" ABBIE`S STORY"

[Angela Clarke]

LIFE AFTER EPILEPSY ABBIE`S STORY

The story of “ Kenmilfore red pepper”  D.O.B. 7^th. May 2004

In October 2003 my grandson died at 8 months, this left a very large hole in my world. I had been considering getting an Irish setter for some time and in July 2004 I got Abbie to help fill that gap.        

(maybe not the right reason to get a puppy).

I saw a litter advertised in June and arranged to go and see them. I arrived at a lovely country house with a large garden and there were 7 beautiful 5 week old puppies  and mum, some in the garden some in the kitchen one laying across the doorstep ( this was Abbie). I was not hurried and the breeder was so helpful as she knew that I had not had a setter before. I left a deposit and she asked me to visit if I wanted to before I collected her, and if I took an old jumper or towel she would put it with the litter so that I could take the smell of the litter home with Abbie.

Three weeks later I went to collect my darling Abbie, the breeder had all the paperwork in place, gave me a diet sheet, worming history and other information on Irish setters. This is what I would now expect from a good breeder. Over the next 2 ½ years I communicated regularly with the breeder, exchanging pictures, letters, Christmas cards etc. Abbie was a normal naughty puppy .

In August 2006 Abbie had her first fit, I didn’t  know what to do, I rang my vet and she was very helpful explained what it was and said she would come out if I wanted but there was little point as there was nothing she could do at that time, adding that if she had another one then call her straight away and to visit the surgery the next day. When I took her they decided it would be best not to put her on medication straight away as she may only have one fit and also this would help them with the dosage. I phoned the breeder to let her know what had happened as she had kept one of the litter to breed from, I spoke to her daughter as the breeder was not in and asked that the breeder rings me back. I never got a call back and rang her on several occasions but she was never available, and that was the end of my relationship with Abbie`s breeder. 

At this point I would like to describe her fits, as fit vary in intensity:

When Abbie fits she will shake and claw for about 1-2 minutes, emptying her bladder and expressing her anal glans while foaming heavily from her mouth. She then lays motionless for another 3-6 minutes. When she comes round she visits every room in the house then outside and walks around the perimeter of the garden before coming back in to drink about 1 ½ litres of water, after an hours sleep she returns to her normal self. Should her fit last longer than 3 minutes I have to quickly administer diazepam into her back passage to help bring her out of it, and lessen the possibility of brain damage.

Over the next six weeks Abbie had a further 5 fits it was then that the vet put her on epiphen.   

I kept a diary for Abbie for 3 years listing each time she had a fit including; possible link to her seasons/ time of day/ what she ate that day/ where she had exercised/ how long for/ length of fit/ recovery time etc…. hoping to find a common factor with no success.

 In November that year she had a major stroke, could not walk, lost all her memory, didn’t know who she was, what biscuits were or where she lived ( when we got to the vets she thought Abbie was blind because she was so vacant) I really didn`t think we were going to take Abbie home again, but the vet said we must  give her a chance. It took a month for her to get over this, not being able to walk for a week and when she did I took her for very short walks and she was everywhere didn’t know what to do at the road or people who she had known for a long while. In the house she would walk around trying to get out as if she shouldn’t be here (we worked it out later she thought she lived in the car, as this was her first memory after the stroke).

We were lucky in that she had no more fits in this month, but a week after her recovery they started again. The fits came every week or two in clusters of up to 7 in 2 days. The vet altered her medication when she had a longer period between her fits, the medication would drop if only by ½ tablet and the fits would come again.

She has blood tests every 4 months to monitor her liver function and toxin levels. At this time she was put on a low fat / low protein diet and 240mg. Epiphen + 1950mg Potassium bromide per day, as well as the Diazepam when required (she is still on this dose).

This went on until June 2009 when she had a single stem tumour removed from the base of her neck, she built up fluid and had another operation and a drain fitted. September that year Abbie had another stroke, this time it was minor and she recovered from this very quickly, only a week. In November that year at a routine check-up the vet was unhappy with her eyes after examinations he told me she was losing her sight.

August 2010 when I took her for her boosters, and my concerns that her fur was getting very thin the vet said she has probably got cushions decease, he was only 90% sure and would need to run test and scans to confirm this. (I refused these tests as it meant two days of blood tests, sedation, scans, feeding her and more blood tests). He was not going to give her the booster, he said “It is as good as it gets, if you get to Christmas make the most of it,” That day I went home and decided that if she had so little time left that I would let her have what she wanted, I took her off the vets diet and as she loves fish, put her on 80% fish diet. Within two weeks of her new diet she was much better, even wanting to go for short walks which she had not done for so long. Her fits have been few and far between since then. We have ups and downs, sometimes I get concerned for her but most of the time now she greets me when I come home.

Having a dog with epilepsy is not easy, social life is out the window but we still have holidays in English cottages as I can’t leave her in kennels. I would have liked her to have a litter but that really doesn’t matter either, I now have another two Irish setters aged nearly six and nearly seven months. We don’t have expensive carpets or furniture, we have towels around the house so if she has a fit we put one between her rear legs.

                   It is now January 2013 and we still have Abbie, she may be slow but she still has

                                                                          “QUALITY OF LIFE”

                                                                       Thank you for listening.

 

 

[Rhonda Fisher]

Thankyou Angela for sharing Abbie's story. Such caring for your girl is wonderful. I hope you can enjoy the quiet times together. Hugs to you both. Such an uncaring breeder it makes a you wonder.

[Finding_Beau]

Dear Angela

Thank you for sharing Abbie’s story with us. You should feel very proud of yourself. Because of your unconditional love and your dedication, Abbie is still alive today and she is almost 9 years old. Your special love gives Abbie every reason to continue to fight to live. What a brave and beautiful girl she truly is.

Also, you have achieved so much over these 9 years. You had never previously owned an Irish Setter. You have learned so much and you have given so much to the breed you love so much. This is what owning a Setter is really all about.

Unfortunately I also know the experience of brain seizures. On 12 August 2011, 9 days after my English Setter, Hammer died, my English Setter, Rose suffered her first seizure. From this day until her death on 6 March 2012, Rose endured a horrific time. It broke my heart because Rose had already suffered so much throughout her life. She did not deserve this as well, and she did not deserve to die the way she did.

I feel complete contempt for Abbie’s breeder. Unfortunately the attitude of Abbie’s breeder has become too common. Even though I have been incorrectly and unfairly accused on this website of degrading dog breeders and exhibitors, the truth is that I have no interest in this at all. My only concern is the welfare of all the animals. They cannot speak for themselves. They need concerned human beings like us to be their voice, to raise awareness about their suffering, and to fight for each and every one of them.

I sincerely hope that Abbie will continue to share her life with you for many years to come.

My best wishes to you and Abbie and all your family from Susan and her English Setter children xxxxx

[Barbara]

Thank you for sharing Angela! Hugs and best wishes to you and Abbie

[Myra Thomas-Rhodes]

Very sad story, Angela, but certainly heartwarming too. Thank goodness  Abbie is such good hands with her very loving Mum! Best Wishes.....we will all be thinking of you. M XX

[Cornelia]

Thank you, Angela, for sharing Abbies story and I hope she will have quality of life for much longer. She certainly has a loving home and this can make such a difference! I'm also very sorry to read, that you lost your grandchild - it so hard to loose someone so young! Whishing you all the best! C & J xxx

[ereni]

Thank you for sharing, a bear hug to Abbie.

[Sharyn Latchford]

Like Ellen above, I am sending you both hugs.....Abbie has you and you have Abbie....and to me that is love of the best kind....

Sharyn

[Cheryl Gorey]

Thank-you Angela for sharing this heart wrenching story of Abbie's health struggles.  I admire people like yourself (and Michelle Webster comes to mind too) who have devoted their lives to their beautiful dogs in these very difficult times and been able to offer their dogs such good quality of life despite their health conditions.

I believe there are very many responsible IS owners/breeders who work very hard to keep the breed as healthy as possible.  We can only hope and pray that a DNA test will be available some day soon as this will hopefully be the solution!  Until then, we can analyse pedigrees and hope and encourage open and honest communication between breeders, stud dog owners and pet owners who need to all work together for the best health outcomes for these very special redheads.

[Ulvi Mannama]

Thank you Angela! You Abbie's story bring to me so many memories. Kisses to Abbie!