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Cluster seizures

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • nobarkusN

    I Just got the below message from Karen at So Cal Basenji Rescue. Any suggestions would be great to pass along.

    We have an adorable tri gal, my special love and not looking for a home since she has us wrapped around her toes and heart. She is seven years old, weighs 17 pounds, and has started having cluster seizures. My first Basenji had seizures but only an occasional one and I had never even known about cluster seizures. Shida started into this gradually with a short seizure and several weeks before another. We had finally put her on zonisamide 25 mg to stop any further seizures. We have a terrific vet here and a friend also has a Basenji boy, an older gentleman, who is on zonisamide, so we at least were tuned in to the best medication. The last three days have been hell with a night filled with seizures almost every hour, an visit to the vet where her dosage has been increased to 50 along with a great Chinese herb that does help keep her calmed down, and this morning we are already on number 3. It looks like she is settling down now but these short seizures have to be taking a toll with their frequency. I don?t think she is hurting but she now whimpers as I hold her during a seizure as she comes out of it. Shida is just about the sweetest little thing you could ever meet and we are being torn apart watching her deal with this and not finding a way to get it under control.

    There is no way a breeder will offer info on seizure medications but I thought you might be able to reach out and get some response from your network. We are open to every bit of help out there?diet, meds, supplements?.

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

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  • tewwi22T

    my now 13 year old brindle girl started having seizures this last Sept = not cluster. She is on 100MG of zonisamide 2 times a day = the last go round was 65 days between seizures - did they ever test to see her zonisamide levels? Hoping you get some answers soon. I know how terrifying it is.

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  • K

    So sorry to heat about her condition.
    I have no direct experience with seizures, but as the drug you describe may ease the symptoms, I would recommend a holistic approach to address the underlying issues. That could mean homeopathy, food and orthomolecular supplements, essential oils, and things like Tellington Touch or Healing Touch for Animals. It ususally demands time and effort to find out what works and keep the regimen up for maybe months. There is no quick fix.

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  • nomrbddgsN

    I'm with kjdonkers, try the Healing Touch for Animals. You may want to try a chiropractor as well. Sounds dumb, but if a nerve is placed wrong, they may be able to help. and yes, I am a breeder, I've had very limited experience with seizures though.

    Arlene, the Basenji Brats with the Boxenji![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")

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  • DebraDownSouthD

    Okay not to alarm you, but please make sure that what you are seeing is in fact cluster seizures (where there is a definite recovery between seizures) and status seizures, where there is no recovery but continues seizures.

    Status are the most dangerous… they can and do die from them. So getting this under control fast is critical. A side note, I worked in the UTnK Brain Research and Neuropsychology Lab with Dr Joel Lubar on his epilepsy program.

    QUOTE:>> The massive muscle activity of the seizures leads to hyperthermia with temperatures as high as 106 degrees Fahrenheit or more, which if sustained, causes irreversible damage to neurons. Hypoxia from inadequate pulmonary ventilation also causes brain damage. Severe lactic acidosis from shock and tissue hypoxia, amplified by excessive muscle activity, probably contributes to neuron deterioration. Death is usually not from brain dysfunction directly, but from overtaxation of cardiopulmonary reserve by the combination of massive continuous exercise, hypoxia, lactic acidosis, shock, and possibly also hyperthermia.<<

    Below are notes from Feb with a vet friend regarding another friend's chow. He was having seizures and they could not get control. (he mostly likely, however, had a brain tumor, and due to age and advancing loss of quality of life was put down.)

    NOTES:

    Hey, yell when you see this:
    OK, friends - I guess I posted too soon that xxx was doing so well. He had another seizure this morning about 4:00am. ...talked to the vet again and I think I would at least like to TRY some antiseizure medication. The vet talked about phenobarbitol and something called Zonisamide. She said that usually Zonisamide is given if the phenobarbitol isn't working - but that they have started giving it as the first drug some. It does not have the side effects of phenobarbitol because it isn't metabolized in the liver. But she also said it is a fairly new drug and hasn't been widely used. I also read online about Potassium Bromide.

    BR response::::
    KBr is a good option and we have been using Kepra with good results too. I have no experience with Zonisamide

    Seizures do need to be controlled we have had 3 dogs in the practice in the last year that went into status and cooked themselves.... body temperature skyrockets during the seizure and causes brain damage

    Zonisamide is in the same class of drugs as Kepra.....we have used it as a first option but most often along with pheno when the pheno isn't working by itself

    Debra Levey
    So would you say start with pheno and add kepra if necessary?

    BR:
    Depends on liver function.... if ALT is normal then that's what we usually do, mostly because it works quickly (KBR & kepra take a little longer to build a "blood level")
    If ALT is elevated or borderline then start with kepra or KBR. Milk thistle is a good idea to support liver also<<<

    That's all I can give you as I have never had a dog with seizures. But if you don't get things under control in a couple of weeks, you might consider a specialist at a university since there could be other issues causing it. I am assuming your vet already did blood work and ruled out any toxins or medication issues.

    Debra

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    DebraDownSouthD
    Nope, any dog any age can be trained and desensitized. In fact it hit me, Kathy Diamond Davis has had dogs with seizures. You can email her, tell her I sent you, if you need help. Kathy is great with sensitive dogs. KDiamondD@aol.com Noise Phobia (web page makes half the script black unless you highlight), can use same method for all loud noises including the motor cycle. I'd actually go out and TAPE it, start playing really low. http://companionanimalsolutions.com/blogs/tips-for-dog-owners-noise-phobia/ http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+1551&aid=2545 http://dogbuilders.com/articles/2009/01/noise-phobias.html Counterconditioning: Using counterconditioning, the animal is taught to display an acceptable behavior rather than an unacceptable one as a response to a certain stimulus. In this way, a negative stimulus can become associated with a positive event. For instance, the only time the pet gets his most favorite treat, game, or toy, is just prior to and during a thunderstorm. Dogs who enjoy traveling may be taken for a car ride, or cats who love catnip, may be given their favorite catnip mouse. (Dogs who enjoy swimming will need to wait inside until the storm is over!) After a time, the pet will start associating an oncoming storm with getting to have his favorite thing. Desensitization: Using desensitization, the animal's response is decreased while he is exposed to increasing levels of the fear-producing stimulus. For noise phobias, the animal is taught to be calm when the noise level is low, and then the noise level is gradually increased. This process is generally more successful in dogs than cats. To desensitize a pet to thunderstorms: 1. Obtain a commercial tape or CD of a storm, or tape record one yourself (commercial products generally work better). Play the recording at normal volume to determine if it will induce the fear response. If it does, continue with the desensitization; if not, you will need to obtain a different recording. For some animals, a recording alone may not work, since there may be a combination of occurrences that provokes fear, e.g.; thunder plus lightning or changes in barometric pressure. For these animals, darkening the room and adding strobe lights may more closely mimic the storm, and may need to be included in the desensitization process. 2. Play the recording at a volume low enough that the pet is aware of the sound, but it does not induce a fear response. For instance, the ears may be ****ed towards the source of the sound, but you still have the pet's attention. In some instances, that may mean the pet needs to be in a different room from where the recording is playing. While the recording is playing at the low level, engage the pet in an activity in which you give the commands, such as obedience training or performing tricks. Give food or other rewards during the activity when the pet accomplishes what he is supposed to. If the animal shows signs of fear, stop and try again the next day, playing the recording at an even lower level. It is important that the pet not be rewarded while he is fearful or anxious. Sessions should last about 20 minutes. 3. If the animal does not respond fearfully, during the next session, increase the volume slightly. Again, involve the pet in an activity and reward it for obeying commands. Continue increasing the volume gradually for each session. If the pet starts to show fear, decrease the volume. Repeat the sessions in various rooms of the house and with various family members present. 4. When the pet does not show fear when the recording is played at a loud volume, you may want to try playing the recording for a short time while you are absent. Gradually increase the time you are gone while the recording is playing. 5. When the pet appears to have lost his fear, the sessions can be reduced to one per week. In most instances, these sessions will need to be repeated weekly for the life of the pet. 6. During an actual storm, use the same activities and rewards you used in the training sessions. To increase the chances of successful desensitization, the training process should take place during a time of the year when the actual noise will not be encountered: if the pet is afraid of thunder or fireworks, try desensitization during the winter; if afraid of gunshots, the training should take place outside of the hunting season. In most instances, it is best to discontinue any behavior-modifying medications during the desensitization process. Consult with your veterinarian before discontinuing any medications.
  • C

    Thyroid problems and Seizures

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    My previous beastie developed thyroid problems (and it took the vet a long time to figure it out too) but he wasn't put on soloxine. I can't remember the name of the meds but it started with a b. He never had any siezures and he was on the meds for probably five years or so.