Anyone know a lot about dog seizures?

Question

My Dalmatian has been having seizures for years, she is 12 years old. It goes in waves but sometimes she'll have a few in a week but then go 6 months without having any. She never has just one, she'll have one a 10PM and then another at 4AM.
The unusual thing is that she always has them while she is sleeping. She has never has one when she is awake.

She has had 4 now since last night, one at 10PM, one at 4AM, one at 9AM and one at 12:30PM. I have taken her to vets, they all tell me it doesn't "hurt" her when she has a seizure but it does scare her alot. They tell me they that the medication is so damaging for her liver and kidneys that the seizures are less harmful.
Are their any homeopathic or natural remedies that could help?

I do not think it is normal for the seizures to happen when she is sleeping is it?

Thoughts, advice?

Answer 1

Unfortunately I do have experience in this. My little Schnauzer mix had seizures about once a year from age 4 to age 10 and my vet said that since they were so rare that I didn't need to put her on any medications. Then once she hit about age 10 she started having the seizures frequently. I went to many vets. It never hurts to get a second or even thrid or fourth opinion. One day, before she got put on her Phenobarbitol I came home from work and couldn't get the front door open. I thought one of my dogs had kicked a shoe in front of the door like they often did so I kept pushing on the door. Much to my absolute horror, my little girl had had a seizure in front of the door and couldn't get up. I'm assuming that she got excited when she heard my car and then while waiting for me had a seizure. She had urinated too and she had never done that during one of her seizures. I was mortified, but I couldn't cry. She was so scared and her eyes were so big I just had to make myself be calm for her. I cried my eyes out later though and felt so guilty for pushing her with the door. Then one day she had a seizure on the deck and almost rolled off. We changed vets and made sure that she got on medication. My dogs seizures were really bad and got continually worse. With the medication they got less severe and happened less often. Her kind of seizures were actually harming her. The new vet stated that every time she had a seizure something was happening to her brain and she would be more likely to have seizures.

Medications can cause liver damage but you have to decide if it's worth the seizures. I would definitely get another opinion on the matter. You could always have liver and kidney tests done after she has been on the medication for a month to see if there has been any damage. And then monitor her from there. My dog was on many medications as well as the seizure medication and she never had any liver or kidney problems. It sounds like your vet may not be experienced with this.

I'm sorry for the long story, I guess I just needed to get that out. She has been gone for three years now due to heart problems and sometimes it just helps to talk about her. I am hoping in some way her problems can help me to help other pet parents. Her name was Penny and she was my very best friend.

I wish you all the best. Give her a kiss for me.

Answer 2

No there are no homeopathic remedies for electrical brain surges.

You just need to get her on some medication and work with your vet to get the dosage right. When she has a seizure, let her hear your voice. It calms them - some people say that they're not "here" when they're seizing, I'm calling BS on that. My dog has seizures frequently after play time and he absolutely responds, will even take water or something while he is having a seizure.

Honestly, they're more scary for us than for them. Of course, seizures aren't pleasant.

If I were you I'd get another opinion from a vet. I've never heard a vet saying that the meds are more harmful than the seizures. The seizures, if there are too many, can cause brain damage. Or, your dog may not come out of her next seizure. All meds come with a risk but the benefits far outweigh the negatives in most cases especially in frequent seizure dogs.

Have these vets ever done blood work or anything like an xray to rule out diabetes and things like brain tumors?

Answer 3

That is odd advice from a vet, I think you should seek a second opinion. No one can possibly say the seizures are 'less damaging - there's just no way to predict what kind of damage is being done to your dog's brain, although it's clear what kind of damage is being done to her, and your, quality of life. One thing is for certain, if this condition gets more severe then her life is at risk if she remains in status epilecticus for more than 20 minutes - seizures should not go untreated.

There is no reason properly managed medical treatment of seizures should be harmful. The idea is to get blood tests at least yearly to check the levels of the medication in her blood - this way the lowest possible dose of medicine, usually phenobarbitone, can be used to control the seizures. Potassium bromide is often used in conjunction, I suppose you can consider this a 'natural remedy'.

I strongly urge you to seek a second veterinary opinion. Seizures are indeed thought not to be painful, before during or after, but are confusing and disorientating. There is no reason you or your dog should be suffering like this and frankly, I'm astonished any vet in this day and age would not even suggest a treatment regime.

Chalice

Answer 4

My mother's dog (he's my little brother, lol) has a seizure disorder. He's on phenobarbitol. It just calms him down when he has one. There are plenty of medications that you can give him on an as needed basis. Ask about those. You say that one will trigger another, then stop it at the one. The seizures cause brain damage! My mothers dog has severe seizures almost every day if he doesn't get treated.... but she doses him every day, then has another pill that she gives him if he has one anyway.

Go to another vet.

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Anyone know a lot about dog seizures?
My Dalmatian has been having seizures for years, she is 12 years old. It goes in waves but sometimes she'll have a few in a week but then go 6 months without having any. She never has just one, she'll have one a 10PM and then another at 4AM.
The unusual thing is that she always has them...

Answer 6

If it's unusual for her to have 4 seizures in one day (which I'd hope it is), you should take her in to see a veterinarian. It doesn't really hurt her to have a seizure, but if she goes into one and it doesn't stop after a few minutes (ask a vet for a more specific time frame), it can cause permanent neurological damage. I'm sorry I haven't heard of any natural remedies, but may-be you should get a second opinion from a different vet? Good luck! I love dalmations. : )

Answer 7

Both of my dogs (from the same litter) had epilepsy, although one had more serious seizures than the other. They were both medicated- one on Phenobarbitol, the other on Primadone. Primadone is the one that's supposed to wreak havoc on the liver and kidneys. The one who was on Primadone was on it for at least 16 years, and lived to be 19 years old (died of heart/respiratory failure). The one on Phenobarbitol was also on his medication for a long time, he lived to be 17 (had a stroke). So as you can see, the Primadone affects dogs differently, mine never had any kidney or liver problems.

Sometimes, I have found that it's because of stressful situations that the seizures happen.
The best way to deal with them is to be touching your dog. If possible, put them in your lap or on your outstretched legs on the floor. Make sure to put her outside to go potty afterwards, she is more likely to need to relieve herself after these episodes.
Seizures are different in all animals, nighttime ones may just be what happens, I wouldn't worry about that part.
I haven't heard of any homeopathic remedies, I would suggest finding other medications rather than trying something else that hasn't been clinically proven.

Answer 8

My dog has seziures too. We have had her on phenobarb for over a year now. While I know that she doesn't know what is going on during the seziure, it is still really scarry. The first vet would not put her on medication because of the effect on the liver, but I could not watch my little baby go through2-3 a month lasting longer as the months went by. The new vet said that she was a perfect candidate for the medication and now we have it under control. You have to be very particular in making regular appointments and scheduling bloodwork.

I would definately get a second oppinion!

Answer 9

I do not know anything about natural remedies for seizures, but for the past 9 months I have dealt with the prescriptions for epileptic seizures in my golden, Harley.
harley turned 2 in March and in April he had his first seizure, it scared me and my two boys to death. Thinking it may be a one off I called our vet and she had me bring him in and tested his thyroid. Everything was normal and she told me to watch for anymore seizures. So we all watched and waited . In May my boy had 2 back to back seizures. Not good. We got together with vet again and she prescibed Phenobarbitol... over the next 3 months Harley took his meds with peanut butter and it seemed to me that he would go several weeks without a seizure and then bam they would start all over agin. We were trying to regulate the dosages and get it right for him. In July Harley had his first set of cluster seizures... 12 in a 8 hour period, he was taken in and given Diazapam via intravenous. now the vet suggested Potassium Bromide in addition to his phenobarb... so we did this too. Harley was seizure free for 1 month and then it seemed like his body and brain developed a tolerance to this cocktail. His seizures returned at one every two weeks almost exactly. The vet said he would contine to have seizures but not to worry, As they were not clusters. So I didn't, we just worked through it.
On December 5, 2007 at 2:26 am my boy started seizing, he had 6 in half an hour.... I rushed him into emergency, there he continued to seize. Even after IV Diazapam. I had to make the most horrible decision of my life and let my Harely go.. on the recommendation of all the vets at my clinic (6).
Is it normal to seize when sleeping? All I can say is that everyone of his seizures started when he was asleep. While seizures are difficult and taxing emotionally to deal with.. it is nothing compared to losing my once ina lifetime Harley.

My advice to you is do what you can to make your dogs life enjoyable and try what you need to help control the seizures, but know when it is simply just too much for your dog and when it is time to let go. As hards as this is for me to write, I know that my Harley is better now and will waiting for me on the other side.

Good Luck to you and your Dog.
Jodi

Answer 10

I know alot about dog seizures. Please join the Canine Guardian Angels. Just please google that and a site will come up that you should join. Your dog definitely needs medicine - probably Phenobarbital. Having more than one seizure is called "Cluster Seizures", and what happens is the brain gets used to be in the "seizure mode" and the dog WILL seize more. No, they do not hurt her now, but if she continues, it will. Yes, the medication is damaging to her liver but there are things you can give her to help. Example: Milk Thistle is an excellent liver tonic. I wish I could talk to you. I wonder of any way that I could. If you want to talk, or email me personally, please email [e-mail]. i don't even care that I made that public. Your dog needs help and I can help you.

I hope to hear from you.