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Originally Posted by concretegurl  Elvis continues to have seizures, we have worked on the behavior...he is a friendly as ever but immediately after a seizure he bites...who can blame him he's terrified! Elvis has cluster seizures which means he has usually 3-5 seizure a little as minutes apart and for the length of several days at a time. He seems to be loosing his sense of smell and depth perception or sight in one eye, as well now lets his tongue often hang out of his mouth. However most of the time he is happy and healthy, with the exception of early arthritis, but I give him a daily supplement for it, which has truly aided in his symptoms for that disappearing. We can't do anything fo rthe seizures there is not pattern of them, and they are not frequent enough to medicate him...in all honesty the medications cause so many side effects I'm almost glad not to give him anything. We keep a list of things that can trigger seizures on the fridge (rosemary is a HUGE one) switched his heart worm and worming treatment, continue with the frontline plus and hope for the best. I'm deeply troubled by the response from he kennel I got him from and the later finding out that he was actually purchased from another breeder who after his litter ended her line, fixed her dogs and petted them out-as she should have-but failed to tell anyone she ended her line for a genetic defect-EPILEPSY. I can't imagine not having him in my life now though. I wouldn't however recommended getting a dog with issues like his to anyone whom can't handle the loss...Elvis is only 3 years old and according to my vet in another two years (if that) I'll be making decisions about the quality of his life verses postponing his life if his seizures keep up and continue to take away his abilities at the current rate of progression. I'll do whatever it takes to keep him around and going strong but with a heavy heart, quality of life has to be considered also. Until then I enjoy everyday with him and most days you'd never know he was anything less than in perfect and in perfect health. |
Cluster seizures 3-5 minutes apart that last for several days are certainly frequent enough to medicate!
Idopathic epilepsy usually doesn't have a "pattern", but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be medicated. Lady has never had a pattern or any triggers I could pinpoint.
Losing his eyesight and sense of smell is from brain damage from such frequent seizures. Not medicating Elvis when his cluster seizures are that close together means you face status epilepticus, a horrible emergency situation that may cause irreversible brain damage.
Epilepsy should not be a death sentence! My Lady has had seizures since I adopted her at age four. They were frequent enough (several a month) that we started phenobarbital. A few years later she started having cluster seizures and had an episode that lasted for 48 hours. My vet added potassium bromide and we were able to get them under control. She is now 15 and hasn't had a seizure in several years. With supplements to protect her liver and a special homecooked diet the past few years, her liver values are still in the normal range/no damage from her medication.