September 11, 2015

White Dog stared intently at Ferguson as he walked around the pre-breakfast kitchen. Nilla kept sniffing him. YoYoMa stood at his shoulder several times, just an action of solidarity. Bella just sat in the doorway and observed.

"What's up?" I asked White Dog. "Not sure, but something," she replied.

I joined the watch. Fergus seemed fine, rather chipper, in fact. His smile was radiant, he ate all of his breakfast, enjoyed a walk around the yard with Steve. When they came back in Ferguson seemed like he was holding his head at a low, funny tilt.

"Wonder if his healing dental work is bother him or maybe he is getting an ear ache?" I asked Steve who looked and reported that everything looked pretty well healed and that his ears were fine. "Maybe he just has a stiff neck."

Candace came in a brief time later; she sat on the couch and greeted the White Dog Army. "What are you eating," she asked Ferguson as she looked out to his favorite spot in the kitchen. He turned his head away. "I think he has something." Steve went to check and his boy turned around...

He had foam bubbling through his lips.

Suddenly Ferguson was quaking and having a seizure, with unfocused eyes and totally disconnected. Candace swooped down and gathered him up as Steve cleared a path through the WDA, who instantly surrounded their man down.

Ferguson came to rest gently cradled in my arms, head resting on my shoulder. He was spasming but not violently thrashing.

We've been here before, I thought, and Steve from LOTS of practice with our epi-boy Quinn, already placed the bag of frozen veggies in my hand to put between his legs against his belly to cool down his core temp. I held him not too tightly so he could still move (to restrain a seizing dog risks injury) and Steve gently stroked his face and talked to him. It has been found that touch and voice help "ground" a seizing person or pet and helps bring them "back" quicker.

Every single one of the White Dog Army sat around us, forming a shield and radiating healing energy. All eyes were on Ferguson as the seizing slowed, then stopped. In less than two  minutes it was over.

Candace brought over some frozen fruit sorbet and put about 3 tablespoons into a shallow bowl. Steve hand fed the cold sweet goodness to his boy as Ferguson's breathing returned to normal. (There is a huge blood sugar drop from the energy expended during a seizure and the cold also helps cool him down).

A bit longer and Fergus struggled, asking to be set down (he is not a cuddler). Steve started taking notes on his phone and carefully observed Ferguson's mobility and general cognitive abilities. I phoned Dr. Julia's office and left a detailed message asking for our wonderful vet to call when she had a moment.

Ferguson laid down and took a deep nap.

When Dr. Julia called she had already pulled Fergus' file and reviewed all of the information including that sent by his rescue. She had taken a look at the bloodwork done just a week ago for his dental. There was nothing unusual, except that his blood sugar was slightly low the day of the dentistry. "Any reason to explore that further?" I asked. "I would not panic or change up anything, it was only slightly low and he was fasting. Let's maybe take another reading in a week or so but I don't feel there is anything there."

Like with Quinn, it becomes a waiting game. Ferguson may never have another seizure again...or ???? Any medicating or diagnosing depends on a pattern forming. He is perfectly fine and his usual self (but in my head I now add, "for now."