| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Red123 |
Posted - 14/06/2012 : 20:30:11
Well Bob has had to start taking meds for his fits. I'm a little unsure about the side affects. The vet said he is likely to be very wobbly and unsteady for a several days or a couple of weeks just until his body gets use to the drugs. Do any of you have dogs on epiphen? How severe were the side affects to start with? Just after a little reassurance really  |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Red123 |
Posted - 15/06/2012 : 17:10:35
quote:
Originally posted by ozziesmum
I was fortunate with Ozzie, he had 1 massive fit last July 16 then nothing until easter this year when he had 2 fits within 4 days, 2 of Ozzies brothers that we keep in contact with have also been diagnosed with epilepsy and have been on medication longer than Ozzie and both have said that since starting epiphen the fitting has stopped but we have all been told by our own vets (we all go to different practices) that medication isn't guaranteed to stop the fits but it should reduce the severity and frequency and touch wood certainly Kane and Ozzie are benefiting from being on the medication, I can't comment on Axle as I don't see him that often but I get updates from Verity my niece who owns Kane.
Ozzie was also very sleepy for the first 2 - 3 weeks and for the first time in his 5 years he slept deeply with both eyes tightly shut but during his waking hours you would often catch him just slumped against the settee in the sitting position staring blankly into space off in his own little world bless him.
My Niece was told by the neurologist at Newmarket that each time they have a fit it destroys a little bit of the brain which is one of the reasons why they medicate to stop any further damage. I do have to say that since Ozzies last 2 fits he's taken against the dyson for some reason and the mower now I come to think of it whereas before he never bothered.
It's suprising how quickly both you and Bob will adjust to his new routine and you will suddenly realise one day that life has returned to normal and the anxious times will be a thing of the past so chin up and keep smiling :).
Thanks for that. It does seem to run in litters. My parents own Ben, Bobs litter brother, and he use to have fits but seems to have out grown them and has not had a fit for several years. My illness and the meds I take makes me, what shall I say, away with the faries, lol, so guess we can be like that together now. No one will get any sense out of either of us  |
| ozziesmum |
Posted - 15/06/2012 : 16:33:35
I was fortunate with Ozzie, he had 1 massive fit last July 16 then nothing until easter this year when he had 2 fits within 4 days, 2 of Ozzies brothers that we keep in contact with have also been diagnosed with epilepsy and have been on medication longer than Ozzie and both have said that since starting epiphen the fitting has stopped but we have all been told by our own vets (we all go to different practices) that medication isn't guaranteed to stop the fits but it should reduce the severity and frequency and touch wood certainly Kane and Ozzie are benefiting from being on the medication, I can't comment on Axle as I don't see him that often but I get updates from Verity my niece who owns Kane.
Ozzie was also very sleepy for the first 2 - 3 weeks and for the first time in his 5 years he slept deeply with both eyes tightly shut but during his waking hours you would often catch him just slumped against the settee in the sitting position staring blankly into space off in his own little world bless him.
My Niece was told by the neurologist at Newmarket that each time they have a fit it destroys a little bit of the brain which is one of the reasons why they medicate to stop any further damage. I do have to say that since Ozzies last 2 fits he's taken against the dyson for some reason and the mower now I come to think of it whereas before he never bothered.
It's suprising how quickly both you and Bob will adjust to his new routine and you will suddenly realise one day that life has returned to normal and the anxious times will be a thing of the past so chin up and keep smiling :). |
| Red123 |
Posted - 15/06/2012 : 15:47:51
quote:
Originally posted by ozziesmum
Hi my Ozzie was diagnosed with elipepsy last July and has been on epiphen twice a day for the last 2 months, the side effects from the drug can differ from dog to dog, with Ozzie for the first 2 - 3 weeks he was very sleepy and spaced out, that has improved but not completely gone away also he was extremely thirsty and what goes has to come out, increase in appetite so watch for weight gain. With Ozzie bloods are taken 3 monthly to start with to check the levels of medication in his system and also the liver function hasn't been affected this will then be dropped down to every 6 months. So all in all the side effects have been very mild and are slowly vanishing so things do get back to normal so try not to worry. :)
Thats reassuring to here. So I guess its just a case of wait and see the extent of the side effects as of yet the only thing I have noticed is that he is sleeping most of the day. He only use to have a fit twice a year but since feb has been fitting monthly so the vet said now was the time to start meds for them. Strange really he's had fits all his life and he is now 10 years old and I've never really thought about his fits but now he is taking drugs for them it just makes it seem real. Don't know thats the right word really but can't explain it. The fact that the fit he had last time has affected his brain as well just seems awful. Its not bad, he just sees his tail as a threat sometimes and tries to bite it. Its funny to see and say about it but really sad at the same time. Hopefully this epiphen will calm things down a bit for him and make the fits not last so long. |
| ozziesmum |
Posted - 15/06/2012 : 09:45:32
Hi my Ozzie was diagnosed with elipepsy last July and has been on epiphen twice a day for the last 2 months, the side effects from the drug can differ from dog to dog, with Ozzie for the first 2 - 3 weeks he was very sleepy and spaced out, that has improved but not completely gone away also he was extremely thirsty and what goes has to come out, increase in appetite so watch for weight gain. With Ozzie bloods are taken 3 monthly to start with to check the levels of medication in his system and also the liver function hasn't been affected this will then be dropped down to every 6 months. So all in all the side effects have been very mild and are slowly vanishing so things do get back to normal so try not to worry. :) |
| kev 5 |
Posted - 15/06/2012 : 07:11:08
no experience myself but a friend had a dog that suffered this. once the medication was sorted the dog now leads a happy normal life |
| serena_08 |
Posted - 14/06/2012 : 22:38:31
My Staffy stopped having fits but he was (is for a week after a fit these days they are quite rare) and he was on Phenobarbital, he'd be a bit low for a couple of days after meds, but would soon right up again. |
| Lacefrillsandlipstick |
Posted - 14/06/2012 : 22:01:43
Thats weird, i literally had my Border Collie Louie at the vets last week for epilepsy but his fits aren't bad enough to medicate him yet he is just being watched for now, its awful isn't it. Sorry i have no advice but hope all is well xxx |
