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Tea Cake - Seizure Last Night

lauraboara

lauraboara

Adult Guinea Pig
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Was just doing last sweep up and nighttime hay rounds last night at about 10.30 and found Tea Cake having a fit. He had been fine all day. He was turning in a tight circle to the right and he couldn't stop, his head was ticking and his eye flicking backwards constantly. It was really disturbing and I did think I was losing him. I picked him up and held him gently in a towel and stopped him turning and after 10 minutes say he calmed down in my arms. When I put him down he couldn't walk straight and his eyes were still flicking. I rang the on call vet and it was my preferred vet (thank goodness) and he talked me through things - not a lot to do as the fit was calming. Whilst on the phone, TC starting eating hay and calmed down although the eye tick lasted until nearer midnight.
Tea Cake is on palliative care anyway for other health issues eg kidney failure but actually has been doing really well recently - 1kg weight, active and happy. Vet said that a fit like I described is not that common in gps but it could be deep ear infection/ ear problem or a brain tumour. (He has survived having a testicular tumour removed already so that would be particularly unfair but could be). Anyone with experience of this kind of fit or any clues for me? As you can imagine I am quite wobbly this morning - but TC seems fine, just looking for some extra breakfast!
PS he is 5 and a half yrs old
 
HUGS

I am very sorry. it is impossible to say what has been causing it, but seeing that TC has been fine in himself immediately after, my guess would be a brain issue rather than an ear infection, which is more constant.

Unfortunately, unlike with an infection, all you can do is hang in there. There is no treatment. There is also sadly a good likelihood that there will be more seizures and they could be worse. :(

If your vet recommends an antibiotic to be on the safe side, then I would do that - just to cover that angle.
 
Thanks for thoughts @Wiebke but also :(. I knew his days were numbered before this but just waiting for another fit sounds grim. Will talk to vet further
 
lauraboara said:
Thanks for thoughts @Wiebke but also :(. I knew his days were numbered before this but just waiting for another fit sounds grim. Will talk to vet further
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Please talk to your vet. At the moment, as your boy seems well in himself, he doesn't need any action but it may help you if you knew your options and had emotionally absorbed them in case Tea Cake has another seizure at some point.
It is tougher now to face the worst, but ultimately easier for you if you can do any of the inevitable grieving in stages, instead of having to grapple with it all at once in an emergency and feel guilty or like a failure as a result.

I wish I had happier advice, but my experiences tell me otherwise. :(
 
Sending hugs, and also most people who have seizures are completely unaware of them, and afterwards just feel a bit tired and wobbly.
The seizure is traumatic to watch, but it is highly unlikely that Teacake is even aware of what is going on, so he isn't suffering in any way.
 
Swissgreys said:
Sending hugs, and also most people who have seizures are completely unaware of them, and afterwards just feel a bit tired and wobbly.
The seizure is traumatic to watch, but it is highly unlikely that Teacake is even aware of what is going on, so he isn't suffering in any way.
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I would like to second this. From personal experience, after a seizure the short term memory is shot, and the biggest danger is making sure no injuries happen during the fit. That said, they are hard on a person physically (again, personal experience talking), they're exhausting just in themselves. If they're hard on a person, they're not going to be any easier on a guinea pig.

All the best for you and Tea Cake, @lauraboara, this can't be easy.
 
I'm so sorry you witnessed a fit and I hope it's the last. My dog has a seizure every four months and it doesn't get any easier to watch. Everytime I have to wonder if it's the last bit so far she's pulled through after each one. I do hope this was just a very rare once off and it is a good sign that he's eating again etc now. :) stay strong and hang in there! Give your little one a nice tasty vege from me
 
@lauraboara I've witnessed the same twice with one of my boars, Jon Snow.

I can't rememer exactly when the first one was but it was at least a year ago and the second was last October.

We took him to the vet afterwards both times. The second time we took a video of him so the vet could see exactly what it was.

She said that's it's virtually impossible to determine what it is exactly without him being at the vet during a seizure.

There is medicine that can be given but it basically zombiefies them so she doesn't suggest that unless the seizing is very regular.

Jon is a bit off for the rest of the day, having a bit more sleep then usual but he is right as rain afterwards.
 
Jon Snow - Circling And Eye Flicking

He's my post about it, and there's a small part of the video attached (if it still loads).

I got my dates completely wrong. The first seizure was Oct 2015 and the next May 2016.

A few months ago he did seem a bit subdued after work but I wasn't there to see if anything happened.

He still has his digestive issues but he's very spritely and loves his food. Perfectly healthy in every other way.
 
Jaycey said:
@lauraboara I've witnessed the same twice with one of my boars, Jon Snow.

I can't rememer exactly when the first one was but it was at least a year ago and the second was last October.

We took him to the vet afterwards both times. The second time we took a video of him so the vet could see exactly what it was.

She said that's it's virtually impossible to determine what it is exactly without him being at the vet during a seizure.

There is medicine that can be given but it basically zombiefies them so she doesn't suggest that unless the seizing is very regular.

Jon is a bit off for the rest of the day, having a bit more sleep then usual but he is right as rain afterwards.
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Exactly the same with my dog. The vet said we could try medication to prevent the fits but the medication would eventually damage her kidneys and do more wrong then good. She said that as the seizures aren't as frequent as some that it would be better for her to just have the fit every four months. We were asked if we wanted tests done to see what the cause was but we all decided there was no need to put her through more- as someone earlier said she has no awareness when having the fit and is in no pain - even if her humans are blaring their eyes out. I didn't know that about Jon Snow- big hug from me to him because I know it's very scary to witness.
 
Poor baby. I know he's on pallitive care for his other issues, my fudge technically is too but I always keep in mind that just because she becomes unwell with an issue, it's not necessarily the end and I try and think logically like I would with any of my other sows. Obviously a seizure is serious and horrible to watch, but try and keep positive considering he is well in himself otherwise.. it could well be something treatable like ear mites or an infection.

Despite being in heart failure and being on medications in such large volumes that it's a wonder fudge has functioning kidneys.. she has had several bumps in the road and she's overcome all of them.

Pop him along to the vet to have his ears checked and temp taken and take it from there.

Sending healing vibes!
 
Sorry to hear about this Laura, l hope TC is ok today. I remember seeing a baby have a febrile convulsion, it was the most frightening thing l had ever seen. It must have been awful to see him like that. Lets hope he is settled now and doesn't give his mum any more scares!
 
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and ideas. Interesting to read again about Jon Snow @Jaycey - thanks for that.
I will take him to the vet just to rule out the ear / infection options but not convinced that is what is going on. Vet has been great on phone this weekend.
For the moment we are just taking each day as it comes and he seems fine at the mo

Tea Cake seems to be saying 'why are you checking on me every 5 minutes Mum - I'm quite happy eating my grass!'
 
OH NO!
I'm not trying to upset you but I know how it feels! My biccy boo in my profile picture had a seizure and ended up getting reeeeally Ill....
I can tell you after biccy got sick from a seizure he got brain bleeds and blind in one eye and emonia! I know what its like so please take extra care of him as he could get sick more easily now. So they're might be more seizures.... I hope the little guy gets better soon!
 
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