Harley: Tremors? Seizures? Help?

Hi-

I was wondering if anyone had any information about tremors, or seizures, or whatever else might be going on with my girl. I videotaped her last night...it's long, but I'm including key places you can fast forward to (no need to watch the whole 10 minutes). Thinking back, I've been recording that she's been getting hiccups for some time now, but I'm questioning that what I assumed to be hiccups was really something else. I was looking up symptoms last night and the closest thing I could come up with is 'tremors'. It's pretty much constant now. Most of them are small, but I'd say at least once a minute she has a larger one. It basically looks like a motor tic or a twitch. Sometimes it's just her head, sometimes a foot or two, and sometimes it jolts her whole body. So sad. I've been feeling like something is off for almost a week now, but have been brushing it off as me just being overly paranoid. She's doing so well with her diabetes regulation...been in the greens for 9 days now. I will go back and link today's LL condo (Today's LL Condo) which has all of the things I've been noticing lately. You can see her 'deep' breathing throughout the video.

Key places to look at in the video (easiest to see): seconds 25-50, min 3:40-4:00, min 5:20-6:10, min 7:40-8:15
Harley's Video
Sigh...the video buffering while watching is annoying...thank you for being patient. Update:I'm trying to edit the video to only include the key parts...no luck yet. If you can hang for the first 2 minutes, it might be enough...

I have a call into the vet, but thought I'd ask here as well. The support and advice I've gotten on this board is WAY more reassuring that anything I've ever gotten from a vet. Take a look and see if anything rings a bell. I'm so concerned. My Abby started having seizures 2 years ago and they put her on phenobarbitol...she died a week later. :cry: Ugh....just when I started to think things were looking up... :cry:

Thanks for your help.

s

 

Sorry, I haven't viewed the video since I'm at work, but twitching, trembling or shaking is a symptom of low potassium. I know folks must be getting sick of me always mentioning potassium, but it suprised me and we almost lost Tucker to low potassium.

If you can get an electrolyte blood test done, I would highly recommend that.

 

Poor baby! The twitches look like what I would call a nervous tick in a human. Definitely neurological, may be a type of seizure. Blood work is in order - but I will rely on others experience to give more suggestions on other tests.

 

When my Harley was dx last year, his potassium was very low. He has been on RenaPlus - 3 tabs a day since then. It is only recently (last month) that his potassium was normal.

I would definitely get a potassium screening. Keeping you guys in my thoughts.

Pattie

 

Well, I watched the whole 10 minutes......looks like she's trying to fall asleep, almost does, but then jerks back up a little to keep an eye on you. Also looks just like hiccups and wonder if she is having a problem with gas. Agree with blood work and potassium check.

 

Hi-

Thanks for your responses. I'm still waiting for the vet to call back. She's on ER duty today, so here we wait. I will definitely ask about the electrolyte test when she calls. She had a full blood workup in November. Would they have done that then? I'm just wondering if it was done and normal then and something has since changed, or if that's something they would not automatically include in a full workup. What would cause her potassium to get out of whack?

Yes, she does look a little sleepy in the video, but I assure you, it looks just the same when she's wide awake. I think I also confused it with hiccups for weeks now, but sometimes it's just her foot or head that jerks, and not her body. There are almost constant smaller movements, and periodic larger ones. The majority of the smaller ones were not even visible in the video, but I could see them happening while I was looking at her. It's a cell phone camera...I'll ask the vet about that as well.

I have been able to get her to eat twice today, but it was no-no higher carb food. No food spike from the first snack, but a slight spike after the second. C'est la vie! I'm just glad she ate!

I'll keep you posted if I EVER hear from the vet.

s

 

I have no idea if electrolytes are part of regular blood work. When Tucker crashed it was a Friday, by Saturday no response, later that day they did another blood test and saw the potassium.

Now he goes in monthly for bloodwork that checks only his electrolytes.

 

I may have to do that and take Blackie in to get her blood checked for electrolytes, too. It certainly couldn't hurt.

 

Can't low calcium do that too?
You'll probably get an answer after the blood test.
Hope your baby will be ok. My prayers are with you.
Good luck.