Dog passed out

[MuleyFever]

Anyone have a dog that fell over unconscious or got very disoriented after a burst of running/playing?

My Weimaraner has had 2 episodes now. We took him in after the first a few months ago and they said his lungs and heart sound normal. They said it was probably a seizure. He is 3 years old and appears very healthy.

First time it happened I had just arrived at the park and threw a ball and he returned with it and ran in circles around me for a while playing keep away. He then stopped and started hacking like he had something in his throat. He took a few steps and fell over. He tried to get up once but couldnt and then I got to him and held him down as he tried to get up a second time. He then went still and I thought he died. About what seemed like 15 seconds later he jumped up and barked and ran a couple yards and stared at me. I called him over and he was back to normal. Not groggy or anything.

So yesterday it happened again but he didnt go unconscious this time. We were playing in the yard and he grabbed the paper that was outside and ran around with it playing keep away. My yard is small in front so he was just running in circles. It was almost the exact same scenario. Running in circles, started hacking, and then got very disoriented. He didnt pass out but he was close. Could barely walk and I grabbed him so he wouldnt fall over. I held onto him for about 30 seconds and he was fine again.

Seizure? Dehydration? He is crated during the day and gets let out for lunch when we come home. However, he doesnt drink much during the day. Yesterday I took him on a hike for about an hour and its fairly warm. He could have been dehydrated but I dont know if dehydration would cause that. I know people will get disoriented and/or pass out from it.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Happened to one of my shorthairs. Vet figured dehydration.

 

[Superdoo]

V’s are tough to figure out. Too many “show” breeders, not enough field breeders.

 

[CRUN]

Have you checked EIC ( exercise induced collapse ) my labs father had the same issues and that’s what the Vet checked for.

 

[MuleyFever]

My mom suggested this this morning. EIC, from what I have read, specifies the rear legs giving out.

"The attacks often begin with rocking, followed by the hind limbs becoming weak and giving out. The severity of these attacks ranges between different dogs; some will continue to attempt to retrieve, dragging their hind legs along, and other will be totally unable to move, acting disoriented. These attacks usually only last about 5-25 minutes, however, in some extreme cases, dogs have died immediately following an EIC attack."

My dogs episodes last about 1-2 minutes with complete body function being effected, not just back legs. Not just unable to move but unconsciousness and then the ability to move but no control.

 

[String&stick]

How muscular is your dog, I forget the name of the issue but had a boss once that eventually lost a shorthair that was very muscular. Had something to do with nerves and spinal column in the neck. Would get disoriented and fall over

The coughing sounds different though. Try recording it to show your vet if possible next time

 

[Rob5589]

I would think if it was dehydration he'd go down and stay down until he hydrated, basically same as people. Hope you get your buddy figured out!

 

[MuleyFever]

How muscular is your dog, I forget the name of the issue but had a boss once that eventually lost a shorthair that was very muscular. Had something to do with nerves and spinal column in the neck. Would get disoriented and fall over

The coughing sounds different though. Try recording it to show your vet if possible next time

Not that muscular. He is pretty tall and slim.

I would think if it was dehydration he'd go down and stay down until he hydrated, basically same as people. Hope you get your buddy figured out!

Good point.

 

[HoneyDew]

My dog is trained and old enough where I can give him freedom of the house while we’re out during the day. But sometimes I do need to crate him for a couple hours for whatever reason (he also crates at night). You may already do this but I highly recommend you have some type of water bow/dispenser in the crate. I have a small bowl that clips to the door and holds a little less than a cup of water. Sometimes it’s untouched when I let him out. Sometimes it’s been licked dry. Just my $0.02. Hope he feels better.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

Diabetes induced seizures? We had a Swiss Mountain dog that had seizures occasionally for no apparent reason. When we switched her feeding schedule to three smaller meals a day, they stopped.

 

[rayporter]

i had a rat terrier that never quit running. in 98 degrees he ran till he dropped. he would fall over and pant for a minute, get up and run off. in cool weather he would go 40 miles up a mountain. run 200 yd ahead turn around come back and go another 200yd ahead.

 

[Scrappy]

I hated reading your post due to the horrible memory it brought back. My weimaraner was only five when one day we left for our run. He made two hundred yards and stopped. For those that know the breed knows that him stopping after only two hundred yards means something is wrong. I gave him a minute and nothing seemed wrong other than he didn't want to run. So i turned around and headed back home, fifty yards later he went stiff reared up and went over backwards. He was dead in seconds.

No real answer to why, but a month prior the vet said he had a slight heart murmur but not to worry. The only other thing about that day is he had just ate before we headed out the door. My friend which has been a vet for over thirty years suspected his stomach flipped.

Said all that to ask is your pup having these episodes right after his meal?

 

[sndmn11]

My dog is trained and old enough where I can give him freedom of the house while we’re out during the day. But sometimes I do need to crate him for a couple hours for whatever reason (he also crates at night). You may already do this but I highly recommend you have some type of water bow/dispenser in the crate. I have a small bowl that clips to the door and holds a little less than a cup of water.

An alternate to this is a guinea pig or rabbit bottle for folks who are worried about spills.

 

[wmd]

Have you checked EIC ( exercise induced collapse ) my labs father had the same issues and that’s what the Vet checked for.

My Lab had this condition worth asking your Vet about

 

[russellfees]

Any chance you feed grain free? It potentially sounds like DCM. Or, FYI, if the dog does have seizures (dcm aside, not related), gsps so have an unmapped Gene for epilepsy in some lines OR some other non-genetic disposition to seizures. But my vote is dcm.

 

[VernAK]

Have you checked EIC ( exercise induced collapse ) my labs father had the same issues and that’s what the Vet checked for.

That's my guess also!

 

[spike camp]

My first thoughts when you mentioned the hacking, is heart issue.

 

[Salmon River Solutions]

Had a GSP that was 3 years old just drop dead after doing a few laps around the yard. Figured it was a heart issue.

 

[MuleyFever]

Any chance you feed grain free? It potentially sounds like DCM. Or, FYI, if the dog does have seizures (dcm aside, not related), gsps so have an unmapped Gene for epilepsy in some lines OR some other non-genetic disposition to seizures. But my vote is dcm.

Yes we are feeding him Taste of the Wild and have considered changing him to PPP. My mom, who has worked in the vet and pet industry for ever, told me about the possibility of grain free foods causing issues from the high proportion of peas/lentils etc. I thought we were good because the first 2 ingredients are meat based but after reading more on it just now from your suggestion I see the FDA listed it as high amounts if in the first 10 ingredients so I definitely need to consider changing foods.

Edit: Just got done reading the FDA report. Taste of the wild was the 3rd most reported food in dogs with DCM in the study.

FDA Investigates Potential Link Between Diet & Heart Disease in Dogs

Latest update on the FDA’s investigation into reports of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain pet foods.

www.fda.gov

 

[Mt Al]

This brings back terrible memories. Mine happened to Wyatt, fox red lab, best partner I ever had. He was 7 y/o and started to struggle during runs, then one day he wouldn't/couldn't get up. Other days he'd be fine. Long story short, he had a huge growth on one of his heart valves. I didn't want him to suffer, but they told me that he'd just tip over when the time came. He did, it was terrible.

It wasn't diagnoseable without a K9 cardiac specialist. One came through our town every week, she found it with xray or ultrasound or something. No cure unless (at the time, 10 years ago) you send them to Colo State Vet lab for $15,000 surgery and no guarantees.

Very sorry and hope you find out what's wrong, there are all kinds of causes.