Greyhound diagnosed with Epilepsy

[rebeccaawalker]

Hey everyone.

Sorry if this is in the wrong spot - I don't have a Gap dog but I support the charity and have been recommended here by Lucy (Lance's foster mummy in Sheffield) for some advise regarding my total best mate, Blue - a 7 year old rescue greyhound that we've had the pleasure of for 3 years.

He started having grand mal seizures last Thursday morning, something we've never known him to have before and totally out of the, well, blue.... After rushing him to the vets and discussions with his veterinarian (and lots of tears!!), we suspect he's been having some mild focal seizures over the past 6 months that we've overlooked to be stress due to our older dog passing, a new dog being introduced and then thinking he needed a dental....

He was sedated on diazepam for 2 days as every time he came around he would seizure whilst they waited for the anti-seizure drugs to take effect. Tests rule out infections, kidneys/liver issues and he's coming around from the seizures quickly which the vets are saying is a good thing as its more than likely epilepsy than brain tumors....

We brought him home from the vets on Saturday along with Phenobarb and rectal diazepam for any seizures lasting longer than 5 mins.

So we're in the "adjustment 2-3 weeks" of the phenobarb and it is so so strange to watch him be so disorientated. A week in now so hoping to see improvement soon. We've had a couple of focal seizures but no grand mal ones.

Do any of you lovely people have any advise on hounds with epilepsy and how they cope with the Phenobarb? After a check up on Tuesday, she mentioned we may be able to look to reduce the amount at some point but not right now. It's just so hard to watch him this doped up.....

Thanks in advance and apologies again if this is in the wrong place or inappropriate for the forum.

Lots of love,
Rebecca & Blue xxx

[vickyb]

Bod started having grand seizures at the end of January. He just has them one at a time but they have got closer together. He's had a brain scan to rule out a tumour as his bloods all came back ok. I resisted meds but about 5 wks ago the specialist we've been seeing at AMC in Thurnscoe put him on Keppra (levetiracetam) as it isn't supposed to affect the liver or kidneys and it nearly killed him as he had an idiopathic reaction to it.

In a couple of weeks when he's had more bloods and hopefully his liver is recovering he will go onto potassium bromide. The specialist said he doesn't use phenobarb any more as it has too many side effects. We use rectal diazepam and it works brilliantly for stopping his fits and improved the period afterwards. It's horrible isn't it  

Best wishes to Blue and to you xxx

[rebeccaawalker]

Thanks, Vicky.. It's just so so hard to see him like this! What are the side effects of potassium bromide? Phenobarb just seems to have more side effects vs the positives when I research it!

[vickyb]

Potassium bromide has similar effects but to a lesser degree. The risk of liver and kidney damage is still there but much less. It takes a long time to get fully into the system and start to work so there is an initial high loading dose, I believe over a week during which time they are usually very flat and sedated but after that I'm told they return to normal as the dose is reduced to the regular maintenance one.

Phenobarb is incredibly harsh I'm told. My dad had epilepsy as does my sister and years ago it was pretty much the standard treatment but had such unpleasant side effects that my dad would often skip it and so in time was put onto newer more acceptable meds.