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.

[Astrid Landsaat]

Susan,

that hind leg weakness thing happens to most of the dogs. Actually Pheno and KBr did that to my girl. Don't worry, that will disappear after a few weeks.
I agree that an MRI (and a spinal tap) might be a waste of money, sometimes it's obvious that epilepsy is idiopathic, like i my girl's case.

[Sue and Cash]

Oh good to know Astrid. He tolerated the start of pheno very well and never had the wobbily things I read about. He was running around like nothing changed. So I feel better already now. I don't want to worry about him falling when I am gone either. The first night on the Kbr he sort of seemed a bit unsteady if he turned quickly but otherwise he is good. What do you think since I have been giving him the once a day dose of Kbr at night, is it okay to just tomorrow morning start the half dose twice daily? I don't want to overdose him or anything with the doses to close together.

[Astrid Landsaat]

Susan,

it is not easy to give Dub an overdose of KBr. It doesn't matter if you give him once or twice a day his KBr. His stomach will tell you what"s better for him.

Astrid.

[Sue and Cash]

He has eaten Pro Plan Salmon and Rice for sensitive systems for two years. No corn or wheat in it. But some oatmeal. He has always done wonderful on it, without weight issues. Changing him (I tried several times slowly) to Wellness or Fromm didn't work out well. He got sick. He had bad stomach issues for so long. But we noticed since taking the medications he has snatched some people food that would of killed his gut before and now doesn't seem to bother him at all. We wonder if it was a nervous stomach all along and the meds seem to have chilled him out somewhat. I say somewhat because to me he sleeps well when he isn't starving. But his activity level hasn't changed at all. He still wants to run and play in the wood daily. He just naps a bit more. The doctor thought if we change his food now, we won't know if it is the bromide bothering it or the food change. So we figured we should wait a few weeks to be sure he handles the meds okay. I might be trying the Whitefish/Sweet Potato natural balance food here in the states. I like simple ingredients.
And we prefer to keep him on a fish based food. I just read I can, if his stomach wigs out, give him the bromide twice a day with his food and it is better tolerated that way. I can try that as well.

[Sue and Cash]

I got his bromide from a local pharmacy down the street. Super nice people and very helpful. I think it was only like 13.00 for it. Both medications are cheap. Something good! I am going to start the half dosing in the morning. I will continue giving it on bread. He takes it just fine.

[John B. Hughes/Absinthe]

Sue,
I had a bitch 40 years ago that suffered from epilepsy. After a lot of medication by animal vets I had a human hospital run her blood chemistry. They told me that a dog's metabolism was greater than humans and that the dose the vets were prescribing was inadequate to solve the problem. Once she received the proper dose and it was verified by her blood chemistry the problem was solved. Hope this helps! John