Pereg's epilepsy and what do I do now

Her last six-monthly blood test was on 23 November and her ALT result was high. Not excessively but over the top parameter and higher than it had ever been. Her Pb blood serum level was fine though.

Ram is worried that she is at the start of hepatic disease although she has been on Milk Thistle and SAMe almost at the start of being on Pb so that they supported her liver.

I do not know what to do.

Her last Grand Mal seizure was on 1 December so she can have another blood test any time now as she has gone over the 14 days.

But I do not know what to do.

If she has another blood test now and her ALT level is high, the next thing will be an ultrasound to see the state of her liver. But what do we do then? Ram said "cross that bridge when we come to it".

She is already having a good therapeutic dose of Phenobarbitone - has it three times a day and not the normal twice a day. She is having Milk Thistle and SAMe. Oh, and also Taurine. So what else could she cope with having even if there is some other medication/supplement?

I do not want her to have another blood test now - not until her next six-month one is due.

Because she is happy and healthy and has no signs of hepatic disease, and what would I do if she did have another blood test now and it was not good?

If Ram does not know then I certainly do not.

And my beloved Pereg is not even six-years-old yet.

It must be horrible for both of you... just praying for Pereg that the future brings better times.. xx

Malka, I do not know what answer you want. She is still young and you say apart from her seizures she is in good health, so all you can do is carry on doing whatever you are doing for her good. You obviously both need each other and it is just a case of keeping an eye on her as you are and with the help of the vet she may yet reach old age. I wish you both well.

If as you say her next blood test is not due and that she is happy and getting on with things than I would wait. You unfortunately can't say she is healthy if she is having epileptic fits but they are controlled with drugs so in a way she is healthyish. Wait and see how things go. If she has another fit before the sixth month checkup then go for the blood test. If she doesn't have another fit then wait until then. You are the only one that knows how she is. A very difficult decision to decide on. As long as she is eating, not losing weight, and goes for her regular exercise and othet bodily functions are normal. like toileting, then as I say if she were my dog I would wait. Hope this helps.

Awww darling , all you can do is enjoy her now. While she's happy you be happy. All you can do you are doing, the rest sadly is in gods hands.
She well loved and looked after .try doing what she's doing enjoying each day. Don't beat yourself up .you can sit and say what if s all day and who knows she may well do another 6 good years yet xxxx don't dwell on what ifs she not x

Enjoy every day and take it as it comes. Worrying will only make your time with her less enjoyable and whether that time is a day, a month, a year or 10 years it is precious and too valuable to lose on ifs, buts and maybes.

Difficult, I know, but grieve for her after she has gone and not before. Before is the time to love, laugh, thoroughly enjoy and value xxx

I have heard rumors of success using medical marajuana to treat canine epilepsy. I have no idea whether this is true, or whether you could get access, but it might be worth asking your vet.

Brenda - she was not due for another blood test - she normally has them every six months, three if there is a query with her blood plasma Pb level, which has only happened once - so we repeated after three months and then another three months. This time Ram wanted to do another one two weeks after the one on 23 November to see if the raised ALT was a one off, but she had a seizure on 1 December so that meant waiting for 14 sz-free days before another one. And she really is healthy, she is just epileptic. As is Ram!

Chris - I do ejnoy every day with her - I just do not know whether I want her to have another blood test just yet because what would we do if it was not a one-off raised level? In other words I am being an ostrich at the moment.

sandgrubber - and that is all they are, rumours. Medical marijuana has helped some childen with severe epilepsy that has not responded to normal medication. But only some and there has not yet been proof that it actually works. It seems to help some children but that is all, and for every positive research paper you will get two negative ones.

So yes, various companies have come out with medical marijuana for epileptic dogs, and many people are trying it - or, as my Vet says, wasting their money trying it. As he said, if it worked would he have gone through major brain surgery?

Here in the US, there is actually some solid evidence that it can be of help when nothing else works. Now, this does not mean it works on everyone, or that it is effective against long term symptoms or anything, but it might help.

I'm not sure about dogs, but people and kids especially with severe symptoms (not just plain epilepsy, but severe brain issues that cause horrible seizures) have benefited from it. In no way do these people consider it "a waste of money". Just because it does not work on one person, does not mean it does not work at all.

Since marijuana is still mostly illegal (for no reason since it is far less harmful than alcohol in all ways and it's legal), this is not widespread yet but it has given hope to many people. It has been approved for certain treatments, but yes not a ton of research has been done on it since it's still mostly illegal.

Also, many people who do not do any research do not seem to realize that medical marijuana has nearly no THC and it does not make you high like smoking it does. It's not even close to the same things as just pot head, stoner type marijuana.

If I had epilepsy that was hard to control, or an epileptic dog that had seizures left and right, even while on dangerous drugs that supposedly help prevent them, I'd certainly look into it before I spit on it saying it does not work at all. JMO, though and people are free to do whatever they want.

Medical marijuana has only shown to have helped some very young children with uncontrollable seizures. It has not been shown to have helped older children or adults, and definitely not proven to help dogs.

It just happens to be "The Latest" snake oil for epileptic dogs.

If my Vet, who is himself epileptic and who has not only studied canine epilepsy but gives seminars on it to other vets, thought it was of any use, do you really think he would not prescribe it for Pereg?