Border Terrier people? Spike's disease

[smoofox]

Are there any Border Terrier people out there on COTH?

Yesterday morning, my happy, funny, bouncy 3 1/2 year old BT went from playing with his ball on the lawn to flip-flopping uncontrollably in a matter of seconds. He was like a fish out of water. He would seem to recover if he could lay on his tummy with his back legs splayed like frog legs - then try to walk with his front legs flailing and fall over again. At one point he vomited so violently that he was knocked backwards. This struggle went on for about 10 minutes… and then suddenly he was quiet and a bit confused. I rushed him to the emergency hospital. He should have been wiggly and delighted to meet new people - but he just sat there quietly and observed everything that was going on. They pulled blood and we stayed for a couple of hours just to monitor him. He slowly became brighter and very intrigued by all the activity.

We came home and he slept for a couple of hours. No restrictions on food or activity at this point. I need to keep a log on any more episodes - duration, escalation etc.

My first thought went to Spike’s Disease. The emergency vet seemed dubious.

https://www.ufaw.org.uk/dogs/border-terrier-canine-epileptoid-cramping-syndrome

I found this video that shows an episode that was much milder than what my Flint went through… he flopped a lot more.

Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome (CECS)

Thank God for my pet insurance. I will be following up with our regular vet.

I know this shows up in other breeds as well - like Cavaliers.

Any thoughts? Insight?

Tally (left) and Flint (right)…

[trubandloki]

Jingles.

That sounds so scary.

Your dog is too young for it to be vestibular syndrome.

[Rallycairn]

Like trubandloki, my first thought was vestibular syndrome, because it sounded just like my girl who had it once (and only once, thank God), but she was indeed older at the time, and I didn’t know it was necessarily age related. Still seems worth ruling out, perhaps. Many jingles for your baby.

eta: My Cinder was suddenly seeming to be hurling herself to the ground almost, usually head and shoulders first, and kind of flop around, and she’d flip from one side to the other. Once my vet told me what it was, it made total sense in that she absolutely seemed like she didn’t know where she was in space/ didn’t know which way was up.

[smoofox]

I had a smooth fox terrier (hence my screen name) years ago who had vestibular syndrome… this was not the same. Plus his eyes were normal - not the sad flickering back and forth that my SFT had. The vet ruled that out as well - but I appreciate the help and suggestions!

I was worried that maybe he had had other episodes when I was not home and just did not see them… but then I realized that my older BT Tally would not have been as freaked out as she was when this happened. It was obviously something new and alarming to her, too.

This morning she is acting very strangely towards Flint… circling around him, a bit anxious, laying right next to him. She has always been a bit of an empath with the horses and I am wondering if she “feels” another episode coming on. I will keep him in my sight - and am going to order a little camera so I can check on him if I am not home…

[punchy]

Is he on flea/tick meds?