I would welcome input, Dublin had a seizure about an hour ago....UPDATE

[Sue and Cash]

Dub has epilepsy. He has had 3 more seizures since last night. We started him on the pheno this morning and so far not so great but we are hoping. The vet is concerned because he is clustering but he is settled now and we will take him to the hospital overnight if things get bad. Such a gorgous dog, such a tragic turn of events the past two weeks. I wish things were how there were before but I can't go back now. I didn't think it would progress this fast.

[Melinda Auld]

I wouldn't be injecting gold beads into my dog. Gold is actually toxic and just as likely to do more long-term harm than any short-term good. I know you are desperate to find the best way to help Dublin, but I would keep looking for other alternatives, or safe supplements to traditional medicines. There are plenty of people on the internet ready to swear that this or that particular clincially unproven treatment "cured" them, but until you see it printed and verified in an actual veterinary (or medical) journal, I would consider it voodoo.

I wish you all the best in finding a treatment that suits Dublin and helps prevent his seizures. It must be awful to watch your beloved boy go through it :(

[Sue and Cash]

Dub has now been on the pheno for 7 days and doing better than I had expected. He is less tired and getting goofy again. He seems to have less nervousness about everything as well. He used to be stressed out so often about so much and now he is more relaxed and tense. I am able to even walk him outside on a leash without him barking at every little thing. He is more playful when I took him to the dog park as well. Less tightly wound. No siezures yet either. I know they will come still, but I have so much more hope than I had. Our next big deal is in a week. Are the drugs at theraputic range so we can stay how we are for a bit. I pray they are. I don't want to have to increase what he takes. Because on this amount he is still acting like my dog only more relaxed.

[Catherine Carter]

It sounds like very encouraging news! I am thinking of you and so pleased to hear Dublin is improving !

[Astrid Landsaat]

Hi Susan,

that's good news! I hope his bloodlevels are okay and he can stay on this dose for a long time.

[lyn hathaway]

this is really great news for dublin susan and im so glad hes not as stressed out.are you settling down a little bit ? you sound as though you are more confident with the situation and if your happy then fergus will be.hope he can stay on the same meds when you go back to vets
speak soon
lyn

[Maggie Smith]

Hi Susan
How are you and Dublin getting on? I have been catching up with your comments page and thinking about you and your boy. I hope all is well
Maggie

[Sue and Cash]

Hi maggie,
Dublin is doing well. We are at day 17 without seizures and on the meds. He had his first blood work over the weekend and it shows he is at a very low almost off the range of theraputic level. Our vet feels we should leave him there until or if he seizes, then we have lots of room to add more if needed. He is pretty much back to his usual self, no one would know he is on anything since he isn't that tired at all anymore. I still get figure out why his stomach problems disappeared with the medication. Our vet shrugged and sort of dismissed the idea that the meds caused it, but I am thinking his stomach woes were stress related. Since he is less stressed, just slightly less mind you, he has had normal poops and no bile vomit episodes. He usually had quirky stomach things at least once a week or more. He couldn't even eat anything other than his food with a problem and the other day he ate a WHOLE loaf of garlic bread waiting to go in the oven with dinner. He is so bad about the counter surfing now that he is STARVING on the pheno. That is my only complaint on it, he is an eating machine and will literally take it out of your hand if your not on guard. That was never how he was before. Anyway we expected him to be seriously sick from that much garlic and butter and nope, not anything. Strange isn't it LOL. Thanks for checking in with us.

[Maggie Smith]

Good to hear your news - you can chill a little now. Best wishes Maggie

[Sue and Cash]

I have been to that website and also read quite a bit about Dr. Dodds at several places. I will consider that. As far as I know, isn't a dog between 1-3 yrs of age considered the normal age range for just plain idiopathic epilepsy though? I too want to know what caused this, why etc. And have begun to think is it the heartguard or K9 Advantix. But he has used both since he was 12 weeks old, why now? Because I am a researching sort of person and lay awake at night trying to uncover yet another possibility or reason I will make myself sicker just thinking about it. Last night I heard what sounded like a seizure. I heard his jowls flapping~! I jumped out of bed, flipped on the light expecting the worst and he looks up at me like "what? what? ". He simply got off the bed to scratch and that made his jowls flap!!! I was so relieved I was hugging him and laughing like a loon. We have made it 3 1/2 weeks seizure free but I am on edge often. I will check into Dr. Dodds Hemopet tonight.

[Patricia Bouch]

Hi Susan,
I am so sorry to hear about Dub I just hope he does come through this ok. I can honestly say I know how you feel because I lost my Setter only 7 weeks ago, He had a heart condition for two years and never believed that it would deteriorate so suddenly. He was taken into hospital on a Sat. night and came home on Monday afternoon and was in top form. It was great, we thought, but then on the Tuesday morning he started having trouble with his breathing and we had to take the awful .decision the early hours ofthat morning. It is just so so awful. I'll keep my fingers tightly crossed for Dub.

[Sue and Cash]

I am so very sorry for your loss. I know that pain well. I appreciate your good wishes and hope you have a new Setter in your life very soon to help you heal.

[lyn hathaway]

so sorry to hear of your loss patricia.