Senior pup with seizures

[JoaquinH]

Hi HA! community! I have 12 yr old or so chihuahua mix named Felicia, she is such a sweet and pure hearted girl who is so playful and calm. She has sporadic seizures, 1-3x a month for the past 8 yrs or so after a surgery at ADL Animal Hospital to have her fixed. When they occur its hard to see, the involuntary shaking, feces & pee and she may even bleed from mouth due to biting at times, leaving her dizzy, confused and unbalanced until she recovers. She also has sight issues, especially at night. She eats great, having organic sweet potatoes, grass fed beef, carrots, watermelon, wild berries & Merrick/Natural balance salmon & potato kibble with Zinc + B12 (When able) aside that, the only real preventative i have to assist her is a product called Rescue Remedy which calms and soothes her, but typically only used reactory afterward to ease & comfort her. She isn't prone to walking outside as she will either attempt to run away or just lay flat. She doesn't really utilize snuffle rug and will just plop down and lay on even when food is there (lol) She is such a innocent girl who doesn't deserve to have deal with the discomfort of these seizures.

Looking for any guidance, or information in this matter to hopefully lessen these seizures or absolve them completely.




Thank you so much!

@Dr. Jeff @Dr. Christina @Dr. Sara

 

[Dr. Sara]

Dear Joaquin,
Like us, animals are what they eat. There is a known correlation between diet, neurotransmitter production, and behaviour. There are recognised cases of seizures linked to particular allergens, including food allergens. It is important that animals with seizures are exposed to minimal numbers of toxins, as well as allergens. This means that kibble (commercially extruded food) is not appropriate for animals with a seizure history. The high heat and high pressure of extrusion produce free radicals in the food, which must be detoxified by the animal’s body. Excellent quality fresh diets are the best, then commercially prepared frozen and fresh, then dehydrated or freeze-dried, then canned. Care should be taken to feed a balanced diet, and to maintain the patient at an appropriate weight. Obesity is a risk factor for many diseases, some of which can complicate seizure disorders. Your girl appears to be a good weight, and she is eating a good diet, so well done!

Many dogs will benefit from the use of phytocannabinoid products (pCBD or CBD) to control seizures. Ensure that the product you coose is regularly tested for activity. There are many good products available. The capsules my be best for long term control, because they have a longer duration of action. It can be useful to have liquid on hand as well, as it is the fastest control if breakthrough seizures were to occur. I am appending information about hemp products at the bottom of this email.

Constitutional homeopathic prescribing is often a valuable part of controlling seizures, The individual will likely need to continue the homeopathic medicine at some frequency life long.

Ketogenic diets (high fat / low carb) have been used in the treatment of epilepsy in people. These are formulated by replacing some of the carbohydrate with MCT. These diets can be problematic, and I have never used them. The new commercial diets which add MCT should be beneficial in helping cognitive dysfunction, but there is not enough MCT added to produce ketosis.

Certain supplements have been shown to help decrease seizures:
1 - Balanced antioxidant supplementation such as Cell Advance 880 (this boosts the aging immune system and other body systems, it is a good initial supplement)
2 - Magnesium citrate 5 mg per pound of body weight once daily (never Mg oxide due to poor bioavailability, no Magnesium supplementation for cats or animals with kidney failure)
3 - Taurine 250 -1000 mg twice daily (responsible for inhibiting firing of neurons)
4 - GABA 500 mg/day preferably at night, also helps sleep (correlation between seizure excitability and GABA levels)
5 - Thiamine 50 mg twice daily (safe, may help some dogs that do not respond well to other medications)

There are two manipulations that can be done when animals are seizing to decrease the severity and length of time of the seizure:
1 - Apply cold packs to the lumbar area, just behind the end of the rib cage toward the tail, on either side of the spine for 5 minutes.
2 - Gently press on one or both eyeballs with your thumb against the closed upper lid, for 10 to 60 seconds.

Reduce toxins in the animal’s environment. Common toxins include:
pesticides on the pet, lawn, and yard
tobacco smoke
cleaning products and VOC from dryer sheets and paint

HEMP EXTRACTS

Hemp extracts, containing plant cannabinoids, or phytocannabinoids (pCBD) have become popular for animals and their people. These products act upon the body’s own endocannabinoid system to produce their effects. These pCBD contain many different components. Some commercial products contain only single components, others products are broad spectrum, containing a wide range of pCBD, with the hallucinogenic THC removed (there is a small amount of THC in hemp before processing). In broad spectrum pCBD products, the various components work together, called the entourage effect. Broad spectrum hemp extracts are legal in our area, though the legality of vets prescribing pCBD is questionable. I do not prescribe pCBD, I discuss it as a supplement which may be helpful in certain conditions, and provide guidance to clients in product evaluation and administration.

Phytocannabinoids have been studied mostly in humans and dogs, with a few studies involving cats and horses. Since the body’s own cannabinoid system has many effects, it is not surprising that pCBD have demonstrated a wide range of effects as well. Extensive reviews have shown that pCBD are non-toxic, with few (if any) side effects. As pCBD can slow metabolism of some drugs by the liver, caution is advised in combining such products, as increased sedation could result.

Research studies have shown that pCBD decrease osteoarthritis pain and increase activity, and, in epilepsy that is resistant to treatment, pCBD decrease seizure frequency. The pCBD components decrease inflammation, and decrease anxiety. These non-specific effects can decrease side effects of cancer treatment, and slow the growth of cancers. The signs of other inflammatory diseases, like colitis, allergic dermatitis, (any ‘-itis’ disease) may also be reduced. Anxiety can lead to further problems, such as separation anxiety, stereotypical behaviours, and fear aggression, and pCBD may help with the anxiety component of these problems.

A safe and effective hemp product should use organic, quality-screened European hemp. The resultant product must be screened for levels of pCBD and toxins. This information is available to the consumer on a third party lab’s Certificate of Analysis. The product should be a broad spectrum product, containing a wide array of cannabinoids and terpenes that are highly available to the patient. Some companies whose products meet these criteria are: CannaPet, RxVitamins, EarthAnimal, PetReLeaf, and Bluebird Botanicals. There are likely other good organic hemp companies, but remember your due diligence in evaluating them. Quality, properly extracted hemp is more expensive!

There are many form of hemp pCBD products available. It is important not to use human edibles with animals, as the human products may contain substances, such as xylitol, which are toxic to pets. Research has shown that absorption is best if the hemp extract is given either immediately before a meal (within 5 minutes), or with a small snack. Products taken while fasting or within a full meal are not absorbed as well. Most dogs do best with twice daily dosing.

Start with a small amount – about 0.05 to 0.25 mg per pound of body weight per serving twice daily is fine. Many animals do not need the full amount – it is highly individual! Increase the amount gradually every few days to find the sweet spot for that animal; this may take 7 to 14 days. If you see any changes you don’t like, stop the product, and seek veterinary guidance. The pCBD supplements are another valuable tool in promoting wellness for ourselves and our animal companions.

I hope this is helpful!
Dr. Sara

 

[MauraF]

I'm so sorry to learn that your beloved Felicia is suffering with seizures. My blind-deaf Shih Tzu, Joli, will be 15 next month and started experiencing seizures 4.21. I know it is very scary and makes you feel helpless. Joli has been under the care of a holistic vet as well as Dr. Jeff for years. Had her spleen removed 2.20 because she had three lesions that we had followed for one year via ultrasound and they were growing. Testing revealed that they were not hemangiosarcoma but two different kinds of non-cancerous growths. February of this year, the seizures returned and eventually what I thought were fainting spells but my holistic vet explained they were small strokes. Joli's platelet count has always been high but now it has increased to more than four times greater than the high end of normal. At the suggestion of the holistic vet, started Joli on MMS which is a powerful oxidant that you must mix yourself. I stopped most of her supplements but did keep her on chelated Magnesium, Milk Thistle/Dandelion, Hepatic Support, Lumbrokinase and NAC which are all specific to her underlying condition and needs. For seven weeks, her seizures ceased, energy increased and she did phenomenally well. Because my 11 year old Shih Tzu, Ele, was getting a mushroom complex, I decided to give it to Joli. Big mistake. It is a powerful antioxidant and worked in opposition to the MMS. She had a seizure and mini-stroke within four days. I quickly evaluated, pinpointed the regimen change that I had made and stopped the Oncoplex. It took a few days for her to 'rebalance' but once again the BEAM is very good and no more seizures or strokes. I realize that her history is a bit different from fabulous Felicia. Did you ever try to reverse the surgical anesthesia effects via homeopathy? My heart goes out to the two of you. If you would like more specifics regarding MMS, please feel free to message me. I just read Dr. Sara's message to you above. Joli eats frozen ground raw protein, eggs, air-dried raw, steamed veggies and fruit. TO ABORT STROKE or SEIZURE: THERE IS A PRESSURE POINT BEHIND WHERE EAR FLAP MEETS SKULL. USE THUMB AND INDEX FINGER, PRESS AND MASSAGE VIGOROUSLY or USE FINGER TO SCRATCH TOP OF HEAD (like washing hair). Best wishes to both of you.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Joaquin-

Sorry for the slow reply and thanks to Dr. Sara for their excellent posts!

doesn't deserve to have deal with the discomfort of these seizures.

Ah, yes, we definitely don't want her to have to deal with discomfort!

Fortunately, even tho seizures may look bad, they are rarely painful. BUT it's super common for the pet parent (including vets who know loads about seizures) to suffer discomfort when their beloved companion has a seizure.

As Dr. Sara said, a fresh food diet is super important to help support her body while it re-balances.

You might also want to add a methyl donor such as Vetri DMG that can help lower her seizure threshold:

Vetri DMG

Supports immune system function and performance in dogs and cats.

www.vetriscience.com

Another useful product (but this one's not a liquid) is:

Hepato TruBenefits For Dogs | Veterinarian Recommended Solutions

VRS' Hepato is easily administered with food to support normal cleansing of the liver from impurities. Click here to learn more & order your supply today!

vrshealth.com

 

[JoaquinH]

Thank you @Dr. Sara @MauraF & @Dr. Jeff for all of your informative insights and responses.

It is truly appreciated!