Petit Mal

George had a petit mal in early December. He recovered within a day and has been doing well since. It was similar to his grand mal in some respects. One moment he was resting next to me, the next moment he jumped down and ran off. In April when he had his grand mal he collapsed and convulsed violently for a minute. With the petit mal he ran into the bedroom and climbed into the bottom on a closet and curled up on some clothes; in response we just turned off all the lights and noise and let him be for a while. I gave him a double dose of diazepam that evening, and for the next 2 days. The next day he had little appetite and was lethargic. The following day he was back to normal.

I guess there is good news in this. There is a chance he has epilepsy. At any rate he has some neurological disorder which causes him to twitch and very mildly convulse fairly frequently all the time. The diazepam manages to keep his condition in check. He only has had two significant fits, one 9 months ago, the other a month ago. It is a relief that the grand mal was not due to a brain tumor; if it had been George would not be alive.

A side benefit of the diazepam is that it increases his appetite. George weighs about the same as he did a year ago, perhaps slightly more. George was diagnosed with chronic renal failure 5 years ago, and had only 25% kidney function at that time. Last Summer he had bloodwork which indicated levels of bad stuff had significantly increased in the 4 months since the previous bloodwork. In September he had a sinus infection which went away in a few days after an injection of antibiotics.

The joy is that 99% of the time George seems entirely normal. He is affectionate and playful. He eats well. He is not dehydrated.

On the other hand George has always been indisposed about visit to the vet. In the past 2 years that has escalated to where it is virtually impossible to take him to the vet. Fortunately, our vet is amenable to consulting over the phone and via email. I give George his diazepam in an ointment which I apply to his ear. He is very comfortable with this. I also have antibiotic which I can apply this way but I have yet to use it.

When I say that George is impossible at the vet, picture Linda Blair in the Exorcist, with fangs and claws. Beyond control. At home he is totally different, at least with me, most of the time, and to some extent with my wife. He has his boundaries.