Seizures

When he was young, less than a year old, Kaiser had a couple of seizures. Both were in the morning, as I would hear him waking up, and knowing he would need to go outside to do his morning duties, I would let him out. Both times he took off outside at a reasonable jog, then I saw him flop over on his side, then his legs would flail. As I saw it happen, I had a feeling of total helplessness. Of course, there was nothing I could do. I approached him carefully, and I remember the first time, I thought he was choking on something, because his breathing seemed erratic. I used my fingers to make sure his airway was clear, then softly patted his side, and in a minute or two, he came out of it and slowly made his way back to his feet. I recall it happened again a few weeks later and then no more.

Until this past year, when he had some other health problems. He's had four or five seizures this year, but none the past three months. Of course, I'm not sure of the reason, Boxers are said to be prone to seizures, but all of them seemed to be preceded by scolding him for some reason or another. It's been a wet year, and he likes to drink water from puddles. Not usually a huge problem, but with his other problems, his thirst can be insatiable. So I would go get him at whatever puddle he would be at, would tell him sternly something like "Kaiser, you know you aren't supposed to drink from puddles, c'mon, let's get to the house". He would go into a light jog and Blammo! down on his side, stiff legged and once he even lost control of his bowels. There's not a lot I could do, just help him through it and help him to his feet when it was past. I still have a sense of panic and worry when it happens, but after this year, they are easier to deal with, but probably not for him. :-(