Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:38 am Post subject: Winston gone on to Epilepsy medication - Update p2
I'm sat at home - not knowing what to do for the best, after Winston's epilepsy became a monthly occurance, the vet did a full blood evaluation and then placed him on epiphen 1 60mg twice daily. He has been on it since last Thursday. I was aware last it could make him a little drowsey and a bit wobbly on his back legs but was told this will pass. Anyway, he can't hold down any food - he is just exhasted - been up all night throwing up (2 nights now). Outside this morning he just sat in the middle of the lawn - I realised he couldn't squat to go to the toilet He managed eventually but it was such a struggle for him. I rang the vets at half 7 this morning, and the receptionist said she would get one of the vets to ring me - as soon as they start to arrive (should be between 8-8:30) its 9:30 now. I've not given him the tablet this morning - I can't bear seeing him like this, but the fits are also hard to cope with too. I just don't know what to do - I'm not giving him any more of these tablets.
Last edited by Labshack on Wed Sep 05, 2007 5:23 pm; edited 1 time in total
Oh Shelley how awful for him. I don't know anything about this condition so all I can do is send you(((((((((((((( hugs)))))))))))) and ~~~~~~~~~get well vibes~~~~~~~~~~ for winston
No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: Marley (Coco Caramel Boy) DOB 11.04.07 Indi (Newf) DOB 28.6.07 Always remembering Charlie who died 12.06.07 run free my baby x
So sorry to hear about Winston Rest assured though you are doing the right thing not giving him any more and contacting your vet Shelley.
It may just be a case of finding the right medication for him. I do hope you get it sorted. It is bad enough with the health problem he has without the added vomiting and sickness
Poor you and poor Winston Shelley, hope the vet can sort it out for him soon, sounds like the tabs don`t agre with him, as Jo says keep on at the vets til they call back, or take Winston down and park yourself in the waiting room.
They called, and I'm afraid to say I just burst into tears - so not helpful. It's up to me if I want to take him off them and to feed him Chicken & Rice, if no improvement in the next couple of days to take him in We can try him on a lower dose or discuss something different. Winston just went outside again - oh he is so poorly, he can bearly hold his head up.
Oh my Poor Winston & poor you ((((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))) for you both.
It might be worth pming John W as I know he knows a lot about epilepsy, also Fay's (FRE) BJ and Trizia's Sherpa have epilepsy maybe they can give you some insight into what works for them.
Epiphen is a Phenobarb based medication, which a lot of people have used to good effect, but others have had big problems with it. It may well be that he is particulaly sensitive to it and you may need to reduce the dose, possibly even to half or lower. But these days there are other alternatives which people are having good results with, including Genitrix KBr. This is a Potassium Bromide based drug so is completely different to Epiphen so does not have the same side effects. Some vets are even combining the two, using small doses of both!
Even with Gentrix you need to get the dose right, and also bear in mind that it lingers in the body, building up over a period of time. What that means is that the drug does not have full effect until something like two weeks after starting on it. It also means that if you give enough initially then by a fortnight later you are giving an overdose!
If you are having problems then I would not hesitate to go back and discuss alternatives.
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He managed eventually but it was such a struggle for him. I rang the vets at half 7 this morning, and the receptionist said she would get one of the vets to ring me - as soon as they start to arrive (should be between 8-8:30) its 9:30 now. I've not given him the tablet this morning - I can't bear seeing him like this, but the fits are also hard to cope with too. I just don't know what to do - I'm not giving him any more of these tablets.
