My Old collie cross was on phenobarb when she started having fits due to a brain tumour.
The first 2 weeks were awful, she slept a lot and couldn't really walk very well at all.
She was pretty much back to her old self after that initial period though so don't panic.

Well I have to say a big thankyou for your information. I will certainly ask my vet next week when I go to get Minstrel's meds. I did a lot of reading up on the net when I got my pc, about five years ago now, we knew minstrel would have to go on daily meds sooner or later and I put it off for as long as was possible coz I guess there are side effects with every drug. I had read that the same CAN happen with PB so after a lengthy discussion with my vet we agreed that mysoline would be the way to go initially, plus my vet likes to not spend too much of my money so he opts for the cheaper meds first (I know I know, if only all vets were like this) I asked at the time about liver/kidney damage, and after consulting the neurologist that diagnosed Minstrel, he relayed to me that the risk in a young dog is minimal, albeit still there.
I know that epilepsy is a 'for life' thing tho and I also KNOW that Minstrel's is hereditary.. being a breeder myself I have learned to research pedigrees properly, but no one will tell you the problems within certain lines do they.. hmmmmp!
anyway.. I will let you know what my vets says about Minstrel's meds. hugs to the snorri dog

Labs get CECS or Canine Epileptoid cramping syndrome. Are you sure you dog has Epilepsy Mica? It is often confused with Epilepsy, I have boarded and rehomed several dogs with CECS that Vets have said have Epilepsy.
Dawn.

Hi Dawn,
yes Minstrel was diagnosed by the neurologist who did all the relevant tests.. so long ago now I cant really remember exactly. I know I left her there all day and she had a brain scan

Is he unconscious during the attacks? Doe he paddle, wee, mess etc. or is he stiff and rigid, but is fully awake and aware? Just asking as there are things you can do to help if its CECS and because there is no definate test for Epilepsy or CECS it may help Minstrel in the long run, Epilepsy meds cause long term damage to a dog, but a CECS dog will not respond so they are worthless, they will still have attacks.
I also have a video of 3 cramping Labradors.
Dawn.

I lost my GSD 18 months ago - she had epilepsy caused by vaccination.
Anyone who has a dog on pheno do please also give milk thistle to support the liver - worked really really well for our girl until things became too much and she died from the liver damage caused by the pheno over the years.

Also be aware that it can be significantly cheaper to get pheno on prescription

I shall be thinking of all of you with epileptic dogs - they are the most special friends.

I would never ever vaccinate an epileptic dog either - if you are concerned run blood tests for titers.

Titre testing is pointless, its a waste of money, it only measures circulating antibodies, NOT memory cells, these are the things that mount the immune response.
dawn.

Titre testing can be very helpful Dawn, especially for people who would like to know if there are any antibodies. What would be better is to explain to people who don`t understand, that if titres come back showing no, or very low antibodies it does not mean the animal is not immune.

Titre testing done about 10 days after any vax is a very valuable tool to show if immunisation has occured. If the vax is going to work that will be the time to tell

Sorry to hear about your GSD Julie, was the cause of her passing a seizure?
Dawn, when minstrel had a seizure, she would run to me seconds before with her pupils dilated, then fall to the floor very rigid, she would thrash about violently and I dont think by that time she was conscious, she went from one seizure a month to one every other day, they could last upto 40 minutes, which my vet said wasnt possible, but I timed them! as soon as she went on the mysoline, her seizures stopped. The neurologist that diagnosed her is Pip Boydell if you know of him. I would like to see those vids you have tho, if you dont mind??
Mica

[QUOTE=Mica]Sorry to hear about your GSD Julie, was the cause of her passing a seizure?


No it was the damage to her liver caused by 9 years of very high dose pheno

The vets always warned us that it was likely to be the medciation that would be the biggest problem