Seizure advice

MorganLover

MorganLover

New Member
Hi everyone, i don't think i have posted a thread here. I have responded a few times but never started a thread so HELLO :howdy: . I have a 12 year old rottie and she was diagnosed with epilepsy in Feb as well as spondylosis http://www.dogstuff.info/spondylosis_deformans_lanting.html she takes steriods for that and is on Phenobarbital twice a day for the seizures. I'd like to have some opinions from others with dogs with this disease or both diseases. She has been doing really well since feb with not 1 seizure but with in the past 3 weeks has now had 2 and needed valium to sedate her to get her out of them. She will need bloodwork again soon and it is just becoming so expensive. I LOVE her i have had her since before she was born (mother breeders rotties and we show them.) How have you guys managed with seizuring dogs and the cost of the bloodwork ever few months? Thanks for any advice. :huggy:
 
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Inkpen

Guest
MorganLover said:
Hi everyone, i don't think i have posted a thread here. I have responded a few times but never started a thread so HELLO :howdy: . I have a 12 year old rottie and she was diagnosed with epilepsy in Feb as well as spondylosis http://www.dogstuff.info/spondylosis_deformans_lanting.html she takes steriods for that and is on Phenobarbital twice a day for the seizures. I'd like to have some opinions from others with dogs with this disease or both diseases. She has been doing really well since feb with not 1 seizure but with in the past 3 weeks has now had 2 and needed valium to sedate her to get her out of them. She will need bloodwork again soon and it is just becoming so expensive. I LOVE her i have had her since before she was born (mother breeders rotties and we show them.) How have you guys managed with seizuring dogs and the cost of the bloodwork ever few months? Thanks for any advice. :huggy:
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Soory about you pup..but so glad you are on top of this disease.
Ofter times, lab work needs to be done to measure the phenobarb level and sometimes that means nothing and other times, like perhaps now, the amount of phenobarb needs to be adjusted.
That is normal in dogs and cats that have siezures.
Talk long with your vet, ask good questions and know that there is really no cure for many seizure disorders.
Hang in there and give an update when you get them Hugs to you and your pup. :huggy:
 
H

hollywoman

New Member
We will say a prayer for you and your Rottie. We had a yellow lab with the same and on the same meds. One of our many concerns was the effects of the meds on his liver and kidneys. We often had to keep him islolated after an attack, since he didn't know where and what he was doing. Come to find out after 6 months he had a brain tumor. But our pets can live a long life with the meds and to be comforted by their owners when these attacks happen.
 
Cowgirl

Cowgirl

Well-Known Member
Morgan, my sister's dog has seizures. She's on phenobarb...and she only has a seizure MAYBE once a month. It did take a little time to get the dosage correctly. You should find a good vet who will take the time to adjust the levels correctly. Are you in Easton? :confused: I can't remember where you said you lived. Dr. Harris is a livetock vet, but he has a practice in Easton and they also have a small animal practice. Phenobarb is pretty cheap...so hopefully they'll figure out the dosage and you won't have to get many more blood tests.
 
MorganLover

MorganLover

New Member
Cowgirl said:
Morgan, my sister's dog has seizures. She's on phenobarb...and she only has a seizure MAYBE once a month. It did take a little time to get the dosage correctly. You should find a good vet who will take the time to adjust the levels correctly. Are you in Easton? :confused: I can't remember where you said you lived. Dr. Harris is a livetock vet, but he has a practice in Easton and they also have a small animal practice. Phenobarb is pretty cheap...so hopefully they'll figure out the dosage and you won't have to get many more blood tests.
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Cowgril (yes i am in easton) and she is seeing Dr Steve Harris. He has been great, the dose has been fine til now and i know i need to have bloodwork redone so we can see what her level of meds needs to go up too. Like i said she hasn't had ONE since feb and in Feb she was actually in a constant state of a seizure she was acting wierd and off for a few days and by the time i got her to dr steve she was in a constant up and down seizure to the point she couldn't function. I mean i thought it was the end for her and Dr steve even said she was going to take A LOT OF WORK, and she did, i had to hand walk her with 2 towels for 3 months (that was more b/c of the spinal arthritus then the seizures but IMO they are hand in hand b/c it presses on the spinal cord.) anyway, after starting her on the pheno that day it was my birthday Feb 8th she hasn't had a seizure since til 3 weeks ago and til today. They are super scary but i just stand by her and make sure she doesn't hurt herself and keep myself to her back so she cant get me with her teeth as she is jerking around. I just wanted to get people's opinion on when they think it is time. I hate seeing her in these "fits" i'll call them. And they look too painful. We have done bloodwork to look for cancer and other things, and her bloodwork is 100%, he took xrays thinking her hips were causing her problems in her back end ( told her that is NOT her problem b/c she is OFA great and her hips are wonderful, he did them anyway, glad he did b/c he did find her hips to be 100% at being 12 that is saying something not 1 bit of athritus in there, but found the spinal arthritus.) That alone has me worried b/c i am sure that is super painful and i don't know how she does it day an and day out with all that pain and not one thing for pain meds. Well this has gotten long sorry. :huggy:
 
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Cowgirl

Cowgirl

Well-Known Member
MorganLover said:
Cowgril (yes i am in easton) and she is seeing Dr Steve Harris. He has been great, he dose has been fine til now and i know i need to have bloodwork redone so we can see what her level of meds needs to go up too. Like i said she hasn't had ONE since feb and in Feb she was actually in a constant state of a seizure she was acting wierd and off for a few days and by the time i got her to dr steve she was in a constant up and down seizure to the point she couldn't function. I mean i thought it was the end for her and Dr steve even said she was going to take A LOT OF WORK, and she did, i had to hand walk her with 2 towels for 3 months (that was more b/c of the spinal arthritus the the seizures but IMO they are hand in hand b/c it presses on the spinal cord.) anyway, after starting her on the pheno that day it was my birthday Feb 8th she hasn't had a seizure since til 3 weeks ago and til today. They are super scary but i just stand by her and make sure she doesn't hurt herself and keep myself to her back so she cant get me with her teeth as she is jerking around. I just wanted to get people opinion on when they think it is time. I hate seeing her in these "fits" i'll call them. And they look to painful. We have done bloodwork to look for cancer and other things, and her bloodwork is 100%, he took xrays thinking her hips were causing her problems in her back end ( told her that is NOT her problem b/c she is OFA great and her hips are wonderful, he did them anyway, glad he did b/c he did find her hips to be 100% at being 12 that is saying something not 1 bit of athritus in there, but found the spinal arthritus.) That alone has me worried b/c i am sure that is super painful and i don't know how she does it day an and day out with all that pain and not one thing for pain meds. Well this has gotten long sorry. :huggy:
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I LOVE Steve!!! He's great! It is hard watching your pet have a seizure...my sister's dog had one the last time I visited. She had thrown up her meds the day before...the seizure lasted for over an hour. There's nothing we could do except hold her the whole time. Poor dog...she was wiped out when she came around. It definitely shakes you up if you're not used to seeing it. Good luck with your dog! :huggy:
 
MorganLover

MorganLover

New Member
Cowgirl said:
I LOVE Steve!!! He's great! It is hard watching your pet have a seizure...my sister's dog had one the last time I visited. She had thrown up her meds the day before...the seizure lasted for over an hour. There's nothing we could do except hold her the whole time. Poor dog...she was wiped out when she came around. It definitely shakes you up if you're not used to seeing it. Good luck with your dog! :huggy:
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Yes i do too. He really really cares about every animal he sees. He knows my mother as well so he has been taking care of our line of rotties for a long time. Happy is my mother on the horse forums.
 
cattitude

cattitude

My Sweetest Boy
After my Golden began having seizures when he was about 2 and not liking the effects of the phenobarbital, I started doing a lot of reading on epilepsy in canines. Granted there can be other reasons, but A LOT of seizures can be brought on by poor quality food...certain preservatives, and many of the additives are triggers.

Once I changed his food, his seizures stopped and he was having them pretty regularly prior to the food change.

My lab used to get them and now he gets maybe one a year.
 
MorganLover

MorganLover

New Member
cattitude said:
After my Golden began having seizures when he was about 2 and not liking the effects of the phenobarbital, I started doing a lot of reading on epilepsy in canines. Granted there can be other reasons, but A LOT of seizures can be brought on by poor quality food...certain preservatives, and many of the additives are triggers.

Once I changed his food, his seizures stopped and he was having them pretty regularly prior to the food change.

My lab used to get them and now he gets maybe one a year.
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WE believe her seizures are being brought on by the spinal arthritus. I have not changed her food and she has been on this since she was a puppy (mom used it too and when i moved out and took Harlee with me i kept her on this.) I would think that if it was the food she would have had signs before now? She is 12 and just started having them. I have compaired the ingrediants and the other additives to Iams and it is better quality products in it then Iams IMO of coarse. That is good information though. Her case is a little different, the pheno HELPS A LOT thank GOD, i can't stand seeing her in her seizures, and from going to tons of seizures a day to the point that she wouldn't come out of the seizure to now not having one for MONTHS is great. Dr Harris is so pleased with her reaction to the meds b/c it normally helps ti decrease the amount not totally take the seizures away like it has til now, i think once we change her dose she will come right back to not having any again til she needs another does increase.

I just wanted to know how long do other owners keep their dogs on the medication before other problems come about, or til they know it is time for the rainbow.
 
cattitude

cattitude

My Sweetest Boy
Iams isn't a very good dog food. I'd switch to something natural..or even raw...diet can make a big difference, especially in an ailing senor.

Good luck with your old girl.
 
Labs4Me

Labs4Me

New Member
cattitude said:
After my Golden began having seizures when he was about 2 and not liking the effects of the phenobarbital, I started doing a lot of reading on epilepsy in canines. Granted there can be other reasons, but A LOT of seizures can be brought on by poor quality food...certain preservatives, and many of the additives are triggers.

Once I changed his food, his seizures stopped and he was having them pretty regularly prior to the food change.

My lab used to get them and now he gets maybe one a year.
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:yeahthat:
My Golden mix used to seizure quite often (along with all his other issues!). After switching him to a raw diet and limiting unnecessary vaccines he hasn't had a seizure in almost 10 years!! Pretty amazing!
 
BlackSheep

BlackSheep

New Member
I use Bach's Rescue Remedy on one of my hounds-tried the Phenobarbital route but my poor "Young Pip" ended up looking like a lawn ornament! The vet could never get the dosage adjusted for the lil guy. He knows (for lack of a better word) when he going to have one-he will get up in my face-virtually on top of me, start to pant and get that wild eyed look-I spray some of the mist in his mouth and w/in seconds he calms down and the seizure subsides. Works for him and ME!
 
Labs4Me

Labs4Me

New Member
BlackSheep said:
I use Bach's Rescue Remedy on one of my hounds-tried the Phenobarbital route but my poor "Young Pip" ended up looking like a lawn ornament! The vet could never get the dosage adjusted for the lil guy. He knows (for lack of a better word) when he going to have one-he will get up in my face-virtually on top of me, start to pant and get that wild eyed look-I spray some of the mist in his mouth and w/in seconds he calms down and the seizure subsides. Works for him and ME!
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Yeah Rescue Remedy is pretty great stuff! I've always got it in my house and barn. I also really like all of Equilite's flower essences. I've had some amazing results using them with my one mare.
 
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