Canine Epilepsy – How to Treat It
It is important to take your dog to see a vet the second you notice it is having seizures. There is a very good chance that if your dog suffers from seizures, the vet will diagnose the issue as being epilepsy. This article will explain some methods you can use to help treat this problem. First, you must realize that epilepsy is not the only reason for dog seizures. There could be something else to blame such as a brain tumor or some kind of injury caused to your dog’s head; it could even be down to your dog coming into contact with harmful toxins. If these are the reasons for your dog’s epilepsy then the following treatments will not help in the slightest.
Do not try these options before you have actually had your dog diagnosed as epileptic by a vet; do not just assume that epilepsy is the cause. If your dog only suffers from seizures occasionally and not as frequently as once a month, then it is advised that you do not treat it. Treatment of seizures will not completely cure the problem, it will simply lessen the amount of times your dog has seizures, so bear that in mind when you are treating your dog and the seizures continue; don’t get disheartened.
In most cases, your dog will be prescribed some Anti-Epileptic Drugs; these will likely be in the form of Phenobarbitol and Potassium Bromide. These drugs will either be given alone or sometimes together if one does not have as large an impact on seizures as desired. If your dog suffers from seizures that last longer than 5 minutes, or seizures that are quickly followed by more seizures, then you may be prescribed Diazepam. Recent studies indicate that Neurontin can also be useful for helping your dog cope with epilepsy; it is also known as Gabapentin. With Anti-Epileptic drugs, liver enzymes can increase, causing issues for you dog. So you will need to have regular tests done in order to determine that your dog’s liver is not being damaged.
There are alternative treatments you can try, such as acupuncture and gold bead implants. This is where gold beads are placed inside the acupuncture areas. Acupuncture is worth a try, but the use of gold bead implants is something better avoided unless as a last resort.
When trying to help your dog through epilepsy, you need to closely watch its diet. You can also try homeopathy and vitamin treatments. Diet can have a big impact on epilepsy, as most dog foods are crammed full of chemicals, additives, preservatives, and flavoring. It is widely known that dogs can suffer from seizures due to preservatives; for this reason you should try to remove them from your dog’s diet completely. In my case, the change of my dog’s diet from manufactured dog food to fresh, raw food with green vegetables did more good than the use of Anti-Epileptic Drugs. You should certainly seek the advice of a holistic vet in order to help your dog have the best possible diet and homeopathic treatments. If your water supply has fluoride added, you should invest in a filter for your dog’s water.
It is also a good idea to get some Rescue Remedy, and even some ice cream. You can pick up ‘Rescue Remedy’ in most health stores. You should add 4 drops of this to your dog’s mouth when a seizure starts; it can help lessen the seizure dramatically. Another great idea is to give your dog some preservative-free vanilla ice cream once the seizure has ended. Dogs are small, and a seizure can be hard on their body. So giving them some ice cream afterward helps bring their blood sugar levels back up. It is also nice to get your dog’s mind off the terrifying event that has just occurred after going through a seizure; my dog would actually happily go to his bowl waiting for some ice cream after each one.