Those with danes

I think my mom's dane is a goner this year :( He's 8 now and has really gone downhill the past month or so. He started having a strange cough and a couple odd episodes in which he would back up and not move. I don't live at home, so I don't know exactly what he was doing. My mom called me yesterday and said he had a seizure :( It's so sad that they don't live very long, he's too young! Mom is even really crazy about him not running too much or getting too worked up because their hearts are too small for their bodies. I'm not sure if it matters, but she does her best to keep him calm and relaxed in fear that he'll have a heart attack or something. My dalmatian had seizures all the time and was on meds for epilepsy, but it's a common thing in old dalmatians. He went to the vet after the two minor episodes and the cough, and he checked out. The vet wants to see if he continues to get seizures or if it was just a fluke, then do blood work, and possibly put him on meds. He also moves really slow, I call him Eeyore.

Anyone else have experience with this or know if getting seizures in old age is normal for danes? We all knew it was coming, but it still sucks. This poor guy had a rough life. My mom adopted him at 5 and he had already been through two rescue homes. He was found at a year old tied to tree for the entire first year of his life!

I had to post pictures of the goof
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...a/dogs/124.jpg
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...a/dogs/123.jpg

Onyx and Herky, Herky is 3, both were rescued.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...xandherky3.jpg
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...xandherky2.jpg

I love Danes. Always wanted to own one but would never put myself through the torture because I know they have a lot of health problems. Their average life span is only 9 years or so. You mom is doing a good thing to keep him calm because they also suffer from bloat.

Im not a vet but I have heard that seizures are common in most old aged dogs. Sometimes you will need to try several different meds until you find one that actually helps. However, unless the seizures are constant (at least once a month) the vet might decide that meds are not necessary. Again I am not a vet and am only telling you what I have research myself when I have had similar issues with my pets. Hypoglycemia is also makes dogs have seizure like symptoms so your mom can get him checked for that.

It wasn't a great dane, but my boyfriend's dog is somewhere in the 10-12 y/o range and had a spell where she was having seizures, walking in strange directions, and was generally unwell. they didn't think she would make it past a day or two, but it turned out what she had was an extremely severe inner ear infection. they put her on medicine for it and she still lives to wreak havoc, though she wasn't exactly the same dog because of the seizures. I don't know if thats useful or fit the bill for your situation, but i thought it sounded similar

Thank you to both of you. They did say something about it possibly being a sugar problem and that it could cause seizures. I guess it's just a waiting game for now. I'm not sure I could ever handle having a dane either. Just a few months ago I thought there was no way Onyx was going to die a 8 years old. It's so weird how quickly he turned into an old man. His face is just covered with gray hairs now :(

I don't know much about Great Danes other than the info on this page, the typical info you can pick up by googling. I hope he pulls through for your mom, he and his buddy are beautiful! One day far from now, I will get a dane. No matter if they have a short life span, I just love the breed so much!

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Originally Posted by Elise.m

I don't know much about Great Danes other than the info on this page, the typical info you can pick up by googling. I hope he pulls through for your mom, he and his buddy are beautiful! One day far from now, I will get a dane. No matter if they have a short life span, I just love the breed so much!

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Yeah I hope so! 8 is so young, but typically sites say the lifespan is 8-10 years. I guess I wouldn't be surprise if he doesn't live all that much longer given his younger years and I'm sure his breeding wasn't good. I guess they googled seizures and found that it's not common for it to start in old age, it usually starts when they are young. Who knows though. I was just hoping someone with lots of danes would chime in. I know there are a few on this site!

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

Yeah I hope so! 8 is so young, but typically sites say the lifespan is 8-10 years. I guess I wouldn't be surprise if he doesn't live all that much longer given his younger years and I'm sure his breeding wasn't good. I guess they googled seizures and found that it's not common for it to start in old age, it usually starts when they are young. Who knows though. I was just hoping someone with lots of danes would chime in. I know there are a few on this site!

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One possibility for seizures starting late would be a brain tumor. If there is metastasis to the lungs, that would cause coughing. I'm not saying that is what it is, just that cancer could explain both symptoms. He's a gorgeous dog - I hope he's okay.

Awwwwwwww :( I hope he is okay!!! Both of those Danes are big beauties!! My wife likes Danes a lot :gj:

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Originally Posted by aahmn

One possibility for seizures starting late would be a brain tumor. If there is metastasis to the lungs, that would cause coughing. I'm not saying that is what it is, just that cancer could explain both symptoms. He's a gorgeous dog - I hope he's okay.

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Ah yeah, that's a good idea. I'll have to tell them and they can talk to the vet about it. So far he's been doing good, no episodes yet. The vet is an interesting person. He's our horse vet as well, he knows his stuff, but probably not as much as more experienced vets. One thing I don't like about him is that if your cat comes up FIV+ he won't let you take your cat back, he puts it to sleep right then! I'm appalled by that.

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Originally Posted by Boanerges

Awwwwwwww :( I hope he is okay!!! Both of those Danes are big beauties!! My wife likes Danes a lot :gj:

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So far he's been doing fine! They are beautiful dogs! Total sweethearts and huge goofs! I have a 5 lb chihuahua that bosses around that 145 lb brindle dane, it's hilarious! My chi loves the Onyx the black dane, but he has a vendetta against Herky, who is the biggest baby! He'll run after the Herky, tell him where he can stand in his own house, how can can play with the other dogs, where he can lay, and what toys he can play with :rofl:

Great pics my dad has two the same colour black and white over in Scotland.... hope he pulls through it ok :D