| |||||
| |||||
Epilepsy is relatively common in dogs - especially in Border Collies, GSDs, Labradors and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. It can be hereditary - dogs with unexplained epilepsy should not be bred from. Safety is also an important issue. Epileptic dogs WILL NOT swallow their tongues. Keep clear of their mouths. When Lacey was first diagnosed we had a few near miss accidents which could easily have been avoided. She nearly drowned in a bowl of water that was placed too close to her raised bed. she could have been seriously hurt when she had a seizure under a table with a very heavy lamp placed at the edge of it. We now think very carefully about where things are and plan ahead for "what if....s".
Lacey's second epileptic seizure was much more violent. It included her producing a lot of frothy saliva, champing her jaws and violent running leg action - even though she was lying on her side. Whilst having a seizure Lacey is totally unaware of her surroundings and appears to be totally blind and deaf. The vet diagnosed "idiopathic epilepsy" - since there was no apparent cause (vaccinations ???). She was prescribed phenobarbitone tablets - initially only a couple a day - now she is on a significantly higher dose. MEDICATION CAN NOT STOP THE SEIZURES - IT CAN ONLY ATTEMPT TO LENGTHEN THE GAPS BETWEEN THEM.
Complementary Therapies.
The homeopathic remedy "SKULLCAP and VALERIAN" can help with epilepsy in both dogs and people and has been licensed for use in their treatment. Since we started giving Lacey this alternative medication she stopped having cluster seizures (multiple seizures one following straight after the one before) and the seizures she did have were less violent. Skullcap and Valerian is available at health food shops and homeopathic chemists. Some dogs may take a long time to recover from a seizure - they may be dazed, paralysed, confused or excessively hungry and/or thirsty. "Bach's RESCUE REMEDY" (see www.bachcentre.com ) eases recovery in many dogs. In Lacey's case - before use of Rescue Remedy, post seizure she was blind, deaf and unaware of her surroundings for up to 30 minutes - dangerous as she would try to run around. With just 2 drops of Rescue Remedy on her tongue at the end of a seizure - total recovery occurs in seconds! "RESCUE REMEDY" is a combination of flower remedies and can be taken by people and dogs! An epileptic dog CAN and WILL lead a normal life - canine epilepsy is far more distressing for the owner than it appears to be for the dog.
USEFUL SITES:
www.rt66.com/~dalcrazy/Epil-K9.html
www.schips-r-it.com/epilink.html
