dogs

[cmbills]

my dog had a seizure yesterday. is it ok to give him ativan? my vet is closed till am.

[Ghilly]

I'm really glad to hear that everything is fine and you've got your boy back on an even keel.  The maple syrup was a good idea.  Quick thinking!  :)   Honey is a good thing to keep around for just that sort of emergency, and because it's so thick and gooey, it's a lot harder for them to aspirate it.  Keeping it in the fridge firms it up even more and makes it easier to scoop some up on a tongue depressor and smear it onto his tongue.  The best part about it is that honey really never goes bad, so even if you never use it for anything but dog emergencies, you'll probably never need to buy more than the one jar.  If it crystalizes, just set the jar in some hot water until it can be stirred around and it goes right back to its proper consistency.  :)

Ghilly

[cmbills]

Thanks. It was low blood sugar. I figured it was and we gave him maple syrup to get him out of it. just sort of poured it in his mouth. Probably not a good idea either as he could have aspirated but we were in a panic. I thought I was watching him die. He is diabetic from steroids that he takes for autoimmune hemolytic anemia and my hubby accidentally gave him the wrong dose of insulin that day.  I am glad that is all it was. He is back to his normal perky self now.

[Ghilly]

Unless he is having cluster seizures, in which case he should be taken to an emergency bet, do not home-medicate your dog for seizures.  A singular, isolated seizure can indicate anything from low blood sugar to idiopathic epilepsy and should never be medicated for at home until a veterinarian has examined the dog and has given his opinion on what the cause was and whether or not treatment is even necessary.  Just hang in there until the vet is open and call the office as soon as you can.  

Please post back and let us know what the vet said.

Ghilly