Staffy-Lover

Dr Childs herself said that there is no evidence that the fish oil tabs do anything but that in her experience and belief... because fish oil tabs are used for memory and brain function (in humans and dogs) that they are beneficial to epi dogs. Also good for the heart etc which gets alot of stress in a seizure.

3 months puggles yipeee... 3 weeks here is a celebrations Thanks for the thread... i use tablets and cut them on the bench and was just wondering the other day if it could harm humans. take care epi babies

fish oil will take a week or two to really work. the tea tree cream is pretty cheap alternative that is a natural product, i use it on my staffies everything ... it is a wonder cream.

Feed her two capsules of fish oil a night with dinner, u get them in a tub of 200 for $20 from the chemist. At the pet store you can get a teatree cream it is in a white tub or tube with a green and white label on it, i find this FANTASTIC for both my staffies. and washing once a week is too often! you wash all the natural oils out of the coat.. so unless she is getting really dirty for some reason then only once a month is necessary. You can try to get rid of allergies if you think it is food related by slowly cutting things out until you find the culprite. Most staffies have allergies.. the hives i would say are actually from fleas as there is an outbreak at present according to the abc radio vet at Vineyard Hope it all works

caseyKay, well if you are feeding her afterwards then it can't be the tablets being caught in the throat as the food would push them down. almost definately seizure but thank goodness it is gone for now. Have your tried her on a weetbix with warm water to soggy it and then a splash of low fat milk? My girl is fussy fussy but she loves it ! Puggles - my boy is 30kg and has two tablets a day - the neuro said you won't OD your dog on these, worst would be he starts to get a too oily coat and u know u r over doing it, so i would give your babe just one tablet per day. You don't need to take them out of the capsule just put the capsule in the food and that's that. In humans fish oil helps brain function and Dr Childs said that the fish oil also helps the brain function of epi's (although as she said there is no hard evidence but this is typical of epilepsy isn't it hehehe). She said the fish oil is good for the liver and the coat and the heart and everything anyway.

it sounds like seizure activity to me.. not all seizures are full blown ones. Just a question - u say that you don't give the tablets with food just put them down her throat BUT all these tablets should be given with substantial forms of food. So do you give the food afterwards because if so then it can't be the tablet getting stuck. I was giving my boy his meds with cheese only in the morning BUT when i went to the Neuro she said the tablets need to be taken with a decent amount of food. We have since been giving with weetbix and warm water with dash of milk and it actually helped with the seizures. we went from 2 weeks to 4 weeks.

Hey Puggles, Dr Childs said that fish oil helps the brain and that although nothing is proven she thinks that fish oil can help epi's. we started my boy on two capsules every night (just normal humans ones or u can get squirt one from the pet stores), i know that it is probably a mixture of a few things that Dr Childs taught us BUT since we have seen her and been using the fish oil my boys seizures went fantastic ... straight away they went from once a fortnight to once a month. Also, she said the fish oil is just generally good for their health because of the meds. and YES my career is going great. Some kids are driving me slightly mad but all in all it is great and i'm glad i made the move hope all is well

Not sure if i mentioned it before but my neuro told me to add 2 capsules of fish oil a day to my boys diet and it seems to be working well for him

No proven link but like nearly everything else in epilepsy they haven't disproven it yet either hehehehhe. When my boy was first diagnosed with epi they asked me to trace the tree aswell but i had lost contact with the breeder. So little is known about this disease that it is frustrating. I would also like a copy of the book co written by doctor childs aswell if you can tell me where to buy it that would be great - thanks Re the comments from people about our epis---- my boy is living life to the full and once every now and then the epi gets in the way of this but he has no pain and hardly any side effects - and we don't put people to sleep who have epi so there is no way in this world or the next i am putting my boy down.

Best thing you can ever do is talk to someone else who owns an epi dog.. i think between us we actually know more then the vets - understandably because we experience it so often. The double dosing has worked a treat for my boy aswell.. only problem is that he has to be coherent enough to give him the dose and once the FIRST seizure went for so long i rushed him to the vet.. but i am now getting rectal valium aswell. Puggles is there a special applicator or is it just a needless syringe?

The signs you have described can also be those of an epileptic who went into status. An epileptic dog can have a fit (that you didn't see) then can have a state of panic and confusing and/or energy..... then another seizure which can be fatal ESPECIALLY if overheated. A long shot BUT an epileptic fit would not show up in blood tests etc...?

On the rare occassion that i actually have a life hehehehe and i can't be home at the time for the meds i give half dose when i leave and half dose when i get home--- you have 10 hours in between the dose so i'd probaby give the three quarters at 2 and the rest when i got home. Just a question: The morning you gave the 60mgs - was it straight after the fit or a time after? You only double dose immediately after the fit to stop any chance of clusters. To double dose later in the day is unneccessary. For example - my boys meds are due at 7am 7pm. If he has a seizure at 4am i give him ONE dose then and then i give him another dose as usual at 7am. (so that is the double dose) I wouldn't wait till 7am and just give him a double dose -- And as Puggles says PB is pretty safe so a double dose wouldn't hurt unless you were doing all the time. (it takes 1-2 weeks for a double dose to get back to normal in the blood... so if you were double dosing more then once a fortnight you might like to check that it is okay - but still i don't think it would be a drama so long as it wasn't all the time) I hope i haven't confused you Take care

Hi guys, good to hear all is well with Harvey !! Well My boy is back to seizures on a fortnightly cycle grrrrr.. i think because he has put on a bit of weight it might be affecting the tablets so i have him on a diet. Can't get his blood done until two weeks after you double dose and i double dose him every time he seizures.... (as i said it stops the clusters completely for him). Fingers crossed the weight loss works for him. Puggles - i worry constantly about not being at home during a seizure but i think you just can't let the epilepsy have you in a panic constantly otherwise you end up making yourself sick with worry. I know my boy has seizures when i am out sometimes as i see the same tell tale signs as you... the spit dried on the side of the face.. wee..and hyperactivity. I just hope to god that they aren't too bad for him. I particularly worry on hot days as you know about the body temperature... but you can't leave the pool out incase he drowns in his blind phase so on really hot days i put bags of ice in his water and hope this will help him if he needs it. hope all is well with the epi dogs take care

Hi KC, no thank goodness my boy has been good.. so fingers crossed it keeps going like this. i am glad that kc has broken the cycle, now you need to give it a month or two and then go and get a blood works done to see his range. make sure you feed him with both doses.. i give weetbix with the morning ones and dinner with the others. and leave out lots of water. good luck and i hope all the epi dogs are seizure free

GRRRRRRRRRRRR damn it My boy had another seizure this morning... not good.. it looks like his good run has been broken. It was a bit strange this time.. he came and woke me up and i thought he had to go to the loo so i let him outside and went for a drink. came back and there he was on the floor in a huddle (blindness), he had fallen of a very high step and i thought disaster had struck.. but thankgoodness he didn't hurt himself. This sucks sometimes... it's so depressing when you finally get a run without seizures and then they come back again frequently. fingers crossed that we have seen the last for a while.

Worm her Fish oil caps daily chunky bones or chicken wings to help clean her teeth a dolop of plain yoghurt in her dinner every night 1 raw egg in her dinner twice a week a tablespoon of ground/pured green leafy veges in her dinner every night meat and dry biscuit you can also try supplements if you think she is lacking vitamins etc... but i think after a few weeks of eating properly and sleeping well and a bit of love she will be as good as new good on you for taking her and giving her this chance

Puggles that is great news about the levels.. means u have room to move in future if you need it. My boy will get his done in 2 weeks. Because we doubled dosed him at the last seizure the neuro said give it 1 -2 weeks to let the meds get back in order. I'm glad Harvey and KC are all doing well - lets hope this weather cools down for the Aussie dogs because my boy is beat in this weather with his black coat. I have been leaving bags of ice around in the yard for him and he just lays on top of them anyhow lets hope the seizures stay away for all !

hows all the epi pups going with this heat? My boy had a seizure 4.30 thursday morning so i stayed home from work because of the hot hot hot day. Thank goodness that the double dosing of meds stopped any clusters ! hope everyone else is well

What an absolutely majestic animal... i feel your loss - RIP beautiful baby

Rest peacefully chad

Loki, you are in good company at rainbow bridge with my Harry. Keep him company with lots of cuddles until we all meet again one day. Your mum is already ensuring your memory lasts forever by sharing her story of love with other DOLERS.. Rest in peace knowing that you will be missed. kind wishes

hmm i feel left out - where do u get these pill spliters from... i have a drama every day.. i have to cut one tablet into quarters grrrrrr

how much does your dog weigh?

caseyk going 45 twice a day is an extra 30mg's... this is a big jump, u are going from 60mgs to 90mgs i think the vet was thinking 15 extra mgs a day... so if you want to even it out maybe take it to 40mgs twice a day - this takes it to 80ms cause you want to get as much effectiveness on the least amount possible.. u can always go up. what do u think puggles...?

I used to think the rainbow bridge sounded sad... now i think it sounds like the best place ever because that is where all our babies are.... play gently with my Harry Keisha...rest in peace baby