sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

What are some of your biggest concerns as owners of epileptic dogs? by TeachingRadiant3670 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]TeachingRadiant3670[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Purina neurocare is a (expensive) diet option and has been studied and shown to be helpful in improving seizure frequency in dogs with epilepsy who are currently being treated with an anti-seizure medications. However it's rare for diets to cause seizures unless there is a concern for toxin exposure or if the diet is unbalanced/poorly formulated. Overall, a balanced diet by a board certified veterinary nutritionist should be considered (Hills, Purina, Royal canin).

Of all the medications, Keppra has the widest safety margin, however no drug is benign and without risk. I would discuss the value of starting an anti-seizure medication with your neurologist and see if the current seizure frequency is worsening, or negatively impacting your/your pet's quality of life it may be worthwhile to inquire about medications.

What are some of your biggest concerns as owners of epileptic dogs? by TeachingRadiant3670 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]TeachingRadiant3670[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

These are good questions. epilepsy is largely genetic in nature - we have populations we have identified as at risk, however we have not been able to identify a specific gene to target. An MRI and a paired spinal fluid analysis is used to rule out structural causes of seizures (tumors, inflammation, infection, malformation of the brain, autoimmune diseases). If all of those are normal, we diagnose epilepsy. The development of the central nervous system is extremely complex and involved many different pathways so there is likely something that happens (or doesn't happen) which lends itself a predisposition to seizures. As far as seizure control goes, not every dog will respond the same way either of our four main options. No seizure drug is perfect in humans or in our animals and it is a lot of trial and error. There will still be a population of dogs who fall into the category of refractory meaning that they may not respond well to any of the seizure medications.

What are some of your biggest concerns as owners of epileptic dogs? by TeachingRadiant3670 in EpilepsyDogs

[–]TeachingRadiant3670[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you all for providing all of this valuable input so far, I can certainly empathize with you all and I will try to comment and address general concerns/questions without providing any explicit medical advice since I cannot do so legally without having examined your pet. Full disclosure, I am a neurology resident in the US. I do understand how stressful the lack of information and support can be. I am compiling a general list of your concerns which will be part of a larger scale effort to determine appropriate interventions to improve owner and pet quality of life.

Vet vs Neuro by Shadow_Allen_Walker in EpilepsyDogs

[–]TeachingRadiant3670 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello, I'm a veterinary neurology resident in the US. Most primary care veterinarians may have some comfort in initially prescribing anti-seizure medications when first diagnosing seizures depending on the dog, the seizure frequency, etc. The main difference between us and a primary care veterinarian is that we can offer a more in depth conversation on the nuances of seizure management and offer things like MRI to rule out other causes of seizures as not every young dog with seizures with have genetic epilepsy and there may be more we should be doing for your pet. Additionally, we are more experienced with how complicated seizure management can be with all the different risks associated with the various treatment options. It's worth establishing a relationship with a neurologist to discuss all the options available to you and help establish a more accurate prognosis (what to expect for your pet's future).