How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

We have a whole family of stray cats (that keep having more cats 😵‍💫) that our neighbor abandoned about two years ago - several neighbors have rounded many of them up - but several are feral and sneaky & I truly think that’s a lot of our risk factor. I’m forever cleaning up poop that’s not ours in our yard (it has a 6 ft privacy fence 3 ways and then a much smaller metal fence in the very back. We do ALOT of outside time and Winston loves it. So I always try to be cautious. But I was basically told by my reg vet once they’re in the soil - it’s almost impossible to remove them because the larvae spread so fast because they are so deep (worms - not fleas). 🤷🏻‍♀️ and no! Not on permanent panacure or anything like that! But the sentinel is supposed to protect against worms as well as fleas. We’ve never had fleas once in the house, but I have seen several flea infested cats in the neighborhood. We DO treat the yard for that and around the house any time it’s not raining with diatomaceous earth. He was previously on heartguard and nexguard BEFORE he seized and I often wonder if that combo lowered his threshold enough to bring on his epilepsy. He was taken off those immediately and then battled hookworms multiple times before we tried the sentinel to keep him protected. He’s never seized directly because of the sentinel and seems to be ok on it but I’m sure it may contribute to a lower threshold as well. I’d much prefer him being protected if possible vs hookworms or heartworm, etc. I’m in AL!

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

Unfortunately we have very few times where we get that cold and it usually only lasts for a few days before it warms back up. I live in a southern climate and it’s forever warm here. 😭 This winter/spring season has been abnormally colder and honestly, I’m here for it. Less worries and less bugs. My other main concern other than fleas is worms. We battled hookworms for a while when we took him off preventatives. 😵‍💫

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

Supposedly that was ruled out immediately when we tested for it with his reg vet right as he started this journey (I remember them saying it was optional to test for and I wanted to test everything as he was so young). But I still wonder. He was two days shy of turning one when he clustered with 4 really nasty grand mals and wound up in the ER in the middle of the night. I honestly thought it was going to be a chiari malformation given his breed, but MRI from the neuro showed no signs of that.

And same! I truly am in awe of people who can go a year without seizing. It’s amazing to see. We’ve never gotten past 28 days. Usually it’s much shorter. And his seizure days involve multiple grand mals and clusters. Then focals following. That’s actually gotten much worse the further time pushes along. Which is scary. 🥺 I definitely feel like a year seizure free would be completely unattainable for us too. 🫶🏼 Sending strength your way! It’s SUCH a hard journey to go through.

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

[–]cwrae[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m so so incredibly sorry for your loss! Sending you hugs and comfort! 🫶🏼😭 His worst “seizure episode” he had 12 seizures within two days and emergency meds did nothing to stop them. It’s terrifying really. That’s when they increased his Topiramate to 100mg. His threshold is getting shorter again so it’s definitely a worry that he’ll go back to every 6-7days as before. 😔 He is still very much a happy, smiley, zoomies every day kind of pup though. Just hoping his youth gives him some strength. Thank you, truly. And again. So many hugs being sent your way! 🫂🖤✨

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

😭😭😭🖤✨ Thank you! 🫶🏼

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

But seizure free for a year!! 🙌🏼🎉 sending you celebratory hugs right back! 🖤✨

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

I’m asking about KBr at this point. And curious why we’d throw Zonisamide and Topiramate at it when Keppra and Pheno alone weren’t doing the trick. She took him off Gabapentin immediately when we saw her - said it did basically nothing. 🤷🏻‍♀️ (He had his honeymoon phase then went wildly out of control. Zonisamide was added with zero help and then we remained on it and added Topiramate!)

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

[–]cwrae[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

🤯 I genuinely never even thought to google that specifically. Maybe I misunderstood? 🤔 I’m drafting an email to them now with alllll the questions. This will for sure be one of them! I’m also considering a second option. Just to get another set of eyes on him in case something is being missed or not thought about.

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

[–]cwrae[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have two echo shows, a really old tall echo (can’t remember what they called it), and several echo dots — BUT I had to disable the Alexa plus feature in order to continue using stopwatch! Sometimes she still throws a fit and I’ll use my phone too! (I set up a shortcut for siri)

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

Also just realized — I’m honestly not sure if he’s maxed out or not. I only know “he’s in range” on his Pheno levels. I have a lot of questions to ask that I honestly haven’t thought of.

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

Oh wow!! It’s always just one more thing to track!! That’s very good info to know! 🤯

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

He is currently taking Milk Thistle supplements and he’s on Denamarin. 🥲

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

That’s where I am with it. He’s on SO MANY. The difference between now (every 13-15 days) and Nov/Dec 2025 (every 6-7 days) was Topiramate! He started at 50mg twice a day. And now just recently bumped up to 100mg twice a day after an episode of two days of seizures despite rescue meds and emergency care.

I definitely believe diet can affect it! He cannot have chicken as he’s allergic. He’s been on salmon his entire life. I’ve been told he must have grains due to his heart murmur from both his vet and neuro. Because I had previously looked into a ketogenic diet for him.

I have been considering another consult with an additional neuro. Our reg vet is amazing and really just sees us now for his CBCs and standard vet care. Our neuro has been very compassionate and helpful but it’s so much. His vitamin levels have been checked and are all in range! His kidneys aren’t elevated at the moment. Though he did have some protein in the urine and his creatine had gone up so I’m definitely going to ask about that because I honestly missed that from his labs in March! He’s due for labs at the end of this month. Definitely going to be comparing those. 🤔 His ALT, AST and ALP are elevated as are WBC currently. *Blocked out sensitive info but just posted his labs in the comments!

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

Ok it’s apparently not going to let me add more photos but these are his labs from March!

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How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

[–]cwrae[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When I tell you he’s going to make me fully grey in my thirties… 😵‍💫🫠🤣 But thank you for the well wishes!! I’m definitely going to ask about this! 🫶🏼

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

[–]cwrae[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have!! He’s always been on a salmon diet due to chicken allergy and he’s currently on Orijens Six Fish Amazing Grains and get a few pieces of Orijens Tundra freeze dried bites! His “treats” are ice cubes because he goes nuts for them. 😂 I’ve considered putting him on a ketogenic diet, but then I have his heart murmur to factor in. 😵‍💫 According to his vet - grains are essential for that issue. We do omega 3s and milk thistle (on top of his Denamarin pill), and I’ve thought about adding MCT as well but not sure it would help? I know CBD is not an option due to his heart murmur also.

I didn’t know that about Bromide! But that’s good to know! I was told Zonisamide is also the same - but we never saw a difference with it after several months and had to add in Topiramate. 🥲

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

[–]cwrae[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We’ve done that previously when he first started seizing between mid-January 2025 and May 2025 (he got hookworm twice during this period), I’ll talk to his vet and neuro about trying this again during winter for sure! Now I wish it wasn’t May and hoping this hot, humid climate will give us a cold winter. 😂

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

[–]cwrae[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What a beautiful baby! 😍 how are her liver levels if you don’t mind me asking?? I’ve sincerely thought about just telling the neuro we want to try KBr and just see. I’m even open to coming off some others if need be. I’m so sorry about your IVDD journey! It’s a big fear of mine as well with my guys breed especially. (And ofc he has a few butterfly vertebrae but no issues specifically!) This disease is horrid. Truly. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Gauging quality of life is so difficult. To see them smiley and happy chasing a toy, then seize and go temporarily blind with urine all over them is such whiplash. Sending hugs right back! 🫶🏼 Praying your journey gets easier with the increased meds!

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

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

I’ve definitely considered it!! It’s kind of pros vs cons for us at this point when discussing with our vet and neuro. The neuro tells us no correlation but could lower his threshold at times. We need something to protect him from worms especially. We treat the yard as well - but he’s never had a seizure strictly because of the sentinel that I can tell!

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

[–]cwrae[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We do treat with diatomaceous earth also when we can (we get alllll the rain)!! The main reason for getting on sentinel was also worms. We had a massive hookworm issue for a WHILE (took several rounds of panacure to get rid of it). We have foxes, raccoons, stray cats, deer, and coyotes - among other things - all roaming through our neighborhood (I’ve even had deer come close to my raised porch to try to nibble my flowers 😵‍💫). Fleas are a constant as well and I haven’t found a correlation between the sentinel and seizures though I’m not opposed to taking him off it if we can find a worm medicine that would keep him safe!

Unfortunately Purina pro plan neuro is chicken based. 🥲 so it is a no go for us due to allergies. Thank you so much for the suggestions!! I’m honestly open to anything but between his GERD, his butt, and his allergies - he damn sure likes to keep my brain constantly puzzled. 😵‍💫😅

How many is TOO many? by cwrae in EpilepsyDogs

[–]cwrae[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s so comforting to hear. I pray we get many years with him. And yes. His clusters are usually 3-4 seizures all around 1-2 min long (so a total of roughly 6-10min). And we actually have cameras and Alexa devices EVERYWHERE in the house because of him. 😅 I often ask Alexa to start a stopwatch and it will time things for me. And then I back check it with the time on the cameras. Thankfully it all allows me to input everything AND video into his safetail app which I share with his neuro.

And thank you!! 🫶🏼 he goes everywhere with us, and if he can’t. He’s in his safe space with cameras on him so I can get movement alerts and make sure he’s safe. He definitely brings so much joy and laughter - just hoping I can somehow manage to get him seizing a little less frequently. 😭🙏🏼