Help Needed! Cluster seizures/hypoxemia. Plz help!

Anvil of Oak

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Hello forum,

This will be a long post, as I am scared/frustrated and in need of help. My ten year old english bulldog, Jax, started having issues mid-January. He has been in amazing health until then. Before anyone says "he is ten years old, it's time for him to go", Jax is still active, playful, and behaves like a pup. He has had no health issues other than food allergies until now. I know he is old, but I want to give him a chance to fight this.

Mid-January, while sleeping, Jax had an intense seizure(his first ever). As soon at the vet opened I rushed him in. They did a full blood panel and complete examination. Blood work came back all normal, and the only thing they found wrong was an inner ear infection. We packed his ears, got some antibiotics and went home. He then began having seizures all day and night everytime he would take a nap.(heavy snoring, trouble breathing). The following day there was a bad snow storm and I couldn't get him to the vet, but I managed to call the vet and she prescribed some phenobarbital which I was able to pick up.

I started flushing his ears weekly, and giving him the antibiotics, a steroid(prednisolone), and his phenobarbital as prescribed. He was still having trouble breathing, however. Heavy panting and intense snoring. Especially when doing any activity or sleeping.

Mid-February, Jax had been doing well for several weeks and was recovering, his ear infection wouldn't go away. His ears were packed again and back on antibiotics and steroids, to make matters worse, he began having seizures frequently when sleeping. He would stop breathing, then start a major seizure.(His O2 levels would drop). At the END of February we started a new seizure medication and got another blood panel, which showed he was almost anemic.

On March 1st - Jax was doing great! Acting just like a pup. He went outside to play, but then walked back inside and had what appeared to be a stroke. (It was def. not a seizure.) After it had passed he walked to his spot and collapsed. He was panting heavily, struggling to breathe. I tried to wake him, but he would not respond. His lips, tongue, and gums started turning purple and his heart rate was well over 200 BPM with his O2 levels at 70%. I rush him to the vet clinic, where he was given oxygen and pumped full of various meds to keep him alive. He spent the day in an oxygen tent. XRAYS were taken and his trach, heart and lungs looked fine except he had aspiration pneumonia. His bloodwork showed he was slightly anemic and that his kidneys may now be acting up. (In my opinion all these other issues coming up are from the hypoxemia - his bloodwork looked great until he started having breathing problems. The pneumonia came from his episodes, we think)

This past week he has been recovering. No excitement or activity for him. He is always struggling to breathe.(heavy panting). He just finished his antibiotic and another round of steroids. Yesterday(march 8th), all day, and this morning, every time he naps, he struggles to breathe and has a major seizure, the one that just happened lasted 4 minutes. In the last 24 hours he has had ~8 seizures when trying to nap/sleep. (That I know of, he had to be left alone for a couple of hours.)

I am headed back to the vet in about an hour for an exam, another blood panel, and possibly oxygen treament too. My options are limited, and an MRI/CAT scan would require sedation, as well as be a 4 hour drive and another $600-$1200 dollars. Biopsies of his heart/lungs would also require sedation. We aren't confident he would wake up from any sedation. I am running out of money and am considering a credit card to keep up his care.

My family knows that Jax and I are inseperable. I have had him since he was born, he never leaves my side. Everyone is telling me that if I cannot figure out what is wrong soon that I should have him put down, since he struggles to breathe so much now. He still acts energetic and like a puppy, and is happy as ever, even while going through all this he is always trying to cheer me up and wants to play. He loves everyone.

Has anyone elses bulldog had similar issues? What is your opinion? Any advice? I don't want to euthanize if there is any chance he could recover.
 

helsonwheels

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[MENTION=18120]Anvil of Oak[/MENTION] so sorry you both have to go through all of this? There are other members that went through what your going through. I’ll tag them.... I’m more on the holistic side but for sure I would be seeing my vet if it was an issue like yours. For the breathing part, lungs needs to open up and I know it works as I do this on regular basis for my dogs. It’s a diffuser n essential oils. Often for seizures a higher fat diet helps the brain to stop with seizures like the keto diet. Also works on dogs. Ketogenetic was made for epilepsy patients and tons of studies proves it help to get ride of epilepsy. Just a thought you might want to look into. Attached are mixtures of essentials oils that will help your dog. I do it n others too. Let me tag others hang on.

Respiratory/Colds ...Get a diffuser. Mine was on nights even above her kennel and you can also leave it on daytime. I leave it all day so when she's roaming around the house she gets to clear her lungs. I basically leave my diffuser on 24/7

8 drops of Eucalyptus
8. drops of Peppermint
8. drops of Lavender
5 drops of Lemon
2drops tea tree

Here is the essential oil recipe for ear infections or just maintaining good ear health.Spray on cotton ball and wipe out ears ...don't spray directly in ears.In a 2 ounce glass spray bottle, combine:

15 drops Lavender
15 drops Geranium
15 drops Frankincense
15 drops Basil
10 drops Arborvitae. (Or cedar or thuja)

Fractionated*Coconut Oil*to fill the bottle about 3/4 of the way fullShake bottle well before using. Use once a week to treat ears that have an ear infection or once a month as a preventative measure in ears that are prone to recurrent ear infectionsIf ears are especially inflamed or infected, dilute 2 drops of lavender in 4 drops of fractionated*coconut oil*on a cotton ball and apply lightly to soothe the inflamed ear area.

Below is a link one of our member uses Frankincense essential oil to STOP tremors on his little guy Sausage. Check it out! Good job [MENTION=6424]Tank1023[/MENTION] !!


https://www.facebook.com/jerry.monte...14983522840126

This is my little guy sausage he has idiopathic tremors. We use frankincense essential oils on pads and ears and it goes away.

[MENTION=8741]Manydogs[/MENTION]. [MENTION=15364]oscarmayer[/MENTION]. [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION].
 
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Anvil of Oak

Anvil of Oak

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Thank you [MENTION=15310]helsonwheels[/MENTION] for your response. I may try that if he does not show improvement soon on the current medications.

We just returned from the vet. His blood test came back good except for elevated liver enzymes. His blood test results have been so odd, it's quite an enigma. The vets are scratching their heads, I think.

His heart and lungs are congested. He is now on phenobarbital and lasix. At the moment his heart rate quite high and is panting even more heavily.

EDIT: His ears looked great, no signs of infection.
 
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oscarmayer

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Sounds to me like he's suffering from Congestive Heart Failure and the seizures are caused by the drop in blood oxygen level, not the other way around. He should be evaluated for CHF by a cardio specialist. I'd also suggest his situation may also be complicated by Boxer Cardiomyopathy...not such a long shot given his symptoms.
 

Clermont

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this is one of the most frightening things I've read in a long time.
All I can say is please keep us posted and I'll remember you in my prayers.

And..........not knowing your Vet or you relationship with him, if it were me in your place, I may ask for a referral to a specialist. It's so bizarre that all the blood work and imaging comes back normal, when these are some pretty significant symptoms presented.
This makes me think of something i've remembered for over 30 years, when I was doing clinical in College, an old doctor made the statment "treat your patient, not your machines" labs, xrays normal........pup not
 

Manydogs

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Sounds to me like he's suffering from Congestive Heart Failure and the seizures are caused by the drop in blood oxygen level, not the other way around. He should be evaluated for CHF by a cardio specialist. I'd also suggest his situation may also be complicated by Boxer Cardiomyopathy...not such a long shot given his symptoms.

**This is exactly what my thought was. This can cause sleep apnea,from lack of oxygen-thus the symptoms he is presenting. Cardiologist is best recommendation,as [MENTION=15364]oscarmayer[/MENTION] stated. Have they also checked his palate? I guess that would have been the first.... [MENTION=18120]Anvil of Oak[/MENTION]
 

Clermont

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And DON'T EVER, EVER LET ANYONE SAY TO YOU "HE'S OLD....IT'S TIME TO GO"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Manydogs

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And DON'T EVER, EVER LET ANYONE SAY TO YOU "HE'S OLD....IT'S TIME TO GO"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not until C.Jax tells you that HE is ready! You will know.
 

helsonwheels

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Thank you [MENTION=15310]helsonwheels[/MENTION] for your response. I may try that if he does not show improvement soon on the current medications.

We just returned from the vet. His blood test came back good except for elevated liver enzymes. His blood test results have been so odd, it's quite an enigma. The vets are scratching their heads, I think.

His heart and lungs are congested. He is now on phenobarbital and lasix. At the moment his heart rate quite high and is panting even more heavily.

EDIT: His ears looked great, no signs of infection.

You do the meds for sure but.....I still would put the diffuser to help open up passages and blood flowing.

Also I would be doing what [MENTION=15364]oscarmayer[/MENTION] n [MENTION=8741]Manydogs[/MENTION] are suggesting!! Take that extra step since your vets are scratching their heads. With all those meds your dog is taking and been taking, make sure you give a good probiotic like sauerkraut. One tablespoon per day. The fermented one in the fridge!
 

2BullyMama

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Welcome.... I agree with Chip, this sounds like CHF. I have no experience ... but there were a few members here and a thread with some info.

Follow the advice of the team and get to a cardiologist .

sending lots of prayers, positive thoughts and hugs.
 
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Anvil of Oak

Anvil of Oak

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Thank you all for your responses.

He is not doing well. He is still panting. His seizures have increased in duration and intensity. He is def showing all the symptoms of CHF. Does anyone here know a good cardiologist in the northeast Texas area? The closest I could find is 4 hours away at the Texas A&M University Teaching Hospital.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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Thank you all for your responses.

He is not doing well. He is still panting. His seizures have increased in duration and intensity. He is def showing all the symptoms of CHF. Does anyone here know a good cardiologist in the northeast Texas area? The closest I could find is 4 hours away at the Texas A&M University Teaching Hospital.

I'll check our list,


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2BullyMama

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Any of these near you.... what town are you in

31d9ee971d541eddbcc8959c65650c8e.jpg



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Anvil of Oak

Anvil of Oak

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[MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] - the closest on that list is in Carrollton about 2.5 hours away. That may be doable, I will call them Monday morning.
 

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