Epileptic Boykin

[bitesize]

So after a few seizures over the last few days I took my dog to the vet today. In addition to an ear infection and some elevated levels in his blood panel the Vet determined we should start treating for epilepsy. Not sure what I’m asking for- maybe just someone to say things will be ok.

I called our breeder and in their 9 litters have not had a single dog with epilepsy. Is this a hereditary issue?

At this point I’m trying to stay off google until we’ve had a few days of meds hopefully kicking in.

I’m going to just say a few prayers and hope we can get to the bottom of it- never realize how important our dogs are until something scary happens to them.

[JABIII]

We will shoot y'all some prayers as well. So frustrating when they can't tell you how they are feeling, I know...

[CreekGeek]

Is the dog on oral flea medicine? Take them off of it for a while and see if they keep coming.

[Quackhead22]

Is the dog on oral flea medicine? Take them off of it for a while and see if they keep coming.

This! My shorthair is susceptible to seizures i took her off of whatever flea meds she was on and switched her to a different one recommended by Dr Coker in Kingstree. She still has one or two a year but nothing like it was. Granted they weren’t bad when she had them, just lethargic and almost acting drunk.


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[Palmetto Bug]

I had a terrier that had them pretty regularly. Once you get over the initial panic, they are pretty manageable. I didn't put my dog on the treatment but instead just learned how to deal with the seizures.

One of the biggest issues is how other dogs react. In a natural pack environment, a seizure could get a dog killed, probably nature's way of naturally selecting or deleting flaws in the bloodline. I had to teach my other dogs to respect the terrier and leave him alone when he was having the seizure. The terrier apparently had some slight advanced notice when he was about to have one and would get clingy. We learned to detect his mood and just sat down on the floor with him and helped him ride them out. Once he learned we would be there for him, it was obvious that it relieved him of a lot of anxiety. About the only other worry was keeping a close eye on him when he was swimming or in any situation that could be immediately dangerous for a semi-conscious dog. He lived to be 13 or 14 years old so it just became one of those little eccentricities that you learn to deal with.

[Duck Nitz]

As long as that dog is not left alone for too long, you can manage it. I had a French Brittany Spaniel that had them and they kept up upping the dose until I couldn't take it anymore (she had them pretty bad). I ended up sending her to a couple in Wisconsin as part of a breed rescue program because for at least 10 hours a day, I couldn't be there to manage it.

[LBS]

I had a beagle that would have 2-3 seizures a year. The other dogs in his pen would bark but never got aggressive with him. If I was home when it happened, I would get him out of the pen until it was over. I never put him on medication and he lived a good and long life. I think you'll be fine.

[bitesize]

Thanks fellas/

[cajunwannabe]

I had a yellow lab that started having seizures around 2 years old. I reached out to an old West coast holistic dog trainer fella on the refuge. "Doc E" is his handle. Bought his super high doses of fish oil, "pure" according to Doc E. Never saw another seizure again after fish oil and diet change. I didn't want to dope my dog up on phenobarbital and deal with frequent blood panels. Dog lived to be 13 and was a great retriever.

[Sportin' Woodies]

Sounds like he cast a healing spell on your dog

[WoodieSC]

Years back we adopted an 8-1/2 yo male Golden. A month or two after we switched his food over to the formula we were using with our other Golden, Mac started having a seizure every few weeks. Nothing showed up on any tests, so we started testing different foods. To make a long story short, several foods and a final grain-free formula extended his seizure rate out to one every 16-18 weeks until he passed at 12-1/2. We never pin-pointed what he may have been allergic to, but it was manageable without meds.

[abarill]

Please shoot me a PM

[Quackhead22]

I had a yellow lab that started having seizures around 2 years old. I reached out to an old West coast holistic dog trainer fella on the refuge. "Doc E" is his handle. Bought his super high doses of fish oil, "pure" according to Doc E. Never saw another seizure again after fish oil and diet change. I didn't want to dope my dog up on phenobarbital and deal with frequent blood panels. Dog lived to be 13 and was a great retriever.

I wonder if fish oil concentrate mixed in with the food would have the same effect?


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[cajunwannabe]

It worked for my yellow lab. He never had another seizure from age 2-13.

https://search.brave.com/search?q=do...source=desktop
Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6 oils): Many humans with epilepsy have been helped by eating a ketogenic diet (high in fat, low in carbohydrates). High fat seems to decrease the excitability of the neurons in the brain, and the addition of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (both of which are found in wild-caught-salmon oil) can decrease seizure frequency and intensity in dogs.

[WoodieSC]

I wonder if fish oil concentrate mixed in with the food would have the same effect?


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You may want to look at Krill Oil, which is a higher quality fish oil.

The problem, as I learned from various Vets and others, with seizures in a dog is that there could easily be "200" different causes. Good luck to you in narrowing it down as best you can.