Question of passing out

[dadoje]

Hi all. I just found this forum.
Kay-Dee is a two year old Basenji. A year ago she collasped with no warning. Her gums were pale and her feet and ears were cold. She was not thrashing or anything. The episode lasted 15 to 20 minutes. By the time got her to the vets she had come out of it and other then her temp being low she was back to normal. She had another episode a year later. The same thing collapsed with out warning. Symptons all the same. Didn't get her to the vet but did video tape it, My vet is trying to figure out what is going on. Her heart sounds are strong and normal He is leaning toward a heart problem and doesn't think it is neurological. If she has another episode he wants to hook her up to an EKG. I have owned 6 other basenkis and this is the first time have had any problems. Hope someone can shed some light on this problem.
Thank you

[tanza]

I would have to wonder if she didn't eat a poison plant or a spider bite…. What plants are around your home? Did they do blood work and check for anything toxic?

[nobarkus]

@tanza:

I would have to wonder if she didn't eat a poison plant or a spider bite…. What plants are around your home? Did they do blood work and check for anything toxic?

Welcome to the forum. This would be my question as well. Was she completely unconscious?

[thunderbird8588]

Welcome to the forum, sorry to hear about the problem with Kay-Dee.
If the vet thinks it's her heart i think i would be pushing for an EKG sooner.
Have you any pics of Kay-Dee

[Patty]

Welcome to the forum. The only like problem I've encountered was a Basenji who did indeed have a heart problem. Not being my Basenji I can't give you any details.
I was at a talk on epilepsy and we were shown many rare examples of attacks.One of these was a cat who collapsed as you described but you say your vet doesn't think it's neurological?

I hope she doesn't have another attack but if so I hope you'll let us know the results of the ECG.

[renaultf1]

@dadoje:

Hi all. I just found this forum.
Kay-Dee is a two year old Basenji. A year ago she collasped with no warning. Her gums were pale and her feet and ears were cold. She was not thrashing or anything. The episode lasted 15 to 20 minutes. By the time got her to the vets she had come out of it and other then her temp being low she was back to normal. She had another episode a year later. The same thing collapsed with out warning. Symptons all the same. Didn't get her to the vet but did video tape it, My vet is trying to figure out what is going on. Her heart sounds are strong and normal He is leaning toward a heart problem and doesn't think it is neurological. If she has another episode he wants to hook her up to an EKG. I have owned 6 other basenkis and this is the first time have had any problems. Hope someone can shed some light on this problem.
Thank you

Welcome to the forum. I'm sorry to hear about Kay-Dee - like Patty, I too was wondering about epilepsy only because I've also heard of the same thing of just passing out and not actually having a visible shaking seizure. I have a friend that has epilepsy and that is what happens to him. Was she ever checked for that?

BTW, I see that you are from Maine - I'm from Maine as well…where are you in Maine - I'm in Gray (work in Portland).

[dadoje]

Thanks for all the responses. We don't think it's a reaction to bites or plants because it's happenned twice a year a part. If it happened more often if might be easier to figure out not that I want it to. He's leaning toward her heart because of her extremities getting cold. He listened to her heart a couple of times while we were there and her heart sounded regular and strong. She was completely out for 15 to 20 minutes. It seems like it it's epilepsy the spells last a long time. When she came to she got a drink and she seemed completely normal. The vet is doing some research on it. the first episode we thought was an allergy to fish (wish it was a fish allergy then we would know what it is and could prevent it.) but she didn't have any the second time and she was with me for the two hours before she collasped while I was driving my horse so I know she didn't eat anything during that time. I went to take her off the seat and put her down and she just dropped.

BTW, I see that you are from Maine - I'm from Maine as well…where are you in Maine - I'm in Gray (work in Portland).

I live in Farmingdale and work in Augusta.

[nobarkus]

What about the blood work? What did that show?

[dadoje]

He didn't do any blood work we need to talk more about that

[nobarkus]

@dadoje:

He didn't do any blood work we need to talk more about that

What?!! :eek: I'm surprised that wasn't done. You need that done ASAP. See this link as well.
http://www.essortment.com/all/epilepsydogs_rhac.htm

[agilebasenji]

how very strange. Narcalepsy springs to mind. As does epilepsy or hypoglycemia or heart problems.

[lvoss]

@dadoje:

Thanks for all the responses. We don't think it's a reaction to bites or plants because it's happenned twice a year a part. If it happened more often if might be easier to figure out not that I want it to.

Was it truly 1 year apart so that the incident happened at the same time of year each time? If so, it may be an environmental allergy where they bug or plant is only active at that time of year. I have heard of dogs only having a reaction to something once a year at the same time each year. These incidents occur in Southern California. They are always in the late spring/early summer and the dogs break out in hives all over their bodies. No one knows what they are reacting to but it does seem to be some sort of allergen.

I have heard of other dog owners in mostly the midwest who have had dogs that have collapsed much the same way you describe. I don't know if any of them had dogs who had a similar episode again at a later date.

[dadoje]

@agilebasenji:

how very strange. Narcalepsy springs to mind. As does epilepsy or hypoglycemia or heart problems.

The thing that is a strange is the fact that the pads of her feet and ears get cold and her temp lowers plus her gums get pale. She doesn't respond to any stimuli during an episode. Going to put a call in to the vet tomorrow and ask about blood work.

[Kipawa]

Welcome to the forum - glad to have you here. She's such a sweet looking b - I do hope that you get to the bottom of the problem. I am sure everyone will do the best they can to help you out.

[dadoje]

Talked to my vet today and Kay-Dee is having a full panel of bloodwork done Tuesday morning and is having a urine test if I can get some. She's not co-operating right now. The vet is also going to send the video of her having the last episode to a vet that specializes in nerological problems.

[Patty]

Well done. I do hope that you get results that get to the bottom of the problem and that a treatment can soon be found.

[sharronhurlbut]

Do let us know…we try to learn from everyone who posts here...hugs to you and your b.

[dadoje]

Got report of blood work on Kay-Dee everything was normal. He wants another urine sample because the other had crystals in it, but he said it could be from setting at the lab it was sent to. So I will bring a sample and he is going to check for crystals himself.
He is sending the recording of the episode and bloodwork results to another vet that specializes in neurological issues to see if he can shed any light on it.

[tanza]

I think that in the future that it would be important to get a blood sample when or just after she is having the episode…. if it was a plant, critter bite... by now the toxic substance would most likely be gone.