New Greyhound - Partial Seizure

[MaryJane]

If they are partials, there is less urgency than if they were GMs. You might be able to get away with not having the dog on seizure meds and just giving meds after a seizure to prevent the following ones. It's very good that you have the rectal valium and Keppra - that way you will have options if you have an emergency with clusters.

 

Levetiracetam is the generic Keppra.

 

This is a pretty good web site for information --

 

http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/Graves.html

 

They also have a mailing list.

[Guest Amber]

Yes I'm glad I've got the meds, but the vet doesn't consider clusters of partial seizures to be an emergency at all. I asked him to clarify: if i was just to ignore it if she has clusters and he replied 'yes'.

 

I still don't think clusters of any type of seizure is a good thing though, i mean to my mind it would not be acceptable for that to go on night after night, with more and more episodes coming closer together. After 2 nights of that fey was tired, depressed and lost weight (me too!!!)

 

It would be great if she be off everyday meds , especially as the vet explained the patient develops tolerance and if meds are not given for some reason, that can bring on a seizure.

 

BUT the first vet said that left untreated ie no regular epilepsy drug, then partial seizures can get worse and become GM.

 

So 2 vets in the same practice are giving 2 conflicting opinions.

 

still i am willing to try going off pexion when i get back from my holiday and see what happens.

[tbhounds]

Is it possible for you to see a neurologist--is there one in a university??

[Guest Amber]

Yes i could get a referral, the nearest one is about 100 miles away but at this stage, i would rather not. They would want to do an MRI and i do have insurance so it's not just the cost £1000 for MRI but all the hassle and stress as both Fey and I have been through quite a lot already this year. She started off with a corn, moved onto a dislocated toe and finished off with these seizure clusters!

 

I'm surprised that there isn't a consensus on how to treat or not treat partial clusters, i know each dog is an individual but you'd think vet must see this a lot and know whether or not it's likely to lead to full blown epilepsy.

 

If things do go downhill, then referral would be our next stage.

[Guest Amber]

I have another question for seizure dog carers. The reg vet said one reason he would take Fey off meds is that they are for life and if a dose is missed, tolerance has developed and missing doses can lead to a seizure. So if she doesn't really need them, obviously best not to have that risk.

 

how long does it take for this to happen ? She will have been on pexion for a month when we plan to stop it.

 

Also all the instructions warn that the dosage must be tapered off, not sure if vet plans to do that.

 

Maybe the dependence on the drug takes several months to develop?

[Guest frankiespop]

Hello Amber,

I'm wondering how Fey is doing now. I have a Greyhound named Frankie whose story and symptoms are very similar. She's on Keppra daily and although it's helped, I'm worried there caused by an outside source(possibly advantix).

 

Did you ever get her seizures under control?

[Guest Amber]

Hi

Her seizures have been a lot less frequent. She has not had one for about 6 months and then before that, just one every few months.

 

She is no longer on daily anticonvulsives, my vet took her off it . She just has the keppra to take if she does have a turn, which seems to stop it clustering.

 

I never use any chemicals on her (no flea treatment, no wormers - she has a worm count annually and doesn't have any issue with parasites). She is fed on raw.

 

I believe that it is stress that causes Fey's partial seizures so with the stress levels being lower , she is OK.