My Friends dog has epilepsy

[Crazy Monkey]

Recently my friends dog has been having some health issues, when she was describing them to me I said that they sounded like a type of seizure as I used to have a dog with E, so I suggested that she take him to the vets.

Sure enough, several seizures later the dog has been diagnosed with epilepsy amongst other things. He has now started medication and is responding well.

But check this out -

The instruction leaflet says that when taking these tablets he mustn't drive or operate heavy machinery when drowsey

It ended up that they are human tablets, but not only that, the 'small 6kg' dog is taking a human adult dosage.

[haird18]

When we found out that my brothers dog which was a grey hound started having seizrures. My dad at the time called me and asked me what to do and then described what the vet put him on . I had learned many years ago dogs especially suffer from seizures and it is more common for them to have neurological disorders.And so researchers had started using human anticonvulsants on animals it worked, but the set back for dogs is they ussually die from it.
David

[Crazy Monkey]

My little dog ended up dying, but he was never put on medication, one of the seizures was so severe that there was no chance of recovery, so sadly my parents (I was at school at the time) had to make the decision to have him put down.

Hopefully my friends dog won't go the same way, but it is interesting what you said about the meds

[Bernard]

DogtorJ is a vet who treats epilepsy in dogs using the GARD diet.

[jazz'smum]

Nice to hear the dog is going well. Great to hear the owners are willing to do there best for the dog, I hope for them that it gives them the joy that animals bring to our lives.

You made me laugh with the bit about the med leaflet.

[Crazy Monkey]

Love the pic - Jazz's mum

Yes, the leaflet about the meds was funny, everyone here at work had images of little 'Pip' whizzing around in a truck or similar hehehehe

[darkmarkshark]

lol.

My sisters cat was diagnosed with epilepsy just a few weeks after I was. I don't think he was ever put on medicine though.

They rushed him to the animal hospital after his first seizure and he was the second cat they had that day. They were having trouble with the first cat because he was hissing/biting/attacking etc. With him they were having trouble because he wouldn't stop purring (couldn't get a heart beat) and wouldn't sit still for them because he trying to rub up against them and get petted. I guess they got the cat they wished for when they were dealing with the first one


So does the dog get a discount? Because as much I love pets I couldn't afford to spend $400/month on. Actually I can't really afford to spend that much on myself

[Crazy Monkey]

The cost for the dog will be about $120 a month, the dog is insured which is lucky.

Wow do you spend $400 a month on meds?? I get mine for free using the UK health system.

[Dutch mom]

Hello,

We had a Bouvier dog with severe epilepsy, long before I had my boy with epilepsy (Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.) It was my first experience with seizures and they were real bad grand mals. Our experiences with our dog helped us to recognize our son's first seizures (myoclonics by than) very early.
The dog was put om phenobarbital by the vet but it was difficult to get the tablets in becauce her jaws became stiff, so we ended up several times calling the vet to stop a seizure with an injection. The seizures got worse and worse and after 4 years we decided her life was not 'dogworthy' anymore because of the many seizures, the pain in her legs after a seizure (she could hardly walk anymore) and the bad side effects of the drugs she was on. We were very sad but euthanisia was the only thing we could do for her.