Best ways to treat dogs with epilepsy; med levels matter
Q: “Brandy” is the best dog we’ve ever had. She started having seizures when she was 2 years old. Our vet in California diagnosed her with epilepsy. We give her medicine faithfully every day, but she still has seizures one or two times each month. We even saw a specialist before we moved. Your thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. E.S., Farragut
A: Epilepsy, a common cause of seizures in young dogs, can range in severity. Unfortunately, it sounds like Brandy may have a severe case. I’m glad to hear that you give her medication regularly; that is very important for her. Most dogs can be controlled with only one-seizure medication, but it sounds like that is not the case for Brandy. A small percentage of patients will need two medications for better control, and an even smaller percentage require three medications.
If your previous veterinarian recommended following up after moving, please know we also have veterinary neurologists here. If Brandy is not getting adequate seizure control with medications, they may discuss advanced imaging, such as CT or MRI, to rule out other causes of seizures.
Sadly, there is no cure for epilepsy, only medication to aid in seizure control. Treatment is lifelong. Hopefully Brandy can have fewer and shorter seizures soon.
If you have questions about your pet, you may e-mail Dr. Myers at lenoircityac@gmail.com
