Anybody have any experience with epilepsy in dogs?

[mrldii]

My 6-YO American Eskimo has had epilepsy from birth; his first known seizure came at about 3 months. He has a seizure every 3-6 weeks and they last about 4-7 minutes...a "long time for a dog", according to my vet.

For about 3 years, I had him on the standard medications; all they do is (supposedly) lessen the severity of the seizures and (supposedly) increase the time between them. I didn't notice any difference, but I DID notice the damage being done to his liver - a common and expected side-effect of the drugs.

I've taken him off the meds for going on 2 years, now.

He just had another seizure, and this time after coming out of it, his hind legs were extremely wobbly...almost like he had no feeling in them. That was a first...and now, it's passed.


Oh, and I'm well aware that he will probably die from it - either by having a massive seizure, or by the accumulated damage done to his brain while having them.

Anybody have any success with alternatives? Change in diet? Supplements? Therapies?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Off Topixs!!!

 

[DrLeftover]

I understand some of what you're going through.

A few years ago our old dog developed a seizure disorder after she had a minor stroke.

It was upsetting to the entire family to see her suffer like that. But at her age, there wasn't anything the vet could do for her.

 

[mrldii]

Thanks, Dr...he was one of a litter of two; the breeder warned me that epilepsy is common in this breed, and that the father had it in his lineage. I met the two puppies (both boys) at birth and spent a lot of time with them 'til they were 9 weeks old. They both looked like little polar bear cubs...and I fell in love with this one.

He's the one that got the gene...and the affliction. To boot, his brother ended up being one of the most perfect specimens of the breed I've ever seen. Something stepped in and made me choose this one; I'm able to be with him pretty much all the time, so I can comfort him through the seizures...

...anybody else probably would have put him down due to the disease. Because of it, he's got severe separation anxiety, which I'm sure is Mother Nature's way of ensuring he's never 'alone' to have to go through one.

I'm just hoping someone's heard of/tried something that I haven't, yet...and that it might work.


Sorry to hear about your dog...

 

[Jazzy]

There are some holistic treatments. You can read about them here: http://thebark.com/content/holistic-treatments-epilepsy-dogs

 

[mrldii]

@ jazzy

Thank you! That was a LOT of good information. Odd that I've never come across it, before...Googling info seems to be my 2nd most-often done thing in life! Maybe it came up in a search and I just overlooked it.

I recently adopted a Paleo-*diet* (eating regimen, NOT for weight loss), mostly concentrating on organic foods and eating only 'real' food (no preservatives, no additives, etc.); I hadn't even thought of simply feeding my *baby* what I eat. Odd, because 30 years ago when I had my one-and-only child, I refused to use baby food and simply ground-up/blended-up whatever his dad and I were eating.


Has anyone tried any of these techniques? What worked/didn't work?

By the way, I did actually take my dog to my chiropractor, at his suggestion. Granted, I only did it once and didn't notice any difference...other than MY extreme discomfort that I was becoming one of *those* people, whose next step was to get herself a designer purse dog.



Thanks again, Jazzy...

 

[WhoFlungpoo]

May sound like a silly question but have you had his blood work checked for his magnesium, calcium and sugar levels?

 

[mrldii]

Yeah, whoflung...he's had numerous - and expensive - blood panels and tests conducted; every six months, at $300 - $1000, depending on what they were looking at/for THAT time. His is definitely a genetic defect, carried within his breed. The fact that it was known his father carried the gene, kind of cemented the vets' opinions that it is genetic and therefore faulty wiring.

The chances of him ever being cured (if a cure ever is developed) is probably remote...as it would probably require stem-cells and/or bone marrow transplants and/or brain surgery. I love my little guy, but I'm not gonna spend THAT kind of money. Because it's genetic, the best I can hope to do is lessen the severity/frequency of his seizures - since the seizures are what are (probably) destroying his brain, little-by-little, to the point where a seizure WILL be death of him.

Like I'd indicated, I had him on ALL the known drugs - and combinations of drugs - but the liver damage (and eventual liver failure) was probably going to kill him way before his epileptic seizures would.

I think I'm going to try putting him on my Paleo *diet*. At the very least, HE'LL love it...and every meal will turn into a grand Last Meal for my probably-doomed *baby*.


I'd still like to hear from anyone who's had success - or failure - with any of the alternative treatments/therapies.


Thanks for all your help, so far, folks!

 

[WhoFlungpoo]

I was thinking it would help with managing his seizures by diet.

I hope you can help him. It must be distressing for you both.

 

[beowulf]

my little Yorkie suffered with Grande Mall type seizures......horrible thing.....he would 'space out', go rigid and shake....all you could do was comfort him til he came out of it, he knew you were there but it was if he couldnt acknowlege you, first time it happened i cried my eyes out i will openly admit.....he used to get them every month or two....vet said it could be caused by all sorts of things and there wasnt really an answer.......a year or two later i moved and changed vets, and after a routine checkup the vet wanted to give his teeth a proper clean underr anestetic.........after consulting the notes from the old vets he said it 'might' sort out his attacks too as sometimes a general anestetic with sort of 'reboot' the brain.................and it worked, he never had another attack til he died about 6 years later on

hope you find an answer for you dog, please keep us informed

 

[mrldii]

@ beowolf:

You've described his seizures very accurately...he stiffens, shakes, paddles...sounds like he's choking for air. His eyes glass over and often he slobbers. When he's coming out of it, his (especially right) eye starts twitching and he begins panting. A little more than 50% of the time, he vomits. Depending on the time of day, it's either food or just stomach bile. Last night's episode was the first time he lost control of his hind legs...for about two minutes. THAT was a *new* development.

Interesting. I've heard of *strange* cures like that, after being put under for an operation; could have some merit. I may actually look into this...and ask the vet to do a deep cleaning of his teeth. His teeth are fine, but if a 'side effect' was The (possible) Cure, it couldn't hurt. Except, of course, that whenever someone goes under, there's always risks...hmmm. Definitely worth at least a look-into.


Do you know if your Yorkie's seizures were genetic? At what age did he first have one?

 

[beowulf]

sounds like your dogs siezures are worse than Fudge's were

he was about 5 or 6 i think......had the op a couple of years later..............lived to be 15 1/2

no idea about being genetic...im pretty sure that tween him and his 2 borthers and sister, he lived the longest, simply cos we looked after him so well, .....sorry i cant help more

 

[Nebulous]

My mom's dog used to have seizures all the time. Especially when you'd pull the leash out and say "Do you want to go for a walk?!?!"
....the excitement would be too much for her.

That dog life lived to be almost 20 years old though (Pomeranian).