We got our dog about 4 months ago, and he's been relatively healthy since we got him. His previous owner was giving him away (posted an ad online) and I couldn't figure out why she wouldn't want him any longer... and I'm wondering if maybe this is why.

As I said, he's been relatively healthy. He was severely flea infested when we got him, but that's been taken care of. Didn't have any vaccinations aside from rabies, so we got that taken care of as well (they had apparently never taken him to the vet, just the rabies clinic). He had hookworm, and we got him dewormed and he's been fine. At first he was vomiting quite a bit, but I think that was possibly nerves from everything being so new and different, because he has been vomit-free for about a month now.

He was with my partner and I all day yesterday, so we know he didn't get into anything he shouldn't have or eaten anything bad for him... I went out to the store and my partner was home with him... when I came home, he jumped into the window and started barking as usual- I came in, but then he just disappeared into his crate in the corner- very unusual, as he usually will either follow me around when I first come home until I pay attention to him or jump up at my feet... I called him out of his crate to see what was wrong with him, and he was walking very strangely- with his back legs spread apart, very stiff... I thought that maybe he had jumped off the couch and dislocated something at first- but he didn't seem to really be in pain, wasn't whining... just walking really weird... I tried to get him to walk to me to see how he was walking and figure out what was wrong with him... he struggled to come to me, then tried to lay down... finally got down, and then laid on his back...

His whole body became very stiff, he had his head back, his eyes wide, and he was shaking... not violently (I had a bichon who had seizures in old age due to tumors, and this was somewhat different- he wasn't flailing about, just... vibrating almost)- his jaws were clenched, and he wasn't blinking, wasn't responding...

We called the vet, got the ER clinic number, and got up to grab our phones and keys and leave-- a few seconds later, he came out to follow us and was walking stiffly still but not seizing any longer...

We figured we'd take him for a walk outside and see if he was okay, maybe it was just a fluke thing and nothing to worry about... at first, he was fine- we walked him as usual, he pulled at the leash excited to run in the snow... he pooped twice (which is unusual- usually he only goes once, and it takes him forever to find his 'perfect spot' to go in)- and then we tried to get him to go back inside, thinking he was okay again... he wouldn't go up the steps and just stayed very stiff and still... we decided since he still wasn't himself we'd take him... and while my partner went to lock up the house, I walked him a little more and he started stumbling and falling over to one side... walking into things... didn't go into a full out seizure again, but seemed like he was about to... so I picked him up and carried him to the car...

We took him to the clinic, and he was very calm on the car ride there- (usually he's freaking out and looking out the window, but he just stayed curled up in my lap)- by the time we got him to the clinic, he seemed like himself again-

The vet there said the usual- sounds like a seizure, there's no way of knowing what it was from, that she assumed based on his weight (he's tiny) that maybe it was related to his blood sugar level, and to try feeding him three times a day instead of two to keep it better regulated... that he may be epileptic and that this is the age it would start showing up... that it could be a lot of other things and that we should have blood work done... or it could just be a fluke thing and he'll never have one again.

Another concern of mine is the food we've been feeding him- he's been eating Kibbles & Bits since we got him, as that's what his previous owner had fed him and we didn't want to change his diet drastically and mess up his digestive system- However, I noticed that Kibbles and Bits is made by Del Monte, which had a number of recalls... Also, we had gotten him Ol'Roy Dog Biscuits- another company with many recalls- do you think that giving him these could have caused this?

We haven't given him any treats or kibbles and bits since last night- we sometimes will give him Natural Life soft canned dog food when his stomach is upset, so we've been feeding him that since last night- any info on that brand of dog food? Or any recommendations for what to feed him (dog food brands? Or just stay away from dog food and make him meats and veggies?)

He's been very tired since last night, which the vet said is normal... we're just trying to keep him calm and let him get some rest, like the vet advised us to do.

Just wanted to get some opinions from people here about what could cause a seizure in an otherwise healthy dog, how common epilepsy is in his breed, what is recommended to keep it from happening again, etc. Any info would be appreciated.

You got the usual answers on seizures. They are quite scary. Often there is very little the vet can do. Years ago, my Taffy had one, but graduated as a dog guide and worked until just before she died at 13 with no more trouble. Other dogs have repeated ones. There is little we can do here except suggest staying in touch with the vet. I am afraid the answers you would like don't exist.

I highly doubt the diet has anything to do with it. Very few of the recalls were for dry chows, and none of the major brands of dry food were recalled. We now know to watch anything coming from China very carefully. I would stick with the Kibbles and Bits.

Most of what you read about dog chow is based on marketing hype of those selling expensive chows at a high mark up. I know many of the charges against the common brands are just plain lies. I am part of a program that has thousands of dogs thriving on Pro Plan. I also know of similar programs feeding Iams, Eukanuba, and Purina 1. All those products score very poorly compared to many other products. I question the validity of a system that give low scores to products dogs thrive on.

Please don't experiment on your own dog with a home made diet. While dog's nutritional needs are well known, providing the complete and balanced diet they need is beyond the average dog owner. Many of those advocating them just happen to be selling the hard to find ingredients you need. As far as I am concerned, they are no better than the people running puppy mills.