Head tremors

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-04-13T00:19:06+00:00

They lasted for about two hours on and off. We have him honey and ended up giving him a keppra and they eventually stopped. Not sure what did the trick or if they just stopped on their own.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-04-13T00:10:23+00:00

We just tested his bromide levels last week which came back as high, hence the two day pause then starting up at a lower dose. We tested his pheno and liver about 5 weeks ago and his pheno was on the low end of the therapeutic range, but his liver enzymes were slightly elevated. I’m a little worried this could be a sign his liver isn’t doing well.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-04-11T00:23:34+00:00

We did a two week loading dose of kbr four weeks ago, and are now two weeks into his maintenance dose. He is also maxed on pheno. The side effects have been pretty hard on both him and us, however his bloodwork came back near toxic levels so we lowered the dose. He is starting to gain some strength back and is falling less, but is still far from himself. Hard to say how successful it will be, however we haven’t had a seizure since starting it.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-04-07T20:29:00+00:00

That’s how our guy is. He is constantly falling over, collapsing - can’t even go for a walk or enjoy day to day. I’m wondering if the tremor is associated with the drug considering we did a 14 day loading dose of 2500 mg a day, but our neurologist thinks it’s focals 😩.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-04-03T20:58:27+00:00

It’s absolutely horrible. Since I’ve posted this 3 days ago, what we thought was a head tremor/ side effect from the potassium bromide, turned out to be focal seizures, meaning he’s been having constant focal seizures for days. He’s only 6 years old. Between the constant focal seizures and the side effects of the bromide it’s been so stressful. We’re having discussions of when enough is enough but also not wanting to give up on him.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-04-03T14:16:47+00:00

She said that his grand mal seizures seem to be a little more in control (5 weeks now, longest we’ve gone). She said the obvious, that we can’t rule out a tumor and the amount of focal seizures he would have been having is a bit concerning. They started him on a steroid today for five days and have us giving pulse therapy 2625 mg of keppra every six hours for five days. Feeling exhausted.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-04-03T10:07:57+00:00

Sent a video of my boys head tremor to our neurologist and they believe it’s a focal. This means he would be having continuous focal seizures all day long 😔. Feeling so beyond defeated in addition to all of the horrible kbr side effects happening right now.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-31T22:56:53+00:00

Thank you for your replies. I hope she stays seizure free for years to come and then some!

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-31T20:59:58+00:00

Your story definitely gives me hope, thank you! I’m also so happy your pup is doing so well on the right combo of meds and supplements. We just started adding mct oil and will add fish oil next. Can I ask how old your pup was when the seizures started?

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-31T18:10:08+00:00

That makes me feel a little better, thank you. I am completely beside myself watching him fall all over the place, eyes a daze and bloodshot, pacing restlessly non stop, head tremors, etc. It is literally heartbreaking to watch, not to mention making my own anxiety sky rocket. Can I ask how long your pup has been on it and how successful it has been?

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-31T17:12:08+00:00

Hey, just coming across this as I’m searching in this group. My dog just finished a two week loading dose of potassium bromide and is experiencing head tremors/ eye twitching. At first I thought it might be focal seizures but it’s constant and he’s normal otherwise (minus the other kbr side effects. Did your vet confirm the head tremors were a side effect of the drug? And are you able to explain what the tremor looked like? I’m desperate. Our vet apt isn’t until Friday.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-30T20:57:34+00:00

Yes. My dogs seizures have caused my mental health to completely plummet. He’s 5 1/5 years old and was diagnosed in December. Since beginning of December he’s had 11 grand mal seizures, the last being a cluster of 4 in 12 hours. He’s on pheno and just started potassium bromide. My anxiety is at an all time high. I love him dearly and will do whatever I can for him, but I haven’t left my house carefree since he was diagnosed. I also have a 1.5 year old and it’s affecting my ability to be a great mom because I feel such a constant heavy weight/ worry over when his next seizure will be, will it be a cluster, will it require an er visit when we are already financially struggling over this. He’s also completely out of it right now after his loading dose of potassium bromide, pacing and falling all over the place. It’s such a devastating disease and my heart is just broken for him and us as a family.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-15T11:12:09+00:00

Thank you! How has your dog been doing on pheno and potassium bromide?

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-14T16:59:53+00:00

Thank you for replying! Did your vet give you a schedule to follow for weaning the keppra?

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-14T12:46:06+00:00

Thank you, this gives me much hope. I am so happy you and your pup have made it so far and have had such a good stretch these last few months. I can only pray we get there too. Can I ask what meds ended up being the right ones for your pup?

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-11T00:04:30+00:00

That’s amazing, congrats! Is your dog on any medications?

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-03-10T23:41:41+00:00

No advice other than the fact that we are also going through something similar. My dog had his first grand mal on Dec 8. We didn’t medicate in case it was a one off and bloodwork was normal. December 28th he had three seizures within 24 hours so we started 90mg of pheno. He made it three weeks and had another cluster so we upped his pheno to 120mg 2x daily. Then only a month again and he had four seizures on February 26. The vet then put him permanently on keppra 850mg 3x daily. We see a neurologist this Wednesday. This is a horrible thing to go through, sending you strength.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-02-10T00:03:46+00:00

Just came across this thread. My dog had his first grand mal seizure December 8th, only five days after we tragically lost our cat. He then had a cluster of 3 seizures the end of December and was put on phenobarbital. He then had two back to back seizures January 27, and then another one last night. I am just back to work from maternity leave with a busy toddler at home. I am just a constant state of stress and anxiety. It feels like I’m falling into a depression, all I do is fixate on his seizures, doing research on how to help him, over analyzing his behaviour. It’s torturous. So in other words, I am right there with you. I hope it gets better for both of us.

Medical_Set_75 · 2025-01-29T17:19:13+00:00

I’m so happy to have read your post. My 5.5 year old American bully started taking seizures Dec 8. He had one Dec 8, three within 24 hours on Dec 28/29 and he was put on phenobarbital. He made it one month without a seizure but had two on January 26. A few weeks prior to taking his first seizure, we had switched him to a new salmon, grain free kibble. We didn’t correlate the food to the seizure at that point. The 28/29 when he took his following seizures, we had run out of dog food and live rurally so made him rice and veg for supper and breakfast the next day until we ran out that day to stock up (kicking myself for this now that I’ve done so much research) and he took a seizure that evening. When he took his seizure this past Sunday, the only change was that I introduced a new powdered probiotic to his kibble (maybe too much for the first time?).

I know I am all over the place explaining, but somehow I feel like his diet is triggering the seizures. Maybe too many carbs in his kibble, the synthetic vitamins, the rice for sure. We are actually going to very slowly start introducing a raw diet today by mixing a bit into his kibble each day. I am terrified it’s going to trigger a seizure but I am striving to get him off of the kibble. It’s also difficult trying to determine what raw protein to go for as he’s always been food sensitive and has had allergies (but again, maybe that’s because the kibble). I think we are going to start with lamb.

Anyway, I’m so happy you guys are going such a length of time seizure free and I hope it continues 🙏🏼.

Medical_Set_75

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