Do any of you have a dog with a seizure disorder?

[House Cat]

My little dog has started having seizures. She’s 8 years old. Her first seizure, happened while our kids were watching her and we didn’t recognize it as a seizure. It happened three years ago. Then, she didn’t have another one until recently. About three weeks ago, she had one and it took us by surprise. Again, we didn’t know what we were seeing because she loses control of her bowels and bladder, flops around, then can’t walk for a few minutes, then she’s fine. Well, it happened again yesterday...so now, we know what we are seeing. We are taking her into the vet today.

I’m just wondering if things went this way for others? If the seizures sort of gained steam. I’m kind of worried about the cause of the seizures.

 

[distracts]

Yes. My dog had about one a year from when she was 7 until about 2 years ago (when she was 10). When she just had one a year they said do nothing. If they are infrequent, and only ever one at a time, they do not medicate, just watch it, or maybe give medication for you to give right after the seizure to prevent another.

So then around two years ago she had a seizure, and we waited it out and comforted her as usual. Then she had another... then before we could even get her into the car, another. Multiple seizures in a row are very dangerous and where they can become fatal. So we rushed her to the emergency vet. They loaded her with medication... maybe three different anti-seizure drugs... but could not get them to stop, only increased the interval of time between them. So the next morning we had to take her to the dog neurologist, where we did dog MRI to rule out brain tumor, dog spinal tap to rule out meningitis, and so on. They were able to switch her to a newer kind of medication and stop the seizures, but she had to stay a week for observation. She then got sent home, on two different kinds of medication. For two months the schedule had us giving her things five times a day, but eventually we weaned her off one of them so we only had to give twice a day. After a year, we weaned her off the second medication as well (which actually my husband did without my knowledge because he didn't like how it slowed her down). She hasn't had another seizure since. We keep her seizure meds in stock though so if she has one we can give them to her to prevent another.

Some dogs just get seizures and it has to do with their brain structure. The vets thought it was very strange that they only started happening later in life and then got worse for no apparent reason, and they also think it is strange that since then she hasn't had any. Otherwise she is perfectly healthy. She is a mixed breed and multiple of the breeds she is made up of are prone to seizures, so it is probably just genetic.

So that's my experience. Hopefully yours is similar - stressful but ultimately amounting to nothing!

 

[House Cat]

Thank you for sharing your experience. It calms my heart while waiting to take her to the vet. My little girl seems perfectly healthy too, brave as a lion (all 9 pounds of her!)

 

[diamondringlover]

my dog had them for several years, they are quite scary to watch, vet said not alot we could do until they came more frequent which happened this year then they put her on meds...she was miserable and you could tell she was (she was quite a vocal dog lol) so we decided to deal with the seizures instead of making her miserable...well then she got lymphoma in May and passed away 4 weeks later she just turned 10 in April, she was a beagle, weiner dog mix.

 

[partgypsy]

Yes, our chow mix had them, and she started getting them around age 5 (A little unusual; they usually get them young, or as an older dog). She was on a medication, and when she started getting getting multiple seizures, her dosage was increased. This happened two times? She was getting tested every 3-4 months to check her liver values because the medication can cause liver damage. Unfortunately despite the labs, at age 8, she developed ascites, we took her to the vet, and found out she had advanced liver damage. We tried to wean her off that med and put her on another medication, while giving her medication and a different food to support her liver, but unfortunately it was too little too late and she passed away. It was emotionally wrenching because despite being between a rock and a hard place (her seizures were truly awful, and the vet wanted to avoid her having continual seizures) I still feel like I failed her because she died of a medication I was giving her. The only thing I can tell you, like humans each animal is going to have a different presentation, as far as how often they get them, progression, etc. I will keep my fingers crossed that she has the managable ones.

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/seizures-general-for-dogs

 

[House Cat]

Thank you both for sharing your stories. I am so sorry you lost your fur babies.

 

[Arkteia]

Thank you both for sharing your stories. I am so sorry you lost your fur babies.

House Cat, can you let us know what medication she is put on? I am interested in how "our" meds work in animals, and what does.

 

[distracts]

House Cat, can you let us know what medication she is put on? I am interested in how "our" meds work in animals, and what does.

If you are interested for anyone - my dog was on phenobarbital (which is usually what they use) and levetiracetem (Keppra - which is not so often used in dogs - there’s a lot more info online about it than there was even two years ago). I don’t quite remember what other things they gave her at the doctors. She had to have blood levels and liver tests done monthly at first for each then three months, then six months. They made her mentally slow and physically a bit uncoordinated - it took her a week after she got home (so over two weeks on them) before she could reliably use her back legs, and while she was on both it was like she forgot all commands and had no energy - basically slept all day. When we went down to just the phenobarbital, she remembered how commands worked, but couldn’t do tricks that demanded a high level of coordination like catching things. She still tired easily but could play for a while and go on short nonstrenuous walks. When we discontinued the phenobarbital she was entirely back to normal.

Levetiracetem has a faster onset so that is what we are supposed to give her when she has a seizure to prevent a second. We are supposed to insert it as a suppository... so we’re very glad we haven’t had to do that.

 

[Arkteia]

If you are interested for anyone - my dog was on phenobarbital (which is usually what they use) and levetiracetem (Keppra - which is not so often used in dogs - there’s a lot more info online about it than there was even two years ago). I don’t quite remember what other things they gave her at the doctors. She had to have blood levels and liver tests done monthly at first for each then three months, then six months. They made her mentally slow and physically a bit uncoordinated - it took her a week after she got home (so over two weeks on them) before she could reliably use her back legs, and while she was on both it was like she forgot all commands and had no energy - basically slept all day. When we went down to just the phenobarbital, she remembered how commands worked, but couldn’t do tricks that demanded a high level of coordination like catching things. She still tired easily but could play for a while and go on short nonstrenuous walks. When we discontinued the phenobarbital she was entirely back to normal.

Levetiracetem has a faster onset so that is what we are supposed to give her when she has a seizure to prevent a second. We are supposed to insert it as a suppository... so we’re very glad we haven’t had to do that.

Thank you! In some people, Keppra (a great drug), sometimes causes "rages". Did your dog's character get worse on it, or not?

Glad that she is better!

 

[distracts]

Thank you! In some people, Keppra (a great drug), sometimes causes "rages". Did your dog's character get worse on it, or not?

Glad that she is better!

Nope, she slept most of the time and was exceedingly stupid (both in the way that she couldn't remember commands though she clearly knew we wanted something, AND in the way where she couldn't figure stuff out on her own - though she wasn't exactly smart in that way to start with), but just as friendly as usual. And then there was the short-term side effect of not being able to control her legs. I don't recall emotional changes even mentioned as a possible side effect.

 

[House Cat]

House Cat, can you let us know what medication she is put on? I am interested in how "our" meds work in animals, and what does.

Yes. I will know the name on Monday if her tests come back ok. So far it does look as though she has epilepsy.

 

[Arkteia]

Yes. I will know the name on Monday if her tests come back ok. So far it does look as though she has epilepsy.

I hope they find good medication for her. My most sincere wishes with the treatment!

 

[mom2dolls]

My Max has seizures. He is 8 and has been having them for a few years now. When they started of course we went to the vet. There is nothing medically wrong with him to attribute the seizures to. The medication they suggested has serious side effects to the liver and kidneys. We opted to manage with CBD drops instead. The seizures have drastically reduced.
Our guy is a Patterdale Terrier.

 

[House Cat]

My Max has seizures. He is 8 and has been having them for a few years now. When they started of course we went to the vet. There is nothing medically wrong with him to attribute the seizures to. The medication they suggested has serious side effects to the liver and kidneys. We opted to manage with CBD drops instead. The seizures have drastically reduced.
Our guy is a Patterdale Terrier.

I have been wondering about CBD. What do you use and how much?

 

[ac117]

@House Cat One of our French bulldogs was diagnosed with epilepsy last October after one night he randomly started having seizure after seizure before we made it to the emergency vet. It was so so scary and it still hurts my heart when I think about it to this day. He’s 4 now about to be 5. He’s been on phenobarbital ever since and has not had another seizure but I am concerned about what the medication will potentially do to his liver long term. We supplement him with another pill that’s supposed to help protect the liver but who really knows. I have thought about stopping or decreasing the dosage and using CBD oil but I’m just so scared the seizures will come back.

I’m sorry your little dog is going through this but know you are not alone ::hugs::

 

[House Cat]

I hope they find good medication for her. My most sincere wishes with the treatment!

Zonegran will be the medication we are putting her on.

 

[House Cat]

@House Cat One of our French bulldogs was diagnosed with epilepsy last October after one night he randomly started having seizure after seizure before we made it to the emergency vet. It was so so scary and it still hurts my heart when I think about it to this day. He’s 4 now about to be 5. He’s been on phenobarbital ever since and has not had another seizure but I am concerned about what the medication will potentially do to his liver long term. We supplement him with another pill that’s supposed to help protect the liver but who really knows. I have thought about stopping or decreasing the dosage and using CBD oil but I’m just so scared the seizures will come back.

I’m sorry your little dog is going through this but know you are not alone ::hugs::

That sounds like a very serious seizure! That would have scared me to death too!

 

[distracts]

My dog neurologist also talked about CBD oil. We are in a state where we could not legally get it but she did think it worked and said if we had “theoretical questions about dosing” we could ask her

 

[Arkteia]

Zonegran will be the medication we are putting her on.

Yes, for some reason I thought, Zonegran or Topomax.

In people Zonegran decreases the appetite, is is even used as an appetite suppressant. I don’t know about the dogs.

Good luck. And may the medication render your dog seizure-free!

 

[Arkteia]

My dog neurologist also talked about CBD oil. We are in a state where we could not legally get it but she did think it worked and said if we had “theoretical questions about dosing” we could ask her

Now, it is interesting. Is CBD even illegal? I know THC is on a federal level, but CBD, as far as I know, is not an illegal substance.

ETA: I was wrong. “If your purified CBD comes from hemp plants, it is federally legal, but if it comes from a marijuana plant, it is illegal. That's because marijuna plants themselves are prohibited by the DEA.” To add to the confusion, CBD from hemp and MJ plants is the same.

Interesting article.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/sc...es-what-you-need-to-know-according-to-science

(My acquaintance, whose brother has seizures, said there was a type of CBD best for seizures in Colorado, and I remember us discussing if it could be legal to ship it from CO to WA (two states where MJ is legal)).

But - I saw hemp extract sold on Amazon. In all versions.

 

[distracts]

Now, it is interesting. Is CBD even illegal? I know THC is on a federal level, but CBD, as far as I know, is not an illegal substance.

ETA: I was wrong. “If your purified CBD comes from hemp plants, it is federally legal, but if it comes from a marijuana plant, it is illegal. That's because marijuna plants themselves are prohibited by the DEA.” To add to the confusion, CBD from hemp and MJ plants is the same.

Interesting article.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/sc...es-what-you-need-to-know-according-to-science

(My acquaintance, whose brother has seizures, said there was a type of CBD best for seizures in Colorado, and I remember us discussing if it could be legal to ship it from CO to WA (two states where MJ is legal)).

But - I saw hemp extract sold on Amazon. In all versions.

Oh interesting. Ok so I googled and while CBD oil was technically legal in Texas, it was illegal if it contained any THC - and apparently it is like coffee or tea where "caffeine free" really means "super minimal caffeine" so most CBD oil contains small amounts of THC. Or something. All I really knew before this is that Texas passed a law this year legalizing hemp products and CBD oil and allowing THC up to 0.3%. There was a big fanfare.

 

[Arkteia]

Oh interesting. Ok so I googled and while CBD oil was technically legal in Texas, it was illegal if it contained any THC - and apparently it is like coffee or tea where "caffeine free" really means "super minimal caffeine" so most CBD oil contains small amounts of THC. Or something. All I really knew before this is that Texas passed a law this year legalizing hemp products and CBD oil and allowing THC up to 0.3%. There was a big fanfare.

On Amazon, there are tons of animal products, like this. Of course, no one can vouch for Amazon quality, and I don’t know if it is available everywhere (you will see), but if Amazon sells it, it is probably kosher legality-wise.

 

[mom2dolls]

I have been wondering about CBD. What do you use and how much?

This is what we use. They are Nano water drops that we squirt half a squirt into his water bowl in the morning. Max is 19 lbs so he can only have a small dose. We tried oil drops but he hated them.

 

[chemgirl]

Not a dog, but our cat had frequent seizures that started when he was 11. We had him on phenobarbital, but the side effects weren’t great and he would still have seizures a few times per month. It was also tricky since we were supposed to give him anal Valium to prevent him from experiencing cluster seizures. Not the easiest thing to do. We managed to pair the pheno with keppra and that drastically improved his quality of life (we could half the pheno dose). He was his old self again and he didn’t have any breakthrough seizures until last year. Unfortunately he had a neurological episode and lost a good deal of his mobility. We saw the specialist and monitored him for a few weeks, but he was getting worse and not better so we had to say goodbye.

We opted for all of the testing when he was originally diagnosed and they never did find a reason for the seizures. We didn’t want to repeat it all when he was 16 and unwell. It would have involved a hospital stay and we didn’t want to leave him feeling vulnerable when odds are there was nothing we could do anyway.

Sorry that took a depressing turn. The good news is that he had 5 good years with controlled epilepsy.