Darcy having problems with seizure meds Darcy is about 13-15 from our vet's best estimate. She had been with us for three years. As soon as we got her, I noticed she was panting heavily and her belly seemed swollen, so I took her to the vet, where she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He prescribed Lasik 2x per day. About 3-4 days after that, she got over excited when a large dog was in front of our home, and she chased him. When she was running back to me, she fell over on her side, went stiff, and lost control of her bladder. I rushed her to the ER vet, who told me to follow up with my regular vet that Monday. This vet (who I no longer use), said that she was having seizures due to her heart not working properly, and we needed to avoid situations where she would get too worked up. Basically, he said there was nothing he could do to help her. She would have seizures over things like the doorbell ringing, my husband and I coming home, or just for no apparent reason. I changed vets, and the new one felt that she was not having seizures but "fainting episodes" due to her collapsing trachea. So he put her on prednisone for that, and doubled her lasik. He also put her on Vasotec for her heart. We noticed some improvement. However, the past weekend has been very rough. She started having seizures about every 6 hours or so. We took her back to the same vet clinic, where a different vet looked at her. She ran blood tests and said her liver and kidneys are functioning normally, so she feels she has epilepsy. She prescribed 1/4 g of phenobarbitol 2x per day. Darcy is on her third dose, but this is horrible. She is walking sideways and wobbly, she is so unsteady on her feet, her eyes are glazed over. This is as hard to watch as the seizures. Does anyone know of any alternate meds or treatments for this? Thanks so much for reading Amy |
I don't have any information or advice to offer, but I wanted to send well wishes and prayers for your precious Darcy. |
Thank you so much. I am researching all over the internet and these side effects are common. it is just very very hard for us to see. I am so thankful my dh is on vacation this week and is with her. |
Ya, phenobarbitol can have nasty side effects in some dogs. I'd talk to your vet about using a different medication, there are others although I don't have any specifics to offer. I know my aunt's Husky has epilepsy and phenobarb is the only thing that works, but she too got "loopy" from it, so they lowered her dosage. It's a tough desease to manage sometimes, I feel for you and your poor baby:( |
Teddy is an epileptic dog. He takes a drug called Zonisamide every 12 hours. It is expensive ($100/month) as it is a human drug used off label in dogs.... unless a discount vet pharmacy can offer it as a discount (I pay $25/month). There are few side effects to zonisamide and they are seen only initially when the dog starts the drug. This was the first drug recommended for Teddy who has severe generalized seizures by his neurologist. I'm not sure if this drug would be appropriate for your Darcy but we have noticed no adverse effects in Teddy and there is no need to monitor his blood or treat him as anything but a normal dog. He did have one seizure since starting the medication (1 seizure in 5 months) so who knows what the future may hold. Phenobarbital was never recommended for Teddy but if it was I would use it without reservation as seizures left unmedicated are worse. I feel strongly that you should try to have a consult for Darcy with a BC neurologist. If she were mine, I would want that person's input on the choice of drug for her in light of her whole medical status especially given her age and the fact that she broke into cluster seizures. By the way, epilepsy is only diagnosable by ruling out everything else medically and also neurologically by MRI and CSF analysis....otherwise the seizures could be caused by something else (tumor, malformations, encephalitis etc). Best wishes. |
I'm sorry you are going through this. My Max takes phenobarbital and when it was first prescribed, or whenever his dosage was increased he would become more lethargic and unsteady. Perhaps you want to give it a little bit more time to see if Darcy levels out a bit? Max has been on his meds for 9 months now and you wouldn't even know he was on meds. |
Thank you everyone for your responses. DH is going to call the vet tomorrow and tell them about her unsteadiness, etc. Everyone is telling us to give it time,he is just so upset. I am not against changing her meds if we have to do that, her meds right now (Lasik, proin, prednisone, and vasotec) are right at $100 per month right now, so we are used to having the vet bills ans prescription expense. We have had her for 3 years and the seizures have never been treated, as the first vet said it stemmed from her heart, and the second was treating her trachea. |
Amy, I am so sorry to hear about Darcy having seizures. Bless her heart! I will pray for your little darlin'. Please let us know what the vet says. |
My little Cricket suffered from a lot of the things you talk about Darcy having. She had "syncopal episodes" from her heart problems and CHF, but she was not diagnosed w seizures. I feel for you. We will be praying for little Darcy. |
Sammy is on pheno too but no side effects. He also takes KBR for his seizures. Saying prayers for Darcy and sending hugs too. |
Darcy having problems with seizure meds Seizures can be caused by too many vaccines. I attached a link with some information. Seizures In Dogs, Dog Seizures, Epilepsy, Seizure Disorders |
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