sudden aggression
Submitted by SoCalTony on July 24, 2013 - 12:25pmgood afternoon. my dog bella has been having sudden anger and aggression problems. she is 4. just a quick run down of whats been happening may be able to point out why she acts how she has been. she is currently in the care of a friend. one that she hadbt stayed with before. i had to let her stay there as i am out of the country for 6 months. it has been over 3 months since i left her. about a month ago she had a seizure. cannot say what the meds they gave her were called since my friend has her. However she told me that ever since her seizure she has been super aggressive. snapping at the children who play with her and even growling and snapping at the adult that is watching her. I have read around that animal therapists are in order but unfortunately i cannot do that since i am not home to be there. She is even going pee and poop in the house. something I have not had her do in at least a couple of years. She is showing abnormal behavior issues, and i dont know if it may be stress or what. what is a good way to handle this so that she doesnt snap at someone and accidentally bites them or to hold her over for a few months til i can get her and see whats wrong? Any suggestions would be amazing to
Seizures
You may want them to get the dog checked for a brain tumor. Seizures and aggression are sometimes the result of a brain tumor.
I would talk to the vet about the medications
they may be causing the behavior changes. Its a bit unusual for a vet to prescribe seizure meds when the dog has experienced only one episode. In any case, you need to talk to the vet.
Good luck
Lynn King CPDT-KA
Phenobarbital
Phenobarbital is the most common med prescribed for seizures in dogs. I agree that it is very uncommon for 1 episode to cause a vet to prescribe this med. Without an MRI they are really just guessing. Did the vt witness the seizure? Are you even sure it was a seizure. Phenobarbital has some serious side effects such as bouts of hyperactivity, nervousness. Being around the kids could stimulate these, causing some aggression. She needs to not be around the children when they are rough housing and playing, this probably riles her up and she may be just paying and your friend thinks it is aggression. Bulldog when rough playing could make anyone think they are aggressive. Excessive urination is another side effect.
It's a strong drug and long lasting side effects that are not favorable for you dogs long term health. I personally would try to wean her off of them slowly. If she has seizures record them and keep a good log of any episodes, then reintroduce or up the Phenobarb until no more seizures.
My first bulldog was put on Phenobarb for seizure like activity when he was about 9 1/2 - 10 yrs old, vet said he likely had a brain tumor. After a few months my new vet felt he didn't have a brain tumor at all, weaned him off the Phenobarb and he never had another episode. We lost him to a cancerous tumor on his larynx at 11 1/2.
thanks for the replies
again i am overseas and i am posting on behalf of something i did not see occur, just going off what i was told. i was told my bella was on the floor shaking with foam coming out of her mouth. docs took her and held her for a few days and did blood work and they said it was a seizure. but no to my knowledge the doc did not witness it. So you guys think it may be aggression from the medicine? or worst case a tumor? well i will have to take her in when i get home. so how should one handle the behavior issues. i dont want to punish her for something she has no control over
Seizures
My dog Annie just passed away in June at the age of 9 1/2. She had a couple of seizures when she was 6 but they went away and did not come back. After her last vaccines at 9 yrs. she became aggressive and then several months later started having seizures. She had over 7 in 24 hours. They are pretty sure she had a brain tumor. The phenobarbital she was on for a couple of days before she died actually made her worse and sh had a hard time breathing all of the time. She just wandered around breathing heavy. Hope you get some answers.
Vaccines
I don' give vaccines to seniors. I know vets won't admit that vaccines could be the cause, but the leading vet Dr. Jean Dodds and her studies would suggest otherwise.
No shots for my dogs after age 6.
Did your friend take her to her regular vet?
Is he/she familiar with bulldogs? It sounds to me also like the medication is causing her problems. Must be awfully frustrating for you being so far away.
There are a lot of reasons an animal can have a seizure
could be anything from head injury, reaction to medications such as flea/tick/heartworm treatment, vaccinatons, ingesting something toxic-could be a cleaner/plants/toads etc., a bee sting/bug bite, the list goes on. Seizures are not always a permanent condition but a one time episode.
Again, I would strongly urge you to talk to your vet.
In the meantime, because of her behavior, for her safety and those around her, I would suggest that she be kept separated as much as possible.
Good luck
Lynn King CPDT-KA