MY DOG JACK JUST DIAGNOSED WITH EPILEPSY

[JACKS MOM LORIE ANN]

Here is what happened.

My dog Jack Just turned 2 in January. 72 lbs. 

(Week prior I took him in to vets. because he seemed very very sleepy-they tested him for lyme and it was negative and they said he is a Healthy pup.)-then the below occurred.

Last Saturday we heard a thump and he was on the living room floor-his lower body looked paralyzed and he could move only his upper. After a little more time he couldn't move his upper and this lasted a few min. We have zero experience with seizures so I called vet after hours asap. She said it sounded like a seizure for me to bring him in on Monday and if he has another to video it.

Sunday-He had a seizure - right before falling asleep- I did video it- lasted over 3 min.(hardest thing on earth was to video it)

Monday-I took him to vet. they did blood work-said all looked great(liver was little high) she said normal after seizure activity-they started him on anti seizure med immediately-2/day.

Monday night-3 more seizures

For me it's hard as we have no baseline and no experience with this. I just pray he doesn't have anymore and it almost seems like he is afraid to sleep. Our vet said if happens at rest it is inherited and if they occur at play it could be heart or tumor.Our vet said his epilepsy inherited.

I'm scared. I also don't know if he should be on a better brand of food. This came out of the blue! Also my daughter and I have had sleepless nights so worried about him. We so far are documenting his behavior on the medicine and seizure activity. I replied to a post then noticed these are all old post.

[JACKS MOM LORIE ANN]

Lorie Ann

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

What kind of flea/tick preventatives is he on? The FDA has issued a wanring that the active ingredient in Nexgard, Bravecto, & Simparica is causing seizures and neurological disorders in some dogs. 
Yes, epilsepsy is a genetic disease that runs in Miniature Poodles and some other breeds. But I don;t think there is a way to test that, and at any rate, treatment would not depend on whether or not it is inherited. 
I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with food, provided you are feeding a good quality food. 
I know that it can take some time to find the right meds for the individual dog, but this can be successfully managed. 
It's also important for you and your daughter to get your emotions under control, hard as that might be. Dogs pick up on our moods, and you don't want Jack to be stressed out, that could make matters worse. 
So try to relax and give the meds a chance to start helping. 

[JACKS MOM LORIE ANN]

Yes. Jack has had both Nexgard and Bravecto. He is not taking anything now because our grounds are frozen and were expecting 15 more inches of snow :)  With Jack we have a brave face. It's just at night were feeling like we need to constantly check on him because we want to be up with him when it happens. So this makes me more confused as is it inherited? Will it continue? He is on anti seizure meds now.

Thank you,

Lorie Ann

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There is no way to know whether or not it is inherited, but it doesn't matter either way. It's the same condition either way, treatment is the same regardless of whether it is inherited or acquired, and outcomes would be the same as well. As to whether or not it will continue, nobody knows, not even your vet. The goal of the medications is to stop the seizures, but that doesn;t always happen. Sometimes, you need to adjust the dose, try a different med, or add another med. It's an unpredictable disease and there is no standard treatment; what works for one dog may not work for another. At the very least, the meds should cut down on the frequency and severity of the seizures. At best, it will stop them. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

But for sure, you absolutely don't want to ever give him Nexgard or Bravecto again. 

[JACKS MOM LORIE ANN]

This helps sooo much.

Thank you sooo much! I absolutely will never give him those again...

:)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here is some information you may find helpful:
http://cidd.discoveryspace.ca/disorder/idiopathic-epilepsy.html

[Kathy Sheehan]

Hi!

My dog Cooper has had epilepsy for almost 5 years! It is so hard to watch your fur baby go thru this!

Cooper started having seizure right after his 2nd birthday. I had read that most dogs with idiopathic epilepsy will start having seizure between the ages of 2 and 5 years old. 

I have not read any of the comments, so I'm sorry if someone has already told you this! 

This site is an excellent source of information. Another place to go for advice is on Facebook....Canine Epilepsy. 

My biggest piece of advice is to keep a detailed journal. I keep 2 for Cooper. One is of his seizures and all the details of the day of and the days before a seizure. I write down everything! Even his activity level and his potty schedule. 

The other journal I keep is of the weather. I write down all the details of the weather, to include the position of the moon twice a day. When Cooper has a seizure I go back and compare details.  That is how I figured out that one of his triggers is when we have extreme temperature changes from day to day. It isn't the pressure change for him, but the temp change. I live in Kansas so the winters are crazy here! When I see extreme temp changes, he gets an extra dose of one of his meds.

Not sure if anyone has asked, but have you used any new types of candles, or air fresheners or diffused any oils? Anything with rosemary in it can cause dogs to have seizures.

Good luck! I am here for you if you need any advice, or a shoulder to cry on! 

Kathy and Cooper

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Since you mentioned rosemary, I'll add that many dog foods contain rosemary extract. And many if not most essential oils will also lower the seizure threshold, so you should never use any of them in diffusers in your home if you have a dog who is prone to seizures. 
1 to 3 years old is the age when most cases of inherited epilepsy will first show up, according to the genetic disease website I linked above. So two years old would seem to be the most common age.