Lab with Seizures - Pb

[YellowLabMom707]

My 8 year old yellow lab had 3 "mini" seizures within an 18 hour period.  Never prior that we had noticed.  He has always be a "needy" dog.  He has been on the Phenobarbitol 2 pills a day for a month now, and is a basket case, so vet put him on prozac as well.  And said he will be on the Pb for life. The seizures started after I had taken him into the vet a few times and had given him an Ace tablet to get to the vet, he is a dog that freaks out in the car, and is uncontrollable at the Vet.  First could the Ace have triggered the seizures - probably 3 days after he had ACE.  And what are the thoughts on really keeping him on the Pb for life?

Thanks

[BluCrystal]

Hi Yellow!  I used to work for a vet, so I know a bit about this.  First you should know that having seizures can, but not necessarily, cause brain damage.  This hapens during long sezures, or seizure-clusters.  Acepromazine is an anti-anxiety med given to dogs for calming.  It is fast-acting, and does not stay in the system long (a few hours only).  Therefore, I do not beleive that the Ace triggered the seizures.  In fact, if I recall correctly, since Ace is calming, your dog would be LESS likely to seize from it.  As far a needing pheno for life, that's the truth of it.  You have to do it for life.  Just watch for 'break-through seizures' (seizures which occur in spite of the pheno) and contact your vet right away if this happens.  Blessings to you and your dog - Blu

[Hollus]

Did the vet give any explanation as to why after 8 yrs your dog has started having seizures? Has your dog been diagnosed with Epilepsy? This strikes me as odd! I had a rough collie for about 7 years and he had Epilepsy and seizures that began when he was a year old due to his poor breeding. He was also put on Phenobarbitol but the medicine actually mellowed him out. Before the meds he was distructive. The most distructive dog I've ever owned! He could never be left unsupervised and would destroy anything, he even ripped the siding of the back of the house! I've never seen anything like him, before or after, he came to be my dog! He was incredibley sweet though!! Once our collie was put on the Phenobarbitol, he was a completely different dog. He was never distructive again after that! He did still have occasional seizures but not like before; the ones pre-meds were strong and scary and he'd get them anytime there was a full moon or a thunder storm.

[YellowLabMom707]

Trying to edit, but to add:  When the vet did the blood work, he had Lyme and was on the Doxy for a month. His food is the 4Health Salmon and Potato (tractor supply), if that means anything, no soy, wheat or corn