Idopathic Head Tremors

[bluesteelapd]

Tessa, thank you so much for your post. We've done a ton of research on this, but nothing says "It will happen every day in the beginning, then should taper off". That's what scared us the most. I've been sick to my stomach worrying about this so I took her to the vet last night. I was prepared for no answers and that's what I got. They took blood and we'll have the results today. He said it could be this, it could be that, it could be 15 other things (again, I was prepared for this). At this point he said if her blood work comes back fine, and it's not hurting her, there's other tests they could run, but if the breeder says it's ok, she seems fine. He did a thorough exam (much better than he ever did on my boxer) and will call me today with the results.

Tessa, your post means the world to me. Thank you for letting me know your precious boy went through this nightly in the beginning, too. I think Momo is just going to have to learn a new way to sleep, instead of on her back. Thank you again!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bulldogg]

Please keep us updated. I am certain that this will not be the last time someone has this, and the more we all know about these the more we can help future bullies. I have another friend on fb and it was just like that- constantly happened for a several days and then it just stopped all together. I should share this with her, maybe she has some input on their experience too...

 

[bluesteelapd]

Thank you bulldog! I certainly appreciate any help I can get on this!

 

[clafary]

Yeah my McLovin has had head tremors... after researching it, it seemed to only in his time of stress. My girls in heat, it would happen every time!!!! Then they seemed to go away for months!!! Then we had a litter of pups and it started back up again. Was told by the vet and other bully friends to get him fixed, so we did! IDK if that will cure it but yes it is a very scary thing to watch...

 

[TessaAndSamson]

Tessa, thank you so much for your post. We've done a ton of research on this, but nothing says "It will happen every day in the beginning, then should taper off". That's what scared us the most. I've been sick to my stomach worrying about this so I took her to the vet last night. I was prepared for no answers and that's what I got. They took blood and we'll have the results today. He said it could be this, it could be that, it could be 15 other things (again, I was prepared for this). At this point he said if her blood work comes back fine, and it's not hurting her, there's other tests they could run, but if the breeder says it's ok, she seems fine. He did a thorough exam (much better than he ever did on my boxer) and will call me today with the results.

Tessa, your post means the world to me. Thank you for letting me know your precious boy went through this nightly in the beginning, too. I think Momo is just going to have to learn a new way to sleep, instead of on her back. Thank you again!!!!!!!!!!

Oh you are so very welcome. I know what you are going through. I did tons of research on bulldogs before I got Samson and after but never came across information on these head tremors so I had no idea what it was. Honestly I started crying hysterically and just freaking out. I thought something terrible was happening, it was 5am in the morning and I was home alone. I'm lucky my vet office is open 24/7 for emergencies and I was able to talk to a vet right away that knew what they were. He calmed me down alot, then after we actually went in and I was able to talk to the vet in person and see that all his tests came back normal I was so relieved. Let us know what the results are!

 

[bluesteelapd]

Here's a video, taken a few mins ago, of Momo's head tremors. She's had 4 episodes in the past two hours. (I took her to the vet on Thursday, he did a great exam on her, took blood, results came in Friday. She's in perfect shape. 41.2 lbs, blood results were perfect. Idopathic head tremors was his dx for Momo. Deep sigh)

 

[Libra926]

I love the way her ears perked up with "here's your football". She's so precious. You talk her thru them like I do with Vegas. You are a good mom!

 

[Libra926]

I know this tread was started for information on head tremors, but I've received questions about Vegas seizures and I wanted to share. I've included videos of Vegas in various stages of seizures. Before, during and after. Usually before its fly-chasing, circle turning, and aggression. After it's pacing, running into things, and sleepiness.
http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/...er seizures/?action=view&current=MVI_1096.mp4
http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/...er seizures/?action=view&current=MVI_1182.mp4
http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/...er seizures/?action=view&current=MVI_1188.mp4
http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/...er seizures/?action=view&current=MVI_1184.mp4
http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/...er seizures/?action=view&current=MVI_1147.mp4
http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/...er seizures/?action=view&current=MVI_1186.mp4
http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/...er seizures/?action=view&current=MVI_1097.mp4

 

[bluesteelapd]

Thanks for sharing those videos with us all! It's one thing to read about these things and a whole nother thing to actually see what it looks like on video. I don't know how you do it. I'd be a basket case all day with what Vegas goes through, how do you stay strong to work through this? Is he on any medicaitons for it? How old is he? Thank you again for posting the videos, he's a handsome boy.

Oh yeah, and in one of the videos when you told him to sit, Momo, who was right next to me, sat down. ;-)

 

[Libra926]

Vegas will be 3 on August 4th. He was diagnosed when he was 10 months old. We have him on 2 seperate medications. Those videos are from earlier when he was only on a drug called potassium bromide. We've now also added Phenobarbital. He was seizure free for almost 4 months, then we brought Orion home. They started up again, but they are completely different. Before he would do the stuff before, he'd have a seizure, and the post-icle stage was horrible. He'd pace non-stop. He was inconsolable. Then he'd have another one. He'd have clusters of them. 3 an hour. 13 in a day. Some of them intense like the videos and some just face twitching. NOW, he averages one a month. He sometimes will show aggression before hand, or he will stare off into space. They often seem to happen in the early morning hours, when we are in bed. (that's why he sleeps with us) After he gets his wits back, he often will have to use the potty. (before he use to loose bowel control, now he doesn't) Then he climbs back into bed and goes to sleep. I have to make sure during his seizures that I keep him upright. He tends to often roll over to his side or back and with all the foaming, he might aspirate. He is a beautiful baby and a sweetheart. He has both my heart and my husbands. He definately lives up to his name. Addicted 2 Vegas.

 

[Libra926]

P.S. I love the edit key. Almost everything I post has been edited. I tend to proof read after I submit and find errors like crazy. I heart the edit key!!

 

[Aqualung]

We expereniced our first head tremor Fri night.. Stomper was laying inbed with us when she started with it..It looked exacly like the Vegas vid posted except no foaming at the mouth. It was truely scary to us.. I've had Boxers my whole life and never seen anything like it before..It took about half an hour before they stopped..She has not had any since Fri night..You could see on her face she was scared..Thank goodness I got her to relax and finally sleep..
Once this has happened,am I to expect more tremors ??

 

[TessaAndSamson]

We expereniced our first head tremor Fri night.. Stomper was laying inbed with us when she started with it..It looked exacly like the Vegas vid posted except no foaming at the mouth. It was truely scary to us.. I've had Boxers my whole life and never seen anything like it before..It took about half an hour before they stopped..She has not had any since Fri night..You could see on her face she was scared..Thank goodness I got her to relax and finally sleep..
Once this has happened,am I to expect more tremors ??

I'm sorry Aqualung, they are definitely very scary. Sam had them once to a couple times a day in the first week or so they started. Now it's more like once a month at the most. Went to the doctor for a full exam, blood/parasite testing and he was perfectly healthy. Momo's video above is a perfect example of a head tremor. Now when they start I give him a scoop of food and by the time he's done with it the tremor has stopped.

Happy to hear Momo got a clean bill of health!

 

[cali~jenn]

aqualung I am not sure what causes them or how often they are. With Cutty he has gotten them a few times and that was it. The last was over a year and a half ago but then we have switched foods in that time so maybe something in one caused it? I dont know but they say the bullies dont notice it so much and for cutty he never did. Probably the less reaction you have to it the better reaction stomper will have. Hopefully.

 

[mammyglicks]

I think this is what happened to my Bully last night. I thought it could have been his vaccines he had 4hrs prior but the breeder told me he could have low blood sugar and give him some Karo syrup. She didn't mention Idopathic Head Tremors as the problem. His head bob wasn't as fast as some of the ones I seen on youtube but i will keep my eye on him!!