug called Keppra (I guess it is a human drug) that he gets 3x a day.

He has been on an anti-anxiety drug called Chlomicalm, for about 2 years. Interestingly, the neurologist said that Chlomicalm belongs to a class of meds that may possibly lower the threshold for seizures. Right now we are keeping him on the Chlomicalm but I think we may wean him off.... (all of these meds are sooooooo much $$$ and if the Chlomicalm isn't necessary - or not good for him! - I might end that)

So far he has been seizure-free for 1 week and 3 days. The Keppra is very sedating, but that should normalize in a couple of weeks.

My next decision is whether to do the MRI....

Thank you all for your help!

 

[2BullyMama]

Hi
Just wanted to update people on Wilbur - all of his bloodwork came back as normal, even thyroid (within normal limits). I had a consultation with a neurologist and he has diagnosed idiopathic epilepsy. I have Wilbur on an anti-seizure drug called Keppra (I guess it is a human drug) that he gets 3x a day.

He has been on an anti-anxiety drug called Chlomicalm, for about 2 years. Interestingly, the neurologist said that Chlomicalm belongs to a class of meds that may possibly lower the threshold for seizures. Right now we are keeping him on the Chlomicalm but I think we may wean him off.... (all of these meds are sooooooo much $$$ and if the Chlomicalm isn't necessary - or not good for him! - I might end that)

So far he has been seizure-free for 1 week and 3 days. The Keppra is very sedating, but that should normalize in a couple of weeks.

My next decision is whether to do the MRI....

Thank you all for your help!

Thanks for the update.... keep us posted on how he is doing. God luck with the new med