My Dog's Name
BillyJack
My Dog's Age When Seizures Began
not quite 7
My Dog's Breed
Malamute, extra large
My Dog's Diagnosis
Probable metastatic brain tumor from primary neuro/fibro sarcoma on left front elbow site. The original tumor was 16 months before his first seizure. I thought we removed it all....
About My Dog's Seizures
Grand mal seizure, salivating, convulsing. Lasting maybe a minute or so. Severe. Scared the daylights out of me, I thought BillyJack was hurt and afraid. Rushed to vet, second seizure in less than an hour. Valium injection stopped seizures, and observation overnight with the vet. Neurological damage; loss of vision, circling, confusion. One day later he continued losing functions. Weakness in hind legs and lack of balance.
His third seizure started with a yelp of pain, twitching, stiffness then convulsing with some vocalizing and salivating. This was only two days from his first seizure. We couldn't take anymore.
My Dog's Diagnosis and Treatment
BillyJack presented originally with a sarcoma on his elbow, an extremely difficult place to excise and to heal. Removed a second tumor from the same site approx two months later. A third surgery showed no malignancy remaining. At that time he also had a sebaceous tumor, intermediate grade, removed from his eyelid. The margins were clear and chances of spreading were minimal. If a sarcoma is aggressive, sometimes even amputation may not stop it! Nasty disease.... I read as much as I could about his cancer, but there is very little effective treatment.
He healed well and I learned and invented many ways to keep an elbow bandaged. We shared many happy romps through the foothills with the rest of our pack.
BillyJack started waking up in "pools of drool", some large and some small, in the couple of months before his first seizure. He also seemed to be trying to cough something up occasionally. I was worried about the tumor spreading to his chest or lungs, though I felt no lumps or bumps. Our vet said he looked healthy, and his breath sounds were clear also. BillyJack had not lost weight, so we just took a wait and see course. He could have had x-rays then.
After his seizures, blood tests showed no liver or kidney damage. BillyJack was put on Phenobarbital, but only finished two doses when he had a third seizure. An MRI would have been the next test to check for a brain tumor or another cause for seizures, but we did not make it that far. His symptoms and sarcoma history weighed toward a diagnosis of brain tumor, and the treatment would have been the same: to control the seizures if possible. An MRI was cost prohibitive too.
Advice
- Read and learn as much as you can.
- Partner with your vet by giving detailed information. You know your pet best.
- Invest in pet insurance. I could not, but my daughter's dogs have benefited greatly from their policy.
- Network and talk with other pet owners for advice and support.
- Enjoy the Angel Time, you never know how long it may last, but it is precious! >♥< I love you so much BillyJack
