Just a week since last update and not good news. Domino has had some very bad seizures so I've been in touch with the vet to discuss progress or lack of it!.
He said he would have expected to see improvement after a couple of weeks so as things have deteriorated we can assume the brain diet isnt working and hes prescribed the drug Keppra. I've to finish the bag of food as well but then change to a good quality light diet of rice and fish that will be easy for him to digest and hopefully not cause any more colitis.
Domino is on 250mg one tablet twice a day for a month to see if they work for him. i certainly hope they do ..........running out of options.
Sorry to hear the brain diet didn't work as we'd all hoped I really hope the Keppra manages his seizures, is 2 x 250g per day the lowest dose available?
Well one week in being on Keppra and it looks like things are getting better. The seizures have not been so severe and a little less frequent so it looks promising. Domino has been quite hyper since starting on the Keppra but vet says its more likely to cause drowsiness than hyper activity and perhaps hes just feeling better and getting better rest so has more energy, so we'll see how it goes. His bowel has been a bit dodgy this week too so hope its not causing him digestive problems...........that could be difficult with his history of colitis.
I'm SO pleased to hear that things are looking better, hoping it continues I'm not sure if Keppra has any effect on the digestive system, I haven't read about any tummy side effects, but then they're not exactly sure HOW it works in the first place.
oh that sounds so promising for him !!! I would be so over the moon,I think I would let him get away with anything and everything you know soooo pleased for you !!!
its just a suggestion...I would consider a thundershirt, not all the time ..just for getting some truly relaxed and calm times.. colitis can flare up in times of stress and the seizures, the changes in diet etc are all stressors, Cupes wears one after he has worked with any dog that was aggressive - yesterday for example..he remained so calm in the house of a dog where he had to stooge ..a dog that has ossession aggression and needed to remain comfortable with another dog present - they are introducing a new dog into the house in a month, Cupes would have been stressed despite not displaying any reaction, so I popped his t/shirt on him for the rest of the evening... and he got massage and primula cheese. A lot of my dogs have thundershirts .. I loan them out so people don't have to buy them if they are sceptical ..worth a thought.
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Thats Domino been on Keppra for a month now and there definately has been a huge improvement. Most days maybe a little hint of a seizure with some minor twitching in the evening or occasional morning. Only 4 or 5 bad days with whole body twitching in the whole month instead of several times a day every day. So have discussed things with vet and hes going to increase the dose to one and a half tablets twice a day in the hope that we can stop all seizure activity. I would say Domino is generally feeling a lot better in himself with more energy now hes getting a better quality of sleep.
As for the colitis no problems for a while now, whether thats down to the pro fibre or lack of stress from seizures or what I dont know. he looks to have put on a few pounds as well so its all good.
that is brilliant news Christa !!! Well on the way to no seizures at all,sooo glad for you and Domino,poor soul, it must ve been knackering never being able to sleep properly
Not such a good report on the increased dose im afraid. Seizures have picked up this month and i've noticed Domino has a week right side with a limp in both back and front legs. On examination there doesnt seem to be anything wrong so have to rest him when it seems bad and keep an eye on things.
The vet suggested reducing the dose again to what he started on and possibly add in another one. He said that sometimes a lower dose can have a better result than a stronger one especially when combined with another. I decided to just try him back on the lower dose on its own and see what happens this time before adding more drugs and if things are no better after that well i guess we'll just have to try something else.
One possitive, the colitis has improved so thats good.
Sorry to hear that the increased dose didn't have the effect that we were all hoping for Hopefully the vet is right, and reducing the dose and using it in combination with another will help reduce those seizures further. Fingers crossed that the weakness was a side effect of the higher dose and resolves with this new regimen.
Good news about the colitis, that's some positive news So either the diet he's on at the moment is doing the trick, or I'm hopeful that all of your hard work at getting his condition under control has reduced his stress levels massively and that's showing up in a calmer tummy
Thats us tried the keppra at 250 mg again(one twice daily) in conjunction with Hills DB diet and seizure activity has not improved, if anything its increased to almost what it was at diagnosis.
Not sure what will happen now, waiting to hear from vet once he sees the latest video.