How well controlled are your doodle's seizures?

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

When I started this group, it was my intent that it would do a few things:

Let people know that a dog with seizures is no different than any other dog - just needs some special attention.

Seizures are treatable and NOT a death sentence.

Share information.

I hope the group has accomplished these goals.

Please share how well controlled your dogs seizures are and what treatments you are using.  Also the cause of the Seizures.

Mariner has had seizures since he was about 8 weeks old.  His seizures are caused by a head injury.

Currently he is on both Phenobarb and Potassium Bromide.  He has been seizure free for over 3 years (honestly I have lost count).

[Kathy Sheehan]

Thanks Andy for always being there for advice and being so helpful!

Cooper turned 2 in May 2014, and 3 weeks later started having seizure...the reason is unknown. Now, 10 months later they are somewhat under control. He takes phenobarbital (almost 130 mg twice a day) and has been on potassium bromide (1000 mg) once a day for 2 months. Cooper went almost 8 wks without a seizure since he started the PB...but had a mild one yesterday. The good news is it lasted under 4 min and he was running around within 6 min. So I'm guessing the PB is working! 

You are right about seizures not being a death sentence...For the first 7 months I hardly let him play with other dogs but got brave and let him go to a doodle romp and he had the best time. But the meds did make him tire out pretty quickly. 

I do panic when  he makes a strange noise but am trying to get better about that and not freak out so easy! I have learned he is a normal silly doodle most of the time...when he is having a seizure it slows him down temporarily, but he bounces back quick!

Thanks again for all your help and advice

[Rheva Wren]

Finch is on Pheno 2 x a day,Keppra ER 2 times a day and Potassium Bromide 2 times a day. He started having seizures at 2 years and 3 months of age. I wouldn't call his seizures well controlled by any means; but I will say he enjoys each day to the fullest. We hike, SUP, boat, swim, bike and play all the time. He was certified as a therapy dog, and while he can't "officially" continue as a therapy dog until his seizures are controlled, he regularly visits my clients and always brings great joy along with lots of kisses.  

We aren't sure why he has seizures, I elected not to have an MRI as he would have to be sedated and he has had issues with that before. He has seen a neurologist who diagnosed him as having idiopathic primary epilepsy.  He has absence seizures, ( up to 20 minutes), partial complex seizures (4-7 minutes) focal seizures (less than a  minute) and tonic clonic grand mal (2-7 minutes) and they do tend to cluster (4 grand mal and several smaller in a 24 hour period was the worst). He usually manages about a month between clusters, The grand mal are pretty impressive, he's flipped the sofa once and cut his head once before  I could get to him. Fortunately, most of his seizures are in the early morning and late evening hours. I do have a d-link home camera system to monitor while I'm gone. 

Thank you for the group. I think it's important for people to know that while seizures are frightening and serious, they don't prevent a dog from having a happy, healthy and FUN life with his/her people. Of course I wish Finch didn't have seizures, of course I wish they weren't so violent; I wouldn't trade a second with my beloved friend though. He is the perfect dog for me.

[Madhura Khedkar]

Thank you Rheva! You sound like a wonderful person and Finch sounds adorable. This group is very comforting for multiple reasons. The first reaction I get when I talk about Einstein's epilepsy is people wonder if we do something wrong (feed wrong food, exposure to toxins) - it is all well intentioned but it makes me wonder if I am not doing something right. I do hope that both Finch and Einstein has better controlled seizures over a period of time. We have a dropcam as well and use that to spy on Einstein (it has been a life saver and alerted us to one time Einstein clustered when we were at work). Einstein does have anxiety issues since the seizures started and I have been noticing some depression when he is sick. We are planning to work with behaviorist on those issues because he is a brave boy and just so full of life. btw - Einstein is also on the same drug regime (except that he has Keppra 3X day). Einstein is our kid and we would want noone else (but yes, I hope and pray that the seizures disappear from his life or atleast become less severe). 

[Rheva Wren]

I have used www.calmingcollars.com for anxiety with Finch. He had some pretty significant issues while getting used to the medications. I got the extra wide