does any have a dog with epilepsy? very long sorry

[farmgirlie1031]

Our Golden Retriever has it. He started having seizures at about 4 years old. The vet said it was possibly genetic. We watch him closely and if he is seizuring for over 5 min. we are to take him straight to a vet. His have never lasted over 5 min. or happened that often. She also said if he trusted him we could place an ice pack on his back and that would help stop the seizure. She warned to be careful though because when he is in seizure he is not in control of his body and he might accidentally bite us and not even know it. There is medication for it but our vet said he did not need it unless he has more seizures. So far it has only been about 1 a year. I know they are very scary to watch.

 

[what was i thinking]

thank you every one for your well wishes. my husband said earlier. she must be stoned with that med. she doesn't listen at all. i told him, he didn't have to tell me about it. i already knew. good luck to everyone else who has to go thru this.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Phenobarb. That is the drug my GSD was on for many years. And, no, it did not make her "stupid". It didn't change her behavior at all once we got the dosage right. At first the dose was too heavy and she slept all the time, so I cut it in half. I got the pills by prescription at Sam's for about $4 a month. Without it she had grand mal seizures daily. On it she had a seizure about once a month and lived a good, happy life.

Good luck to you.

HTH

 

[what was i thinking]

ya that is what she is taking. i figured i would call the vet on monday, that would be a week, and discuss with her what is going on. i would really like my well behaved dog back.

 

[redhen]

I am so sorry to hear about your pup!...i had a cocker and at 10 she started to have them also..(i think she got bit by a copperhead (long story), and it affected her nervous system or something)....at first i didnt even know they were seizures...

...but,, everything you described,,she did...the paddeling...the fear in her eyes(that KILLED me)..the running around in circles in the house after....wow..it brings it all back!...one night, she had them...one right after another...then she would get up and run around and try to come to me (but she was SO confused!)..and then have another one..all during this time..i was on the phone with the emergency vets..and getting dressed(it was 10 at night)..so, we got her there..and the vet said she could not get her to stop seizing..they had I.V. seizure meds in her and everything..then the vet came back out and said the next step was going to be putting her under anesthia..to try to bring her out of it....then she said..it was going to be $3000 just to do a work-up on her after that(if she even lived)..and she suggested that we put her down(she was 10)..so she dosent suffer anymore...i went in the back and held her and comforted her while they put her to sleep...it killed me..still does today...i'm so very sorry you and her have to endure this!...my thoughts are with you!...

.., Wendy

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Harley's first seizure scared her so bad that when it was over she ran and hid in my room in the dark and growled at anyone who came near her. After she'd had a few of them, they no longer scared her. She'd just pick herself up and head for the back door. Once she'd had a chance to do her business, she'd just go on about her life as though nothing had happened. She lived for about 7 years with them. As she got older, she seemed to get them less and less. The last year of her life, I think she had maybe 1-2 every 6 months or so.

I used to wrap the pills in peanut butter and she'd eat them out of my hand without a hassle. She adored peanut butter.

In the beginning it was all very traumatic, but after awhile she seemed to feel they were just a part of her life. Fortunately I had bare floors, so cleaning up after a seizure was not a big deal--just a quick mop of the floor with some Lysol.

HTH

 

[lurky]

Our Brittany Spaniel Charlie started his at 6 mos old. He is 11 now and had them all his life. Stress seems to bring them out with Charlie. Whenever we moved to a new home, it would start a string of them. We always held charlie and talked him through his seizures. We believe he knew we were there for him. I agree not to put you fingers around the mouth

as they seem to clench pretty hard, but i think petting them and telling them you are there helps pass the time and distract them. It is sad to watch him go through it, but not as sad as the thought of him going through it alone

 

[what was i thinking]

thanks guys, i figured there would be alot of people that have went thru this.
redhen i am sorry you had to go thru that. my other rott was nine. i found a lump on her leg. that day i was told she had bone cancer and it was already thru her body. my life stopped that day. i stopped doing everything i did before, didn't go to gym was going six days a week, stopped doing anything with my friends just had to get right home after work everyday to see if she was ok. i had trouble working. i cried for two weeks just knowing i would have to decide when. she lived three more months. i it is the worst. i am sitting here a wreck just talking about it.

 

[Emzyyy]

Our Boston Terrier named Patty has seizures if you ask the vet they will give you pills for it, after the pills she hasn't had them since.

 

[snowydiamonds]

This site has a lot of useful information and has helped me w/my two autoimmune/hypothyroid dogs:

itsfortheanimals.com

and I use: hemopet.com

I also order medication online once I get a prescription from a vet as its way cheaper than any other way for the meds.