Looking after a dog with Epilepsy
Discussion
We are in the process of adopting a 2 year old Border Collie who has Epilepsy. She'll join our current 2 y/o BC boy.
The person we're adopting from says that she has a fit about once a month and she is currently taking medication to help, twice a day. The Collie tends to know it's coming and she will go and hide in her crate., During her fit, they tend to just comfort her, keeping away from her teeth which chatter.
Does anyone have any experience with a dog with Epilepsy?
Our intention is to register her with our vets and get some advice and guidance from them but anything else in the meantime would be helpful as we're keen to learn as much as we can.
Cheers
The person we're adopting from says that she has a fit about once a month and she is currently taking medication to help, twice a day. The Collie tends to know it's coming and she will go and hide in her crate., During her fit, they tend to just comfort her, keeping away from her teeth which chatter.
Does anyone have any experience with a dog with Epilepsy?
Our intention is to register her with our vets and get some advice and guidance from them but anything else in the meantime would be helpful as we're keen to learn as much as we can.
Cheers
Our seven-year-old Old English Sheepdog has epilepsy. One seizure every 7-8 days at present, but the gaps seem to be increasing with new medication.
The first ones are terrifying. By this stage we're calm and well rehearsed; make sure she's not hitting anything, get the other dog away, stick a towel under each end (though she doesn't usually leak), leave her to it. Typically 10-15 seconds of chomping and leg wiggling, then a couple of minutes of heavy breathing, then she comes to and is a bit groggy. Rescue drugs go in, she'll then spend a couple of days dozy but constantly pacing.
The first ones are terrifying. By this stage we're calm and well rehearsed; make sure she's not hitting anything, get the other dog away, stick a towel under each end (though she doesn't usually leak), leave her to it. Typically 10-15 seconds of chomping and leg wiggling, then a couple of minutes of heavy breathing, then she comes to and is a bit groggy. Rescue drugs go in, she'll then spend a couple of days dozy but constantly pacing.
Sporky said:
Our seven-year-old Old English Sheepdog has epilepsy. One seizure every 7-8 days at present, but the gaps seem to be increasing with new medication.
The first ones are terrifying. By this stage we're calm and well rehearsed; make sure she's not hitting anything, get the other dog away, stick a towel under each end (though she doesn't usually leak), leave her to it. Typically 10-15 seconds of chomping and leg wiggling, then a couple of minutes of heavy breathing, then she comes to and is a bit groggy. Rescue drugs go in, she'll then spend a couple of days dozy but constantly pacing.
Thank you. Even the thought of my dog having a fit is bloody terrifying but this little girl needs a home and this won't stop us from adopting her. This very is helpful in understanding how to manage her fits. The first ones are terrifying. By this stage we're calm and well rehearsed; make sure she's not hitting anything, get the other dog away, stick a towel under each end (though she doesn't usually leak), leave her to it. Typically 10-15 seconds of chomping and leg wiggling, then a couple of minutes of heavy breathing, then she comes to and is a bit groggy. Rescue drugs go in, she'll then spend a couple of days dozy but constantly pacing.
Brodie had epilepsy
You could learn what the signs of when it was about to happen
Would start to drool slightly, , eyes would get glassy and then would start
He would have a first seizure then a couple of minutes later would have second smaller one
We use to just comfort him and make sure he didn’t clatter in anything and he was constantly trying to stand up but his legs would support him
His Epiphen worked well and kept the seizure rate down to less than 1 per two months
Once he came out of it he would go drink a heap and was needed out for a pee immediately then he was fine
You could learn what the signs of when it was about to happen
Would start to drool slightly, , eyes would get glassy and then would start
He would have a first seizure then a couple of minutes later would have second smaller one
We use to just comfort him and make sure he didn’t clatter in anything and he was constantly trying to stand up but his legs would support him
His Epiphen worked well and kept the seizure rate down to less than 1 per two months
Once he came out of it he would go drink a heap and was needed out for a pee immediately then he was fine
Origin Unknown said:
Thank you. Even the thought of my dog having a fit is bloody terrifying but this little girl needs a home and this won't stop us from adopting her. This very is helpful in understanding how to manage her fits.
Honestly you do get used to them. Remember that the dog is unconscious and not feeling any pain, make her safe and leave her be.If the fitting carries on for several minutes you'll need to intervene. We have diazepam for that, only needed it once.
It's not as bad as you fear, nor as bad as it sounds, but you need to be just a little bit prepared.
Many years ago we thought it was a great idea to get a st bernard out of the pound, the dog escaped from the garden one day by jumping over the fence and taking its self off for a walk along a busy main road. Friends spotted it and we managed to catch it, while walking it back to the house it suddenly collapsed, had to fetch the car and then try and load about 9 stone of dead weight into the back of a ford fiesta. Phoned the Vet who suggested it had had a fit, possibly just due to running about in the heat, keep it cool and bring it in if we had any further episodes. After about 15 minutes it had recovered.
A few weeks later a mate called in saw the dog and suggested that if we were ever looking a new home for it he'd love to have it, he left with the dog.
Didn't see him for a while after that, but bumped into him one day while we were out, asked how the dog was.
He'd been out walking the dog one night, it had gone down one side of a lamp post, him down the other, the lamp post had a fault and the dog got electrocuted. He took the dog to the vet, all ok but it kept having fits afterwards, his vet diagnosed epilepsy and prescribed some reassuringly expensive tablets that the dog was on for the rest of it's fairly long life after that.
A few weeks later a mate called in saw the dog and suggested that if we were ever looking a new home for it he'd love to have it, he left with the dog.
Didn't see him for a while after that, but bumped into him one day while we were out, asked how the dog was.
He'd been out walking the dog one night, it had gone down one side of a lamp post, him down the other, the lamp post had a fault and the dog got electrocuted. He took the dog to the vet, all ok but it kept having fits afterwards, his vet diagnosed epilepsy and prescribed some reassuringly expensive tablets that the dog was on for the rest of it's fairly long life after that.
First fit last night. She like sleeping in bed with us, woke up my wife at 0310 teeth chattering, shaking a lot. Lasted for maybe 1.5mins and then seemed to subside, im not sure, but again for another minute or so.
Thanks to the people above that we at least felt a little prepared. She came round and we took her out for a busy immediately.
Comforted her for 10 or so minutes and she was quite calm and back to bed where she was out like a light and snoring.
Couldn’t sleep so could keep and eye on her.
Running kids around and wife has just called to say she’s had another fit in the last hour.
Waiting for the vet to call back to discuss.
Thanks to the people above that we at least felt a little prepared. She came round and we took her out for a busy immediately.
Comforted her for 10 or so minutes and she was quite calm and back to bed where she was out like a light and snoring.
Couldn’t sleep so could keep and eye on her.
Running kids around and wife has just called to say she’s had another fit in the last hour.
Waiting for the vet to call back to discuss.
Thank you for the kind words and for asking.
Spoke to the vet who said for the next two days we need to significantly increase the blue pills (I've forgotten what they're called) as that will help with dissipating all the stored-up "stuff" in her brain and should bring the cluster under control. No fit during the night and none today and infact, she was right as rain this AM and ready for walkies!
We're working with a local trainer who keeps 5 border collies as she needs proper training. She has had a collie with Epilepsy so was a useful source of knowledge. Although the primary direction is with the vet.
Seems certain foods can trigger a fit so now begins documenting as much as we can of what she consumes to see if we can see patterns.
For now, she is back to her normal self. It's quite remarkable how she goes from a fit to being lethargic to wanting to play ball inside 30 mins!
Spoke to the vet who said for the next two days we need to significantly increase the blue pills (I've forgotten what they're called) as that will help with dissipating all the stored-up "stuff" in her brain and should bring the cluster under control. No fit during the night and none today and infact, she was right as rain this AM and ready for walkies!
We're working with a local trainer who keeps 5 border collies as she needs proper training. She has had a collie with Epilepsy so was a useful source of knowledge. Although the primary direction is with the vet.
Seems certain foods can trigger a fit so now begins documenting as much as we can of what she consumes to see if we can see patterns.
For now, she is back to her normal self. It's quite remarkable how she goes from a fit to being lethargic to wanting to play ball inside 30 mins!
Our Staffie, Bomber, was on Epirepress (phenobarbital) for several years. It was very effective and apart from one time I forgot to bring it when he was away from home for a few days, it kept the fits at bay. Only towards the end (he lived to nearly 14) did he have fits again even when we kept up with the tablets. Despite burying the tablet in his food he would eat all around it and we would find the 1/2 a white tablet left in his dish. In the end we pushed the half tablet into a piece of sausage which he would wolf down with out noticing it.
The fits were pretty scary to watch. He would have his jaw stretched wide open, gums drawn back baring his teeth, eyes bulged and legs thrashing around, and more often than not, weeing uncontrollably. As far as I could see, there were no lasting effects though.
The fits were pretty scary to watch. He would have his jaw stretched wide open, gums drawn back baring his teeth, eyes bulged and legs thrashing around, and more often than not, weeing uncontrollably. As far as I could see, there were no lasting effects though.
Not a good week. Wednesday night, Maddie had a cluster of 3 fits in quick succession, each lasting about 2 minutes, gave her rectal diazepam after the second but I understand that it will still take in the region of 5 minutes to get into the bloodstream in sufficient amounts to help.
Despite having already lost control of her bowels, took her straight into the garden where she wandered around before fitting for a fourth time. I'm reasonably sure she was blind while briefly walking around. That was when we hit the panic button and took her to a 24hr vet. Thankfully, 6 mins from door to door.
She was given diazepam intravenously and kept overnight. Transferred to our vet the next day where we had an opportunity to talk to the vet about medication. Unfortunately, a mistake was made when performing a "Serum" test which would have given us sight of her "levels" immediately after her fit, but such is life.
She's currently on Soliphen (trading name for Phenobarbital) and Levetiracetam and the vet thinks based on older serum tests, we have some headway for an increased dose of Soliphen.
She's back for a "Serum" test in 10 days as we have her on a post-fit protocol of significantly increased dosage and frequency for two days.
Interestingly, my wife said she thought Mads was "glassy-eyed" during the day, so this could be precipitating factor to look out for. Her previous owners also suggested this. I currently have a paper from the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine titled "Seizure-precipitating factors in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy" which might provide some additional insights. Very technical and well beyond my comprehension due to big words and lack of pictures but I'll struggle through.
As for Mads, she has bounced back brilliantly and was very pleased to see us when we picked her up. Slept a lot on Thursday as to be expected but on this morning's walk, back to normal.
After the second episode a couple of weeks back, I thought we were getting a little more used to it but 4 in a row is quite difficult.
Mind you, the person I feel most sorry for was the cleaner at the vet. The door was locked so there is me, in slippers, soaked in piss, holding a dog in a blacket trying to kick the door down.
Despite having already lost control of her bowels, took her straight into the garden where she wandered around before fitting for a fourth time. I'm reasonably sure she was blind while briefly walking around. That was when we hit the panic button and took her to a 24hr vet. Thankfully, 6 mins from door to door.
She was given diazepam intravenously and kept overnight. Transferred to our vet the next day where we had an opportunity to talk to the vet about medication. Unfortunately, a mistake was made when performing a "Serum" test which would have given us sight of her "levels" immediately after her fit, but such is life.
She's currently on Soliphen (trading name for Phenobarbital) and Levetiracetam and the vet thinks based on older serum tests, we have some headway for an increased dose of Soliphen.
She's back for a "Serum" test in 10 days as we have her on a post-fit protocol of significantly increased dosage and frequency for two days.
Interestingly, my wife said she thought Mads was "glassy-eyed" during the day, so this could be precipitating factor to look out for. Her previous owners also suggested this. I currently have a paper from the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine titled "Seizure-precipitating factors in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy" which might provide some additional insights. Very technical and well beyond my comprehension due to big words and lack of pictures but I'll struggle through.
As for Mads, she has bounced back brilliantly and was very pleased to see us when we picked her up. Slept a lot on Thursday as to be expected but on this morning's walk, back to normal.
After the second episode a couple of weeks back, I thought we were getting a little more used to it but 4 in a row is quite difficult.
Mind you, the person I feel most sorry for was the cleaner at the vet. The door was locked so there is me, in slippers, soaked in piss, holding a dog in a blacket trying to kick the door down.
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