My dog's seizures stopped after benign tumor removal. Is it related?

The concern is often more linked to a tumour of the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain. The tumour can be benign or malignant and what it does it is stimulating the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. If the pituitary tumour grows, it can cause neurological signs and therefore seizures too. The masses can be quite large , over 1 cm , and cause symptoms related to pressure to the brain structures nearby. If the seizures are not very frequent, it means the tumour rate of growth is not that fast, and this is a good sign in itself. However an MRI would be able to provide more information and allow monitoring, if possible.

The good response to phenobarb makes a tumour less likely - these tend to respond very poorly and continue to have increasing seizures despite medication. His age also makes epilepsy likely so I would continue with the treatment as prescribed for 3-6months and possibly taper down carefully after this if no seizures occurring, or maintain as is if stable and limited side effects

Initially it will be important to make sure they were seizures and not heart related (syncope/arrhythmia) as these can appear similar. Try to catch an event on video for your neurologist and document what happens before, during, and after the event. You are right the most common sign of a brain tumor is new onset seizures. But we do also always rule out any other causes like systemic issues, heart issues, and any other cancer elsewhere in the body. There are also other problems that can occur in the brain like inflammation. Ultimately what your neurologist will recommend will be based on the exam and information you provide but is likely to include chest xrays, an abdominal ultrasound, and MRI +/- CSF tap. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This does look like a mass that should be removed as it looks raw and is a perfect host for a bacterial infection. Please have your veterinarian examin this mass. There likely is no connection between this mass and your dog's seizures. Young dogs sometimes suffer from what we call idiopathic seizures (cause unknown) and older dogs that have never had a seizure before, can suffer from a brain tumor causing seizures. You should keep a diary of the seizures: situation that triggers it, time start, time ends, what the seizure looks like. If the seizure lasts more than 4-5 minutes your dog needs to see a vet right away, as this can cause hyperthermia and damage the brain. If you can you should take a little video of one such seizure to take with you to the vet and show him. Please make an appointment with your vet for an exam. He may want to put himi on anti-seizure medication such as phenobarbital.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Seizures can occur due to many reasons that go from a toxicity, metabolic diseases, inflammatory diseases and even tumors including brain tumors. I highly recommend that you have Casey evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. Diagnostics that will be recommended will include bloodwork and advanced imaging such as an MRI. They would also be able to start her on anti-seizure medications to try to avoid the onset of more seizures. Good luck and have a good day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Sebecous adenomas are benign skin growth and commonly occur as dogs age. They usually get to be the size of pea or pencil eraser. If they begin to bother the dog or groomers cut them with clippers then you can talk about having them removed with your vet, but more will typically reappear.

These are quite common in older pets. Most of these sebaceous gland tumors/cysts are benign (non-cancerous); however, they can grow and cause pets irritation, which can lead to ulcerations and infection. I would consider having it removed surgically if it seems problematic for June. Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope that everything works out well for your pet June. Take care!