Please help - Sudden erratic behaviour, scared, distressed, hidding?! lasts for hours!?

I’m hoping someone may be able to help me.

My dog is 6 years old I have had her for the last 3 years. She is really fit and healthy has no health issues I’m aware of.

In the last 8/9 months or so bluebell (my dog) has had 3 ‘episodes’ that are causing me to worry quite allot! She goes.... very strange, its quite hard to describe but I’m going to do my best...

She will be led in her bed, and suddenly her eyes will go really wide her ears are back and she will suddenly pounce up and run around the house, not a normal run...the kind of run staffys do when there really excited and they really push themselves along with the hind legs. She will then stop lie on the ground ears back eyes wide for like 5 minutes and then she will go off again jump into the corner of the sofa and curl up, but her back legs are kicking out while she is led down, eyes still wide and ears back. If you try to comfort her she runs away to another room...

Now all of this sounds like shes playing... she does do this when she is playing but its her face she clearly distressed and almost scared...or in pain...this is not her being playful i can see and so can my family that shes really distressed.

We had one of these episodes last night...it lasted hours....untill she finally fell asleep on our bed, we woke up this morning and she wasn’t as bad as she was but she still wasn’t right....ive noticed 3 viens have appeard on her side of her belly and down her back leg....really big like shes been lifting weights or something!

Im really worried it may be a seizure, epileptic attack? She didn’t do anything out of the ordinary I had walked her for only 45 minutes so not a really long walk so she was over worked...

I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas, please no one comment that it sounds like she was just hyper or wanted to play...i know my dog...and each time these episodes have happend shes been clearly upset...

I am going to take her to the vet but there’s nothing visually wrong with her, and now she’s back to her normal self... i hope she doesn’t, but i feel she will have another ‘episode’ which i will be sure to record to show a vet what is happening...

Im just looking for some kind of answer if any one could help? Or has anything similar happen?

Thank you very much

Phillippa *One very worried doggy mummy!*

That does sound distressing for her, sorry I'm not much help as I have never come across it personally.

It's a great idea to video the behaviour for the vet to take a look at when you get there though.

Aww it does sound really distressing I think a trip to the vets is needed. I don't have any personal experience sorry but hopefully someone will pop along shortly who can help

Hope you get things sorted and the vet can help , sorry I have no experience of this behaviour but please keep us updated on the situation

I would definitely take her to the vets, let us know what they say x

I knows it's awful when happening but if you can record it to show the vet, we did with ruby as her seizures were different to when our older dog had them. Hope you find out some answers. Hugs Jane and ruby

Does Bluebell have any other quirks that you've noticed when she's not having an episode?
When you got her did she have any papers or health check results?

I think Jane's idea about recording these episodes is a great one. This way the vet will be able to see exactly what is happening.

Hello all! well She had another episode on the weekend and I remembered your advice and recorded the episode! shown to the vet and YAY YAY YAY she doesnt think its a neurological problem, like epilepsy or a tumour or anything, because the muscles are spasming its not like a fit or seizure. She thinks it may be a behavioural issue, almost like shes worked her self up into a state and doesnt know how to calm down almost. she said it could be a number of things but physically she is fighting fit! perfect condition! so mind it put to ease a little!

That's great news that's its nothing major poor bluebell lets hope you can find a way to help her manage these episodes

Great news!

Glad your mind's a little more at rest.

Could you tell me which brand of food you feed her - have you changed her food recently?

Hi there so glad she is physically ok!! i know this sounds mighty strange but have you ever noticed anything odd in your house at all, dogs have a wicked sense of picking things up that we dont see!!

I have been having similar episodes with my 13 yr old boy! He runs from corner to corner of the house and trys to dig his way out by the fence, It's actually been happening for a few years, at first we put it down to a nasty ear infection being irritated by the washing machine vibrations (sounds bizarre but that's when he used to do it!) Then he started doing it when certain tool batteries were charging... and now he just does it... The only time he stays calm when he has these episodes is if we're not doing anything i.e watching t.v or if we put him in the car he settles down, which is also strange because he hates long car rides! If he's worked up and I'm doing the house work or walking around tidying he goes nuts No ones been able to shed any light on it, we've also moved several times over the years but he hasn't changed his behavior at all..

My old poodle used to do this, he ran up and down the hall like a nut. He was crazy. When she does this i would try to find something that will snap her out of it; a squeaky toy, treats, water (although i normall don't condone spraying with water.) I think it is important you can control it because dogs who "loose" themselves can accidentallly harm you and a staffy headbutt is not nice!

Wow. Never heard anything like this before. How strange and scary? It almost sounds like sleep walking..but in dogs!