Miss Pepper had an episode

I don't know for sure what it was. Of course at the time it was happening I was 100% convinced she was having a seizure, but when it was over I couldn't be sure. I called her co-owner to let her know, for one, and to ask her advice since she worked as a CVT for 20+ years.

First she was just walking kinda funny. She was kicking her front legs out like she was prancing almost. I couldn't tell if she was playing. I asked her if she was playing or hurt. My mom looked at her and said she's definitely walking funny but she wasn't sure if she was hurt or not. I took her out in the other room to move her around more and see if I could get a better view. I had my cellphone out and was about to take a video and she started squatting like she had to potty, then ran over to the steps like she wanted to go up the stairs to go outside. So I picked her up, carried her upstairs, and took her outside thinking she was just being weird because she had to potty.

She got out in the yard and immediately sat down and stared at me. She sat there for maybe five seconds and I asked her if she needed to potty. She got up, sat down. Got up, peed. Came running to the deck. Normally she jumps from the sidewalk and clears all three steps in a single bound. She tried to climb them this time and her legs all seemed to give out underneath her. At this point I'm going SHE'S HAVING A SEIZURE MY DOG IS HAVING A SEIZURE. She got up on the deck, then ran back down and went poop. Came back to the deck and struggled to climb up the steps again. I took her back inside to get my phone again to video her since I was convinced something else was wrong. But she was totally normal then. Walking normal. Like it never happened.

She was happy and tail wagging through the whole thing and even jumped on my mom when my mom was trying to decide if she was hurt.

I jumped in the shower for the fastest shower ever, having not showered since being at the gym, and told my mom to watch her and if she did ANYTHING weird to barge into the bathroom and I would take her to the e-vet. She was still totally normal. I got out of the shower and called her co-owner.


She can't remember her ever doing anything weird like that before. It's possibly something weird because she'll be in season soonish. Possibly Pepper just being Pepper. Maybe a mini seizure. Maybe something related to liver shunts but highly unlikely. She told me she didn't think it was worth it going to the e-vet because they probably wouldn't find anything and I'd just run up an expensive bill, but that I should probably get a CBC and a chemistry panel done to see if anything is odd, or to at least have a baseline in the future to compare to. And to pretty much just watch her. Write down a log of when it happened, how long it took, and what she did... what I'm feeding her... and to just watch. Then if it keeps happening we will know how often, or if they get worse we can compare.


I'm upset and freaked out even though it's entirely possible it's nothing. I told her she is only four and not allowed to do this to me. I told her she is going to have a birthday soon and I promised her a princess birthday party.
She is my very favourite girly. I really hope it was nothing.

Had she eaten in a while? My first thought was blood sugar related.

Sorry you had to go through that... it sounds scary

(((((BIG MAJOR HUGS)))))

I agree with getting a CBC done at least, and keep an eye on her. Sending all the vibes we can muster it was a one time odd Pepper thing...

This. I've had similar myself and it has been varied between high or low blood sugar. I also have vasovagal syncope which is another whole fun thing to deal with.

I agree with getting a blood panel, as mentioned at the very least it gives you a baseline for the future. And I wouldn't panic, just keep an eye on her. Also pay attention to when and how much she's eating and drinking. It could be so many different things, even hormones making her wig a little.

From your description I'm sure she's fine though. So take a deep breath and relax. Pepper is ok.

She ate dinner shortly after five like she always does. Nothing at all was different and I can't find anything in the yard or house she might have gotten into... especially not in the yard, if she had found something Payton and Auggie would have been right up in her face also getting into it. She lets Georgie steal her dinner if anybody turns their back on them so she would have just let them take whatever it was.

She's normal this morning and was normal through the night though obviously I didn't sleep very well. =/ I wanted to bring her to work with me to watch her but since I work with two guys, one of which is a big tall guy like my dad, I was worried it would stress her out more than do any good. My other thought was dropping her at doggy daycare but that would stress her out too. Boo for sensitive dogs.

I used to dogsit for a scottish terrier and she had some sort of issue with her back/bladder. I don't remember what it was called, but if she held it too long or got hot it could cause her to hunch up and walk funny. The first time it happened I freaked out and thought I was going to have to call the e-vet. I had left her outside for a little bit to potty and it was decently hot out. So I brought her inside and gave her a few minutes thinking if she didn't get better I'd take her in. Nothing else looked off about her. She came in when I called her and I picked her up and manipulated her a bit and couldn't get her to act like she was in pain. After 15-20 minutes she was back to normal.

Has she ever had any kind of back injuries?

Are there dogs she's related to that have been diagnosed with neurological problems?

Has she had vaccines recently? Sometimes dogs can react very strangely to vaccines.

Outline, that's interesting. It was actually cooler yesterday than it has been, and she didn't spend a whole lot of time outside, but she DID pee when she went out and was definitely acting like she had to go (though it looked more like she had to poop.) It would be a little bizarre still but it could be related to urinary something. I know with a UTI you can have severe back pain... hmm. I will have to keep an eye on that too.

Nope, nope, and nope.

Sending prayers and good vibes for Pepper.

I wish I had more info on it, but it was probably two years ago when I was watching the dog and her owners never told me this until after the fact. I do know the dog had some other urinary issues that she was on medications for.

I'd definitely try and catch some of her urine and have the vet run a culture on it, it could be a really bad bladder/kidney infection.

Sounds like a good idea, if I'm running a chem and CBC anyway, what's a urinalysis on top of that? She is weird about how she drinks water too. Like she only drinks maybe two or three times a day, but drinks FOREVER when she does. I float her food to try and make sure she's getting more water regularly. But she has always been like that, it's not a new thing. But it certainly could make her susceptible to a UTI or something...
Luckily I am an expert at the free catch. =P

Sending vibes that it was nothing major and doesn't happen again!

I hope it wasn't anything major and doesn't happy again! Scary.

You're a good dog mom, Beanie. <vibes>