View Single Post
Old 07-22-2008, 09:54 AM   #8
Ladymom
Donating YT 2000 Club Member
 
Ladymom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,317
Default

My Lady has been an epileptic for nine years, ever since I adopted her at age four.

Idiopathic (true organic epilepsy) is very unusual in a dog under one year old. Usually seizures are a symptom of some underlying condition. Here are the most common:

POSSIBLE CAUSES OF SEIZURES BY AGE


LESS THAN 1 YEAR OF AGE

Anomaly: hydrocephalus.

Inflammatory:
Infectious - Viral: canine distemper; parasitic; bacterial; fungal
Immune mediated

Metabolic:
Hepatic - portosystemic shunt; Autoimmune thyroiditis (early stage: TgAA
positive); Hypoglycemia; Electrolyte disorders

Toxic: Single or combination vaccines; Lead; Drug related; Other exposures

Trauma: Acute; Delayed

Degenerative: Storage disorders

Primary: Idiopathic Epilepsy ("idiopathic" = cause unknown or undetermined)



Phenobarbital damages the liver long term. It is best to use the lowest dose possible to control seizures. Add on drugs like potassium bromide and Keppra are often used to keep the dose low. I have given Lady milk thistle almost from the start and she is just now starting to show elevated liver values at age twelve. Marin is the best formulation.

I would not advise getting another Yorkie to keep him company as an epileptic dog should never be left unsupervised with another dog. Sadly, companion dogs have been known to attack and kill a seizing dog. In the wild dogs will kill an injured pack member to protect the pack from predators and this instinct can trigger an attack in your home.

If he truly has idiopathic epilepsy and not some underlying disease, it shouldn't effect his life expectancy or quality of life at all as long as his seizures can be controlled.
Ladymom is offline   Reply With Quote
Welcome Guest!
Not Registered?

Join today and remove this ad!