Epilepsy

[sheena]

Sheena, how awful for your daughter little dog. And to fall over the balcony Good to hear that she was managed well on a small dose of meds.

Very interesting indeed to hear of the environmental aspect. As you might already know Stella is very reactive/noise phobic & is very anxious. I was wondering with her being this type of dog would it effect these seizures in as much as would she be inclined to seizure more as she is so anxious.

When she had her first seizure she was very stressed as our neighbor was whipper sniping right near our boundry fence which sets her off. So she was running around the yard, whining, so I quickly went to find her & that's when she was just starting to seizure on the ground

All those things you mention are all huge triggers for her anxiety. Loud noises, flashing lights etc etc There is a pretty extensive list unfortunately.

I know it's hard to protect them from all stressors. The first time Noo Noo had an attack while I was looking after her, was after she had got into trouble for something & I scolded her. I didn't know at the time that she was epileptic & I thought she was having a heart attack

[BC Crazy]

Yes I didn't know what was wrong with Stella either. I thought either a snake had bitten her or she had ran into something & broken her spine as she was paralysed

You would have felt so awful especially after rousing on her then she has a seizure You weren't to know though.

[BC Crazy]

Stella has had a couple of water works accident's in the last 2 days which is so unlike her. She has wet herself while she has been sound asleep. Stella has always had severe night mares, even as a puppy. This was just a dream though on both occasions. She is completely asleep then her start legs are moving, like she is running etc & she whines/pants as well. Then she jumps up & goes to sleep somewhere else. I then discover she has wet there. Poor girl is usually so clean & never has an accident,ever. I wondered if this is some kind of side effect of the Epilepsy???

Has anyone else Epilepsy effected dog had these kind of symptoms?

[persephone]

Not sure ..she may even be having some sort of seizure activity ..or need a checkup with an eye to spey incontinence? Ask the vet next time :)

[BC Crazy]

I wondered about the seizure activity too persephone. Maybe. She has woken both times, straight away, looking around like, what the hell!!! then moves away. She wakes herself up.

When I think about some of her really bad night mares, maybe they were mild seizures too I don't know...

Will be asking my Vet next visit. So out of character for her.

Didn't know there was such a thing as spey incontinence perse, interesting.

[~Anne~]

I'd be thinking it may also be seizure activity. Seizures can all be very different.

It might be worthwhile discussing further testing with your vet too. It could just be epilepsy but it might not be either.

[piper]

Certainly in people seizures can present in many different ways, so I would say that it is possible in dogs as well. I know someone with a child who has nocturnal seizures quite frequently. Loss of bladder and bowel control are also something that can happen with seizures.

I would definitely be recording anything like that and letting the vet know as it may or may not be related.

Hugs to you and Stella. What a terrible time

[Guest Ams]

It does sound like she is having further seizures.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Ams

[SueM]

Sounds like seizure activity, you probably need to look at medicating her.

[CaseyKay]

KC was often incontinent in her sleep for a day or so after severe seizures. I wonder if it was the muscles everywhere being loose from the seizure activity or she was less aware (she was spayed at 6 months old). The first time she had pancreatitis and was a very sick girl she was incontinent in her sleep for about a week. She would also usually lose bladder control during a seizure but that was different as it would be sprayed around a little in droplets and her back end would end up covered in it. The post-seizure incontinence would be in the form of a puddle on her blankets.

[BC Crazy]

Yes Caseykay, Stella does exactly this. It was for a couple of days after she had those 2 pretty bad seuzures. The incontinence is the puddle on her blankets type thing. Stella was also desexed at 6 months old but not convinced that has to much to do with it. I think it may be more as you say, she doesn't seem as aware & definitely not back to her true self yet. The seizures are very intense so they really must play havic with their nervous system I would think.

Edited January 4, 2014 by BC Crazy

[BC Crazy]

Hi everyone,

Was wondering for owners like me who have an Epilepsy effected dog, What Heart worm preventive do you use. I used to use the yearly injection for Stella but don't feel that it suitable anymore as her immune system would already be pushed to the limit as it is IMHO. So was thinking the monthly ones would suit us better. There are a lot to choose from these days. Are the generic ones OK. What do you folks recommend? Stella has Advantix every 2 weeks as we have a bad Tick problem where we live so am just in need of the heart worm tablet. Thanks in advance :)

[SueM]

I am probably not much help, but I avoid putting anything toxic in his system, it seems to trigger his seizures, I go with all nautural preventions. Neem sprays etc.

[Jumabaar]

I use the correct dose of ivermectin for my boy every 5 weeks.

[BC Crazy]

Sprays just wouldn't work for us unfortunately cause Stella swims daily. Thanks anyway.

Appreciate that Jumabaar :)

Edited March 21, 2014 by BC Crazy

[ness]

BC Crazy after Ness had a reaction to the last round of flea treatment I was a bit concerned about continuing heart worm medication with her even though she has never reacted to it in the past. After seeking advice of the vets she is on Interceptor Spectrum as she has always been but they told me that was considered to be one of the lower risk products.

[~Anne~]

I gave Sentinel to Monte. I gave it every 6 weeks from September to March and then only every 8 weeks until the end of August.

[BC Crazy]

Thanks for the suggestions folks.

Ness, Interceptor was the product I was thinking of. Have used it on Stella when she was a puppy. For the moment am going to just use a plain Heartworm tablet monthly as I have a bottle of stomache wormers to finish off. After they are gone I'll swap over to the Interceptor & stick with the Advantix for the Tick & flea protection. I have decided to do the same with Sonny as well & not get the annual heartworm injection.. it works out muxh cheaper as well.

[Steve]

Sometimes something happens, even a mild infection or being super hot etc which can reduce the levels of minerals in a mammals brain - when this happens the treatment is re hydration but sometimes the mineral levels are so low that even though the levels show in the blood they arent doing what they need to do in the brain.

Magnesium takes up to 8 months to re build back to where it needs to be in the brain if taken orally but you can use it on the skin which absorbs 10 times more quickly - often this explains why one minute all is well and then it seems to step up almost over night - going form no siezures to heaps without any clinical reason being found - thats because without that mineral there even minor exercise or stress can use it up and you see a convulsion - often you see it after the stress or exercise rather than actually during.

Anyway when the vet sees the fitting coming about often they diagnose drugs and it takes a while - if ever to see an improvement but if you google magnesium and seizures you will see that they have been able to bring down seizures in incidence and frequency in some by up to 70% - and the test and studies were done on animals including dogs.

They are also using the magnesium oil for parkinsons patients and dementia to stop the mood swings and deterioration - losts of elderly peopel have low magnesium levels. - but orally once those levels are down when you see symptoms it takes ages to build them up again - 8 months orally 3 weeks with the oil or magnesium baths .

It may not help but cant do any harm and worth having a look at this early in the process. you can buy magnesium chloride flakes pretty cheap - about $20 a kilo. Type in magnesium, seizures to your search engine.

[BC Crazy]

Extremely interesting post Steve. I did type in the magnesium, seizures as you suggested & was totally amazed at the volume of information regarding this. I had no idea.

Couple of questions, if I bath Stella in Magnesium flakes, how often would you suggest I do this? Do I leave it on or rinse it off?

If I was to supplement Stella's diet with Magnesium orally, do I do this with human form Magnesium in conjunction with bathing her or one or the other?

As you say it is worth a try. Thanks for your input. Very much appreciated as to be honest I'm very worried about her nervous/stress levels. It must be taking such a toll on her over all well being.

Edited March 23, 2014 by BC Crazy