My nine year old irish setter has just started having epileptic fits. In the last eighteen hours she has had four of them, we took her to our vets after the second one and she has been put on medication. The fits are very distressing, especially for us. Have any of you experienced this and how did your dog cope with it.
From a very upset Deborah
We have one who has them. A vet once told me that they can do several in a row and then go for some time without any. Ours now does them about once a month or so several times in one day. I would be interested to know what the medication is. I give ours Crisax. It seems to me that it does not stop the fits, but when she has them she sort of stays in a fixed position, rather than thrashing about with legs and teeth.
I know how you feel, it's very distressing. All you can do during a fit is to stay very calm. I put my hand on her gently as if she tries to get up before it's really over, she goes into another one.
Where I live in Norwich, a close friend and neighbour has an 8-year-old Dalmation that developed epilepsy at the age of just one. My 29-year-old son who lives at home has had epilepsy since the age of five. It is amazing just how similar the trigger factors and behavioural patterns are for both of them!
When my friend's dog was diagnosed with epilepsy, the vet said it was unlikely to live beyond another three years. Well, he has now clocked up seven years since diagnosis and is still going strong. I am not a 'dog' person, but I do admit that Harley is the most intelligent, adorable animal I have ever known.
In both cases, we have found that tiredness and stress or excitement puts them at risk of a seizure. And also in both cases, post-seizure behaviour invariably includes a degree of unreasonableness and non-conformity to the usual ways of doing things.
At the time of writing this message, my friend is out. When he returns I will get info about medication and tips for dealing with the problem and then make a follow-up post.
Mel
Some more info for you...
My friend's dog is on Epiphen (Phenobarbitone) and Potassium Bromide. I'm not sure if the latter tablets are because it is a male dog and they perhaps remove certain urges to keep him more calm? When he has a seizure, if it is a particularly bad one, they have a supply of Diazepam suppositories which they can use.
One really good tip, because he has to have so many tablets, they keep a supply of any firm pâté which they encase each tablet in and feed them to him as individual titbits. He actually looks forward to receiving them!
If you have any other questions, post them here and I will find out the answers for you asap...
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