Dog collapsing, shaking monthly: Could it be heartworm or flea meds?

Question

My dog is having an episode once a month that looks like ataxia and I'm trying to find a cause. Can it be caused by invermectin or other chemicals in his heartworm medications heartguard, tri-heart or his flea/tick meds usually a topical frontline or others? His symptoms include loss of motor function (he collapsed on the floor and cant walk or stand for 5-7 minutes), shaking all over his body, and his eyes seem to not be to concentrate on any particular thing. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 65 lbs

Summer Walker, DVM, MS · Accepted Answer

If the episodes occur in close proximity to administration of one of these products (24-48 hours) then it could be related to the medication. In these cases the product should be stopped and the pet should be transitioned to a different one. Another potential cause could be a type of seizure. You did not mention an age for Max, but seizures in dogs can be due to epilepsy (typically diagnosed at a young age but can be diagnosed later in life), metabolic cause (hypoglycemia, Addison's disease), central nervous system infections/inflammation, or an intracranial mass (typically more of a concern in older patients). If he has not had a full physical exam performed recently by his veterinarian I would recommend having it done, along with routine wellness blood work (serum chemistry, complete blood count) to rule-out organ dysfunction/metabolic cause.

Dog collapsing, shaking monthly: Could it be heartworm or flea meds?

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