How terrible for you both! We're all thinking of you and Pereg and keeping fingers and paws crossed for you.

Hugs and love

Barbara,Chloe, Georgina and Sashicat

I have just spoken with Ram - he had been thinking about Pereg's diabolical afternoon/evening behaviour for four days after her previous seizure, and thinks that she was post-ictal because she was having aftershock seizures in her brain that do not show as physical seizures. What neither he nor I can understand is how come she was so normal those days and yet started diabolical post-ictal activity at more or less the same time each afternoon. Something seems to trigger something in her brain but neither of us have any idea what it could be.

Anyhow, he said that as long as she is perfectly normal most of the time, although she obviously does have some brain damage it is not, as yet, causing her too many problems - the problems are mine in trying to cope with her during her abnormal times.

He said we could do the blood tests now but it is preferable to wait seven clear days, and then to just take her without even telephoning for an appointment.

I always feel reassured after speaking with him - he has a lovely sense of humour and said that Pereg's after-shock post-ictal behaviour sounds just like his children when they decide to throw a tantrum!

I then put my foot in it yet again by saying how much I hate this horrid epilepsy - which had him laughing as he said "so do I, so do I"

Malka, I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry that this has happened again so soon after the last time. Don't worry about saying you hate the epilepsy, it is a horrible condition for the sufferer and the impact upon family members (i.e. you) is awful.

Why does Ram think she has some brain damage? Is it because of the regular post-ictal activity?

Sending you hugs - this must be making you feel very downhearted so I hope you can find the strength you need to deal with it. It's really good that you have Ram.

Sending both of you loving vibes.

Thanks everyone for all the kind wishes. Unfortunately Pereg started acting up again, just as I was trying to eat something [at gone 4pm]. So my meal has gone in the refrigerator until who knows when.

Linda - Ram thinks that the post-ictal behaviours last week are from mini seizures in her brain that do not manifest as GMs. And because of the severity of her GMs he said that each seizure causes some brain damage. How bad it is there is no way of knowing but when she is fine she is absolutely normal.

An MRI might show brain damage but there would be nothing that could be done even if it showed it.

The thing about me saying I hate epilepsy [I actually said "I hate this bluddy epilepsy"] is that Ram is epileptic himself, so he knows full well what it is like - and he has a wife and children to look after. And I realised as soon as I said it that I should not have done.

Poor adorable Pereg…so sorry for her pain and your heartbreak…...i am new into this forum so I am not sure how long Pereg has been living with this condition..i am sure your vet has tried different options..i feel badly the medicines are helping/stopping them. wish i had a cure

Gina, Pereg had her first GM on 1 April 2011 [some April Fool's Day - NOT] and IIRC Lucky Star's Loki has been epileptic for far longer.

But they are all different as there is no one-size-fits-all type or severity of epilepsy, just as there is no one-size-fits-all treatment [sorry for the unintentional pun]. And many epi dogs are far worse than Pereg. There are epi's on five or more different AEDs and they still seize, plus they have side effects such as ataxia and no enjoyment of life. When Pereg is OK she is a normal, happy, and loving dog, and no way am I ever going to drug her up to the state of having no worthwhile life.

I just have to keep remembering that after the first terrible six months Pereg then went one year and 177 days seizure-free before she broke her streak, and tell myself that she will do it again.

I am all new to this, thanks for info. I hope Pereg can get back to longer periods ( or never again) of being seizure free!
Hang in there

Oh Malka that's such a shame, hugs to you both xx

I am sitting here with the door open and my legs are freezing but I dare not move as Pereg is finally quiet and I know that as soon as she hears the click of my chair switching on she will be up again, demanding more food. She has already had two bowls of frozen mixed vegetables, her regular first meal, two frozen chicken back halves and two frozen chicken neck...

...and my meal is still in the refrigerator.