Unhappy Epeleptic Doggy

Hi everybody
My ten year old cross terrier Charlie has just been diagnosed with Epliepsy. He is very unhappy and I just cannot seem to get his medication right. He started on 30mg of Epiphen twice a day and we had to reduce that to 15mg twice a day and again down to 7 and 1/2 twice a day.
It has now been reduced to 7 and 1/2 once a day. I also give him the skullcap and valerian tincture but he has good days and bad days more often bad than good. He was such a little character now he mopes about all day. Will he ever get back to what he used to be?

Oh poor charlie, you need to speak to Bajaluna or Lucky Star they have epi dog's (sorry lucky star if ive you mixed up)
Hope you get his medication right soon and your boy return's to his normal happy self.xxx(((((((((hugs))))))))

Hi - I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. Have you seen this site? It is an excellent resource for canine epilepsy. Here is a page about Phenobarbital (epiphen):

http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/Phenobarbital.html

I thought phenobarbital (PB) was to be given twice a day, at 12 hourly intervals so I am surprised your vet has suggested once a day.

Anyway if your dog has only recently (the last couple of weeks) been prescribed PB, his reacton could be due to the effects of the drug - including sedation, ataxia, increased thirst and appetite - but this should pass after a few weeks.

I would suggest that if the effects are lasting longer, you go back to your vet and explain the symptoms and hopefully he/she should be able to explain or put your mind at rest.

xxx

Hello! My Snorri-dog is nearly 10 (birthday 3 March) and he has been epileptic since he was 3. We have him on 1/2 a tab of epiphen twice a day, and he has been fit-free for nearly 6 years now, and "as happy as Larry". Moping around can be a side effect of phenobarb, for a few weeks after starting, but it does disappear eventually. There's an article here on Dogsey, in the articles section (I know - I wrote it! ) which might make you feel better.

You say your boy is 10 - well, like Snorri-dog, he isn't a puppy any more (hardly a dodderer, but not a pup, either) - it could be associated with his age, too

Snorri

Hi everybody
Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately Charlie had a seizure during the night not a real bad one but this morning he had the mother of all seizures and is now totally out of it. I have contacted the vet and they told me to up the Epiphen. I have never seen a seizure like this one he was trying to jump up and down and snapping at the air. I am terrified that I will loose him if he takes another one like it.
It is good to know that there are people out there that have this problem too.

Oh dear poor Charlie, when my sisiter's dog Shamus has a seizure she has to give him valium and this knock's him out so i'l email her and ask her to come on see if she can help along with all your other replies it might be helpful but it wont be till after 1pm as she is 6 hours behind us.xxx
Sending healing vibe's for Charlie.
Get well soon.

Oh Im so sorry to hear he had another seizure... i hope he is ok...I personally have no advice, but rading through other posts, thre are many on Dogsey who can help you, who are in the same situation. I hope having others support you who know what your going through will help put your mind at rest xxx

Never had a dog that suffered with this I'm afraid so can't be much help at all. Just wanted to send a huge hug to try to help you to de-stress a little.

Aw, I'm so sorry; I know how frightening it can be - my dog suffers from severe clusters of around 13 + fits over 3 days and has ended up having to be sedated in intensive care twice. He actually keels over, his back arches and his legs start paddling. He used to scream until we got the meds working but he still howls.

We are treating him with potassium bromide and we have rectal diazepam to use during the cluster period, which can help reduce or stop the fits. The longest he's gone fit-free is around 7 months.

Hugs to you, it is an awful condition.

Charlie will be exhausted after a bad fit and most probably ravenous - his blood sugar levels will be low. You could try honey on a cracker (I've started buying Manuka honey, although it's very expensive) - I also give Loki a spoonful of organic vanilla ice-cream every night to help stabilise blood sugar.

I have tried all sorts of post-fit food, such as porridge with honey, banana, chicken, crackers with cream cheese, etc. Anything I can quickly give him.

Some people use Rescue Remedy after a fit.

Also Charlie might be disorientated for a while, stumbling around and possibly blind. This is normal and is known as the post-ictal period.

Do a search for my name with the words 'seizure; here are a couple of links to past discussions:

http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php...ure#post711681

http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php...e#post9003 78

http://www.dogsey.com/dog-articles.php?t=14937

I hope Charlie is okay - and you too. Any questions, just ask.
xxx

If he is 10 and just starting there is probably an underlying cause ,what tests did the vet do?
epiphen has to be given twice a day to keep the blood levels high enough to stop seizing and usually my dog Shamus will be mopey for a day before seizure,it took me a while to learn the difference between the drug effect and pre seizure mode
the drugs do have side effects but they get better after a while no all the way though Shamus has a high enough dose that he is always weak behind but its better than a gran mal and he still plays.
have you changed anything latley,his food,have you wormed him or put frontline plus on all these can cause seizures
you can help him right now by giving epiphen 2 times per day adding vitaminc,and taking all wheat gluten,soy and dairy out of his diet.
do talk to your vet about testing,you should do a thyroid check,and a liver panel
there are many possible causes but in an older dog like charlie the number 1 cause is tumor
good luck and keep us posted hugs to you and Charlie and try not to get stressed out
XXXBLXXX