LBass

For Piper's seizure meds I use RP Healthcare. 1-800448-4355. They mail from CA to SC with no issues and the price for his KBr is great. The pharmacist also volunteers on the EpiL-K9 email list to answer questions about meds and seems to have a great heart for dogs. I think his name is John O'connor.

Piper gets Interceptor.

I'll share three excellent web sites with great information about canine seizures. http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com http://www.canine-epilepsy.com http://www.canine-epilepsy.net These are not specifically greyhound-related sites but provide excellent information about the various aspects of seizures in dogs. There are so many different possible causes and that is one reason that the outcome can be so different for different dogs. I'm so very sorry to read about the loss of your hound. It sounds as if he experienced "status epilepticus"--seizures that either don't stop or that move from one to the next with little time in between. That is a true medical emergency and it can be fatal. Please accept my heartfelt condolence for your loss.

Marcia, I'm so so sorry that Cullen is gone. He was a darling and I know that you all will miss him terribly.

Congratulations on finding a vet you can feel more comfortable with. Managing epilepsy sometimes feels like a full time job to me and having a good vet is a huge blessing!

I glad to share anything that will make it easier for us to take good care of our hounds! I too heard about urine bile acids testing on the canine-epilepsy.com web site. I asked my vet about it and, bless him, he said he hadn't heard of that test and asked if I had any information on it I could share with him. I faxed him the info, he reviewed it, and called me back later that day to discuss whether we wanted to use that test for Piper rather than the serum bile acids we'd been doing. Good vets are a treasure. You don't have 3 heads, you are just a good grey Mom!

One possible option for labs is to use Hemopet. I live in South Carolina. My vet draws and preps the blood for whatever tests we are ordering. There is a nominal fee for that. I fill out forms and mail the serum and a check to Hemopet in California. They send out to Antech too, if I understand correctly, but I've always had the results faxed to the my vet within 3-4 days (blood draw and mail Monday and get results Thursday or Friday). Hemopet also apparently has a non-profit or discount deal with Antech because the labs are always significantly less expensive through Hemopet than if my vet sends them to the local Antech. http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels...nstructions.htm Link to info and available tests.

Oh Marcia, how I wish the news for Cullen was better. Finding the good in this is hard, but we'll rejoice that he is happy right now and pray for many, many more happy days to be shared with your sweet boy.

If dissolving the capsule is a problem, remind the vet that they can prescribe KBr as a liquid that is easy to measure out in a syringe and put on food.

I'm so sorry for your loss...and so joyfully glad that Sally graced your lives as you graced hers. Lucy

I'm so glad your baby came through the surgery and is on the mend! Perhaps he'll leave the sewing to you from now on? You asked if anyone had any sotries...about 3 years ago Piper swallowed my little embroidered sewing caddy. It was about 3" by 5" and held a pair of scissors and a couple of needles. I found the scissors on the floor but no strawberry embroidered caddy anywhere to be found. To the vet we went. X-rays reveled the needles in his upper intestine. I suppose because we all figured they were attached to the fabric caddy, the vet recommended watching them with x-rays. Later that day we could see them further down in his intestines. That evening the vet handed be a baggy containing a really disgusting sewing caddy (which I did not try to salvage) and the needles. Amazingly, it had all passed right through Piper's cast iron tummy. I felt so lucky to have dodged both a serious health crisis and a surgery!

Sending more good thoughts and prayers for you and Jeanie.

With regard to the vomiting--Potassium Bromide is hard on some dog's tummies and can cause vomiting. Another way of getting the anti-seizure effects of the Bromide is to use Sodium Bromide (NaBr) instead of Potassium Bromide KBr). Sodium Bromide also has to be compounded, as does KBr, but is not generally more expensive. The dosing is a little different than that of KBr but your vet can sort that out. Consider talking to the vet about using Sodium Bromide. In the meantime, be sure to give KBr with food since that can make it easier on the tum. General clumsiness and particularly hind end weakness are notorious side effects of KBr (NaBr too, unfortunately). If it is the medication, it is quite possible that his body will get used to the meds and the side effects will become less troublesome, though they most likely won't go away entirely. When Piper started taking KBr he had lots of trouble with clumsiness and rear end weakness--falling, struggling to get up, etc. It took far longer than I thought possible, but the side effects did reach a manageable level eventually. If its medication side effects for your hound, give it several weeks (6-8) before you give up on getting some improvement. Piper also has an issue holding pee/poo since starting Bromide. When he has to go, he has to go now. There is just no ability to wait until lunchtime or until I get home from work. Your hound may be having some of the same issues. For Piper, that never really did improve and I finally opted to get a dog door--no more having to hold if I'm not home. Also, there is usually some needing to potty at night, unfortunately. Excellent web sites on seizures and their various causes and treatments and living with canine seizures: www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com www.canine-epilepsy.com www.canine-epilepsy.net www.acvim.org will help you find an internal medicine specialist and also a neurologist near you. Most of the time it is possible to get decent seizure control with manageable side effects for dogs with seizures. It can take a bit of time and trial and error to find the combination of meds, food, etc. that works for your dog. Find a good vet who will research, consult, and who will work with the useful info you will find. Lucy and Piper (10 weeks seizures free)

Great news! My prayers for Cullen's recovery will continue.

This may not help in terms of finding a closer vet. I live near Spartanburg, SC and have been using Reidville Road Animal Hospital (easy to reach from I26) for the last 9 years. This is a great group of people. The vets and the staff are wonderful and caring. I never have any trouble getting worked in if I'm worried about one of my animals. Staff and the vets are great about returning calls and following through with anything they promise to do. My greyhound, Piper, is epileptic and has pretty tough cluster seizures. This vet has been great about working with me, using information I bring in from web research w/o having his ego get in the way--treats the owner as part of the team taking care of the animal. Capable, caring, willing to go the extra mile--they often "baby sit" Piper if I have to be at work and he is in the midst of a seizure episode. Very little staff turn over and great techs and receptionists. Good luck in oyur search for a vet.

Hurray for Cullen! What a relief that he is safely through the surgery and is now without that unexpectedly big mass. Did they keep him overnight or is he already safe at home?

Thinking of you and Cullen this morning and keeping him in my prayers. He is such a sweetie.

Oh I am glad that the news is positive. I'll bet that the antibiotics will make a huge difference for your little one.

Aw, my kitten Miles is about that age and I know how worried I'd be if he was sick. Glad your little one has an appt with the vet. Let us know how things go, if you have the change. Sending prayers and good thoughts for your kitty.

Marcia, no info but prayers for Cullen.

Piper chews baby carrots and pieces of celery and broccoli nicely so try those for your hound. I also cook a variety of vegetables--what ever is on sale in frozen bags--to put in with his food. It gives him added volume. Also, he is a dedicated yard grazer so I think maybe he needs some greenery. As others have said, things may settle down a bit as she adjusts to the meds. Piper tends to take about 2 weeks to adjust whenever his PB dose is changed.

Aw, I hope Henry's upset is just related to travel changes and will settle down to normal soon. If he does need to switch to Sodium Bromide, you should find that the seizure control is as good as with Potassium Bromide. I think the dosing is a little different but that would be no big deal.

Spaying seems so routine that I think it is easy to forget that in dogs, as in humans, any and every surgery has risks--carries the risk of death. I do think that the greatest risk seems to be posed by the necessary use of anesthesia--for both dogs and humans. With surgeries, even when everything is done correctly, sometimes the outcome is a tragic one--not often, but sometimes...and those times are the ones we remember so very vividly. Edited because that would be anesthesia, not anesthetic.

Ah, poor thing. I hope he is feeling better very soon. I hate not knowing what has caused an upset tummy for one of them.

I'm sorry that you and Hannah are dealing with this news. There is something really heartbreaking about getting a chronic diagnosis for our beloved hounds. Be glad that its will be easier on miss Hannah than it is for you.