Whilst researching additives which might or might not trigger an epileptic fit, I came across "Bob and Lush" dog food (kibble and wet food). Does anyone out there use this? It sounds attractive as it claims to be free of all the bad stuff, but as it's twice the price I'm reluctant to try it unless I have it on good authority that it's worth the expense. Many thanks.

I haven't heard of this food but I think it's always a good idea to feed the best quality food you can.

I feed mainly raw and have done for a long time now. I completely dropped any grains and Loki did go over a year fit-free. However, sadly over the past months, things haven't gone so well and the frequency of his clusters has increased, despite maintaining his diet. I don't know what the answer is, food wise, or if there is one.

i tried him with various tinned dog food also a couple of different dry foods, but his seizures continued. i dont know if it was coincidence or not with dry food, but we decided against all dog foods and gave him fresh cooked meats every day. we still give him some dog treats, but they dont seem to affect him.

It's brilliant that he's gone over 13 months - I hope he remains fit-free for much longer. I make my own dog treats but use potato flour. I wouldn't change his diet now.

At the very least, if the dog has a healthy lifestyle, this will help when he does have fits.

Update on the search for "good quality" kibble - I was interested to hear that rosemary can trigger seizures, especially since I have given Archie Royal Canin (which has rosemary) since he was a pup, and he suffers from epileptic fits. I have been impressed by the reviews about Origen kibble but disappointed that this too contains rosemary. However, I contacted the manufacturer and they tell me that the rosemary in the kibble is "decamphored", which apparently means that the part of the plant responsible for seizures has been removed! So now I believe we can at least feed epi dogs with Orijen without any worries.

That's interesting! So they are saying it is the camphor in rosemary that is responsible for seizures. Is that the only component that can bring on seizures?

I will not give Pereg anything that has rosemary in it. There is an article about it here:

http://www.thedogpress.com/DogFood/R..._Liquorman.asp

Apparently so, as far as I can tell from my email from the manufacturers of Orijen, altho who knows what individual dogs could be allergic to.....I suppose the more "natural" kibbles (which have "no artificial anything") are less likely to have anything which epis might react to.

A very interesting article. Thank you for the link. I wonder if the author refers to decamphored rosemary too? Unfortunately we'll probably never know.

My dog had been having an evening primrose oil capsule every day from an early age so you can imagine how I felt when he was diagnosed with epilepsy and I read about it being a trigger!

I've posted this before but will do so again as it may be of help to someone:


Nutritional Management of Epilepsy
Ness Bird RVN Sept 2008
Arden Grange, Leander International Pet Foods Ltd

There is a possible connection between grain ingredients and seizures. This is because grains have a high phytate content which impairs mineral absorption. This is relevant as magnesium, zinc and calcium deficiency are linked to seizures. The chief grains to avoid are those with a high gluten content; ie wheat, oats and rye. Gluten stimulates opiod receptors in the brain making them more susceptible to seizures. All of the Arden Grange recipes are free from wheat, oats and rye.

Omega 3 fatty acids can help to maintain the structure and function of the cellular and sub-cellular membranes as well as support normal growth, especially of blood vessels and nerves. A fish body oil (as opposed to cod liver oil which is often too high in vitamin A) supplement may be a beneficial addition to an epileptic dog’s diet (unless fed the Arden Grange Salmon or Sensitive as these contain 3 and 4 x the levels in the other recipes respectively). Evening Primrose (also called borage) oil must not be used however since this contains gamma linoleic acid which is thought to stimulate the production of a hormone-like compound called prostaglandin. Prostaglandin can lower a dog’s epileptic seizure threshold meaning that a fit is more likely. There are many cases of this reported in epileptic humans taking EPO. Alpha linoleic acid, as found in linseed, also known as flax (present in the Arden Grange recipes) is fine however.

The Arden Grange Performance may be suitable for epileptic dogs since it contain a number of nutrients that are beneficial. A higher level of taurine is included and this plays a critical role in the function of the nervous system. Taurine deficiency is widely recognized as a cause of seizures in people, cats and dogs. In additional to its specific benefits to the brain, it also affects blood sugar levels (implicated in seizures) and assists in the body’s proper use of minerals (especially magnesium, zinc and copper). Grape seed extract is also included and this has been recognised as one of the most powerful antioxidants. It contains natural free radical scavengers and boiflavenoid complexes that are rapidly absorbed and distributed throughout the body. It has also been shown to promote healthy cholesterol levels and a healthy cardio-vascular system. Plasma carnitine levels are decreased in many people with epilepsy and therefore L-Carnitine supplementation in dogs may be helpful too. This is also included in the Performance recipe.