EPILEPSY IN MANS BEST FRIEND

I have been on line trying to find a board dealing with seizure activity in dogs but to know avail.  So I am calling out to you folks that experience idiopathic or any form of epilepsy to give me a hand with my faithful companion and friend; Sporty.  My heart goes out to all of you folks suffering with seizure activity.  As the owner of one of mans best friend also suffering from Idiopathic Epilepsy; named Sporty (so the name) I can totally relate with you and your care givers.  

As an animal lover and humanitarian I feel like I am fighting a losing battle. 

My dog has had epilepsy and suffers from grand mal seizures since he was 1.5 years old.  He is now going on 6 years old.  I have tried Sporty on everything and the so-called "new wonder drug" Keppra @ $4.50 per pill for over two years now yet he continues to seize.  By the way, no insurance will cover the drug costs for an animal. One week alone last month he has had over 20 seizures while at 30lbs is on 500mg Keppra per day.  If you have never seen a helpless animal with seizure disorder, it will break your heart.  During the post ictal period of the seizure he is like a racing car without a driver at the wheel, he runs and slams himself into anything and everything.  It is almost like he is blind.  He almost went through our sliding glass door last week. I have taken him to over 10 Doctors and Vet universities in the past couple of years.  They cannot offer anything new...and I don't think it is fair to put him to sleep.

Like a child or their baby human counterparts an animal cannot tell you what is happening and how they feel, so you as the owner or deliverer of care feel helpless.  Sporty is a Cocker Spaniel-Poodle i..e..Cocker-Poo.  He lives his life on a complex combination of Valium-Keppra-Phenobarbitol-and now we have added (Kbr) Potassium Bromide into the mix a specialty compound medicine.  We have also just started him on custom made suppositories of diazapam.  The only thing that seems to stop the seizure in its tracks are rectally induced injections of valium. The theory being there are so many nerve endings in the lower bowel that it is basically like getting an injection. It takes about 4-5 minutes to stop the seizure with this method.  I have taken him to Emergency Rooms in the middle of the night because he wasn't coming out of his seizure, the vet says if they last over 20 mins, run him to the ER with him at a cost of almost $1200. combined.  

Due to the economy, I am not working and no longer able to afford the Keppra so he has come off it. I am not certain if this is going to send him into seizures again this month, but after two years, it doesn't seem to be working anymore anyway. I also just found out today, there is quite a huge list of interactions including with Keppra and Valium.   I am wondering if this is causing his repeat cluster seizures?  Has anyone had any experience with this combination? 

This is day two off the Keppra and he seems tired, very tired...exhausted, sleeping all day long.  It's hard to say for sure but I seems the Phenobarbitol (the least expensive drug) to be the most effective.  If anyone has been on this Journey with their little-buddy please let me know, how you where able to deal with it and if you found anything that can help me out with the little guy please write and let me know. hydrof2001@aol.com.

My Prayer: God help us find a cure for all who experience this deadful disease.  My heart goes out to you all!

Please feel free to click on the attachment below; to see why we can put the little guy down! It's a picture of Sporty in his bathing suit at the beach!

Sports Dad!