Focal Seizures?

[JessLough]

So, I have to finally realize that Rosey is 16 in a few months, and is no longer a spring chicken.

She's been having, in the last year or so, what I think are focal seizures. She will just suddenly kind of stare into space, her head will start shaking, and then, just as quick as it started, it's done, and she continues on with life like nothing happened. That may have been a real bad discription, it's hard to describe. As far as frequency.. It's tough. I'd say it used to be 1-3 times a day. Now that she's on a grain-free food with different proteins, I'd say 1-3 times a week. They literally last 5-10 seconds and it's done. Nobody else really notices it, it's so fast and not a problem for her.

She's going to the vet at some point soon -- when is up in the air. It depends on how much the ferrets cost me tomorrow, and when my vet can fit us in/when I have a day off, when it comes down to it. I am aware she should have gone to the vet earlier, probably, so I really don't need to hear that.

My vet is awesome and will give as much support medically as she can if it does turn out to be something. I guess more I was looking for info from people who have been there done that. Though from the medical standpoint would be good too.

I have a friend who has dealt with seizures for a while, done lots of research, etc that is willing to help however with info if it does turn out to be something, but the more info can't hurt?

Ugh sorry, my mind was all over the place there

[Renee750il]

Mom's little Rat Terrier, Katie, has seizures like that. She's 18 -- probably close to 19 now. She's been on -- oh, crap, the common seizure medication -- for over a year now. The full dose was too much all at once, so we give her half of it in the morning and half at night.

She's doing well. A little vague, but that's nothing new. I think trying to please my mother has more to do with that than the seizures or age, to be honest.

[JessLough]

Glad to hear shes at an older age!

I've been warned to be very careful with meds and side effects -- so we'll see I guess what goes on at the appointment.

[Teal]

I used to have a dog who had Grand Mal seizures that were completely unexplained.. she saw three vets at one clinic, and two at another... and no one could figure out what was causing them. The closest we came to a diagnosis was allergies, because she had them only during the summer.

So, they prescribed Phenobarbital for us to start giving her when she showed pre-seizure warnings and that was that. I never noticed any negative side affects from the medication, and she took it every few months of the year for about 12 years before she died naturally of old age at just under 14 years old.

[Renee750il]

Pheno is what Katie's on. I think she's actually only taking half the dose. Instead of one pill twice a day it's half a pill twice a day.

[stardogs]

Pheno is usually the go to for most vets, but it can be hard on the liver. Potassium Bromide (KBr) is often added if the pheno doesn't change things enough, but some people have had success starting with just KBr and it's less damaging from what I've heard.

Herbs, acupuncture, and diet changes all seem to help some dogs. My parents' dog was epileptic (idiopathic) and she got waaaay better when she was switched to a higher quality, limited ingredient kibble (from a pork and very grain heavy food to a lamb and rice food) with Vitamin E supplementation.

[~Jessie~]

Chloe was having what we thought were seizures about a year ago... turns out it was from mushrooms in the yard. Anyway, our vet is holistic and we did acupuncture and were given a big bottle of herbal supplements for seizures. Our vet said that the herbal pills have worked out really well for dogs with seizures. I don't have them on me at the moment, but I'll check for the name of them.

If you're intested in giving them a try, I can give you what's left in our bottle since we have no use for them.

Big hugs for Rosey. Getting old is no fun

[JessLough]

Thanks for the insight, guys!

Yah, the fact that it's hard on the liver is, honestly, a huge turnoff for me from the meds. That's why I won't use Prednisone in the ferrets, because of the liver issues.

Obviously, if absolutely needed, she'd get the meds. But I think I'm at the point right now where they are so short, and so infrequent now with the new food, that I'm not sure I'm willing to risk the effects.

Originally Posted by ~Jessie~

Chloe was having what we thought were seizures about a year ago... turns out it was from mushrooms in the yard. Anyway, our vet is holistic and we did acupuncture and were given a big bottle of herbal supplements for seizures. Our vet said that the herbal pills have worked out really well for dogs with seizures. I don't have them on me at the moment, but I'll check for the name of them.

If you're intested in giving them a try, I can give you what's left in our bottle since we have no use for them.

Big hugs for Rosey. Getting old is no fun

Seriously? Cause that would be amazing.

I guess we'll see what the vet says. I know that she would have no problem if I mentioned I wanted to try herbal first.

[~Jessie~]

Just looked through my past threads. The supplement is called Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin Wan Herb.