Hello, Elsa here. We normally don’t post on Thursday’s but because today is the last day of November, we are focusing attention on epilepsy  (especially after the recent return to Standard time which always winds up my Mom as she tries to phase in the meds to keep my anti-seizure medication as level as possible so I don’t seize). Mom hates having to figure out when to integrate those incremental shifts in time to keep things on an even keel since my meds must be administered every 12 hours at 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.  Sometimes she’s better at it but it gives her heartburn nonetheless and she always worries it might trigger a seizure. Luckily we got through it unscathed again but it’s always a colossal hassle. Can anyone tell me why we still do this stupid “spring forward/fall back” nonsense?

Originally we had hoped to have had this post prepared during the Thanksgiving holiday week rather than on the last day of the month but we were hampered with poor cell phone coverage and no Wi-Fi while visiting Mom’s Dad and we only just returned yesterday afternoon. As a blogger, this is as troublesome as trying to deal with the whole WordPress block editor garbage, and ranks right up there with Daylight Savings Time in dumb things you shouldn’t have to deal with. Between you and me, Mom’s bandwidth to deal with such junk is pretty slim so I knew we’d have to publish today.

When you’re a dog like me, you become pretty used to taking your meds. Mom has become quite creative in wrapping my pills in a very tasty treat so it’s not like she has to hog-tie me and pop a pill in the back of my throat. Having that happen would be weird, not to mention rude.

I began having seizures shortly after Mom rescued me over seven years ago (you can read about it in the highlighted link) and she’s been educating herself ever since.

My diagnosis came two weeks after I was rescued. There I was, a completely feral dog started having seizures getting used to being around people. I was fortunate to have Sam and Norman as my brothers-they taught me how to be a dog. I mean, I didn’t even know how to accept food from my Mom’s hand I was that shut down. Grand mal seizures started at first and following a short stay at the emergency vet clinic, I was treated and diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy which meant the vet wasn’t sure what the cause was. A likely factor was believed to be most likely was genetic (all the dogs seized after the owner of the puppy mill passed away had various conditions and he didn’t keep health records of any of us). Initially it was challenging determining what the right dosage of anti-seizure medication should be. I was placed on the least potent dose of Phenobarbital as well as given CBD oil but the dosage proved to be inadequate. The Phenobarb had to be adjust several times and for the most part I’m happy to report that Mom has been pretty good keeping me seizure free since late May {knock on wood}. Having a dog like me who has seizures can be a terrifying thing to witness.  Even with treatment, seizures are no picnic in the park and there are always challenges. Despite a few hiccups along the way like determining what the right dosage would be for my situation, Mom and my vet have seemed to hit the sweet spot and manage to keep the seizures mostly at bay. Even when I do have one, Mom has learned various techniques which make them fairly minor compared to when I first experienced them. I even went over a year without a single one. 

Mom says she’s lucky to have been part of an amazing blogging community who are far smarter and more knowledgeable than her when it comes to epilepsy and is particularly grateful for loads of advice from our friends over at Knotty Toys for Good Dogs and The Five Sibes who have shared amazing and informative resources and tips that have helped me. Remember that epilepsy is not a death sentence by any means and it is super important to get accurate information when treating epilepsy. There are also various epilepsy websites including Canine-Epilepsy as well as generalized info found at the Epilepsy Foundation and The Wally Foundation for educating oneself if it ever happens to you or your pet. I’ve certainly learned a lot since that first seizure and hope, with proper nutrition and the right balance of medication, I will live a long and happy life. If chewing on various items like reading glasses is any indication of happiness, Mom thinks I’m in hog heaven.

Did you know one in every 100 dogs is affected by epilepsy? Idiopathic epilepsy (the most common cause of seizures in dogs), is an inherited disorder, yet its exact cause is unknown. Other causes may include liver disease, kidney failure, brain tumors, brain trauma, or toxins. Onset in dogs usually beginning sometime between 2-6 years. As I mentioned, my onset episodes were quite severe, life threatening in fact and required emergency vet intervention but are now mostly  managed. I live a good life and enjoy things considered normal for dogs now and when the epi-monster hits, Mom knows how to treat me and get me through it easily. Do you know  anyone who is epileptic?

Again, many thanks to Knotty Toys and the Five Sibes for their counsel and support along this journey. With their help and info they share, Mom hopes to have me around chewing on her things for a good long time.

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are making ready for Santa Paws.

💜 Live, love, bark! 🐾 💜