hope they get the meds levelled soon bless her x

I'm sure it's just a case of sorting her meds out. It can take a while, and my vet reckons that Collies can take longer to get established on medication than some other breeds. My Mum's Lottie had a fit last night too.

Thanks Aitch honey. After we finish the current batch of pills, the vet is going to change them to a higher dosage so we will only have to give her 2 Phenobarbitol at the higher dosage and one Epilease so that will be better. Yes, we have a diary of when she's had the fits but at the minute we can't seem to find a common denominator. Will keep logging them though just in case. Thanks for that. xxxxx

Thanks Dani, she's just had a good play and is now out cold on the floor xx

Thanks Anne-Marie. We are tired today but will be ok after a sleep. It is awful to watch but to be honest, you go into auto pilot when it's happening and tend to lose the plot a bit when it's all over. I was fine this morning until she was out of the fit then my legs went to jelly

Thanks Hazel xx

Thanks for that. The vet told John that Collies take longer to get established on the meds too. How very strange that Lottie had one last night too I hope she's ok today too, bless her. It makes you wonder if the weather has anything to do with it too. My mate has said that to me before now as it was quite a warm night last night.

Thanks again everyone. What the vet did say today was that we were still well within the theraputic range of meds in her system so had a long way to go before we had to think about what the next step would be. If we reach the top of that range with the meds, we then need to look at referring to a specialist for a MRI scan. Thankfully we're a long way from having to do that yet. Fingers crossed we don't have to.

Glad there is some improvement today Jackie.
Lose the plot???? I am not surprised, I would be beside myself

Thanks Jenny. I was beside myself the first time and pretty useless to be honest. This morning I got her down off the bed and onto the floor where she was safe and got John to stay with her while I got the diazapam and Rescue Remedy from downstairs At least I wasn't in hysterical floods of tears like the first time xx

Oh I'm very sorry to read this. It really is a case of getting the meds and dose sorted out and it can take time. It can change too, i.e. the doses and combinations etc.

What is Epilease? If it's of any use to you, Loki is just on potassium bromide, no pheno. He has been so bad in the past that he has had to be sedated on a couple of occasions where he has suffered upwards of 13 fits. In recent months, he has only gone around 4 weeks fit free, although the number of fits were less than usual. This time it is around 10 weeks fit free.

I haven't pinpointed any triggers although I have been following a glutamate/aspartate reduced diet as much as possible.

I just feed meat (raw and cooked) and bones, fish, some veggies and some fruit. I saw this GARD diet on the internet and although I am skeptical I thought it was innocuous enough for a dog so thought I'd give it a go. This was around November 2007, after his major life threatening cluster.

I have noticed a reduction in the severity of his fits and the overall clusters, but I wouldn't want to say it is definitely down to diet. It could be the meds alone - or in combination??? Yet because of the reduction, I am not willing to deviate from the diet now

http://dogtorj.tripod.com/id16.html

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/130/4/1043S

Once when I was doggie sitting my sons dog (an epileptic collie) I got up in the morning to a pile of poo, which I cleared up and didn't think anymore about it. When my son rang I told him and he said he thought she had probably a fit as thats what happens. I felt dreadful for sleeping through it and not giving her loads of recovery love

So sorry to hear his, Jackie. Hope the right dosage of meds is worked out for Cassie soon. All the best and take care.

Thanks for those links LS The Epilease is just the brand name of the potassium bromide. I'm so pleased to see Loki has been fit free for 10 weeks. Long may it continue. I think we'll definitely change her diet to one similar to what you're feeding. It can't do any harm. Cassie doesn't like raw anything though so I think we'll do the cooked meat/veg etc. It certainly can't do any harm. She loves carbs though. Bread/pasta etc so I guess we should knock her toast on the head, bless her. Thanks again.
Cassie has also been throwing up after her Potassium Bromide however not continually. Probably about once a week so the vet wants to change her to a human version to see if it settles better for her. We've never actually found an undigested tablet but it will probably be slowing down her absorption of the meds.

Honey, do you give the bromide tablets with food?