Schnauzer seizures??

Question
I have a three year old male schnauzer.  He seems very happy and well adjusted.  However, approximately 8 months ago, I noticed a different behavior from him.  He will do alot of smelling of the air and ground, look quickly at his behind (as if something had bit him) and snap at the air, as if he is trying to catch imaginary flies with his mouth.  I had him checked for allergies and he may have a mild food allergy, and his food has been switched for several months to a non-wheat base.  Our vet says she has observed this type of behavior in other schnauzers in the past (she says she has also seen it in irish setters), and she thinks it is some sort of mild seizure.  She advised a mild sedative may be prescribed for him if it worsens.  Have you observed these traits in schnauzers before, and are you aware of any treatment??

Answer
When electrical impulses in the brain go haywire, they short-circuit normal brain processes, resulting in a seizure. Seizures can occur in dogs of all ages, although they seem to start most frequently between the ages of 1-3. There are two major groups of problems: brain and non-brain problems.

Brain problems that cause seizures may include true epilepsy, brain infections, degenerative conditions of brain tissue, brain tumors, stroke-like conditions, blood clots and injury to the head.

Non-brain problems that may cause seizures include ingested poisons, kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, low-blood sugar, hypothyroidism, nerve and muscle problems and infections.

Epilepsy is either idiopathic or aquired.

My first assumption would NOT be that your dog's fly-biting is due to allergies, although one veterinarian has proposed the thought-provoking idea that seizures are the direct result of trying to release the build-up of toxins in the body, basically due to the inability to digest grains of any kind. http://dogtorj.tripod.com/

I would most certainly have further tests run, i.e. thyroid and liver functions, as those two things are primary causes of seizures. Here are a couple very good sites about epilepsy:

http://www.canine-epilepsy.net/basics/basics_main.html

http://www.canine-epilepsy.net/flybite/flybite.html

Good luck with your dog!