[AK1NG]

Hi everyone.

I have a 3,5 year old dog who suffers from epilepsy. At first, there was a period of about 2 weeks in between 2 seizures, but lately it has become worse. We started him on phenobarbital yesterday (25g, twice a day). But last night, he had 3 seizures with about 90 minutes in between each fit. We called the vet and he said that it takes a while for the melds to start working. But if the seizures continued, we could switch medicine.

Now, my concern is that my dog will have a seizure when no ones at home. Usually, every body's at school or at work from 8 am til 4 pm. Besides, we have 2 other dogs and I'm afraid they'll hurt each other during a seizure. I read somewhere that dogs in a pack will attack the 'weaker' one (in this case, the dog with epilepsy). Now before I leave in the morning, I put up a small fence in the living room, to separate the dogs (I don't want to put them in other rooms, it's so lonely!).

But my main concern is that my dog will have multiple fits during the day, when no ones at home. Is there anything I can do besides waiting for the medicine kicks in, or should I address this concern to my vet?

Thanks!
My dog has never had seizures during the day. We leave the dogs alone all the time, and nothing bad has ever happened. But still, it could happen and then it could be too late...

[_fauxtragedy]

Ask your vet about it. It can get costly, but ask them about day boarding for a couple of days in their ICU, so he can be monitored, until the melds start getting into his system.

[Hiroshima, Get Over it]

THis dog needs to be with a person, and be separated from the others - by much more than a gate.
Speak to your vet, but the answer is that your dog isn't going to be safe alone, and it's questionable as to whet hr he should be alone for a very long time to come.

I'm sorry you're going through this- epilepsy is excruciating for everyone involved.

Here is a very good source of information on epilepsy:
http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/Resources.html

[superstar]

Yes discuss this with your vet it really depends on how severe the seizures are. My dog has grand Mal seizures constantly and we have just ended up taking him everywhere we go he's never alone. As far as your other dogs my other dogs just gets very stressed when it happens and I guess scared she starts barking crazily before it happens and lets us know. But she has never attacked him while he was having one she's more concerned.

[elaine92v]

I don't think you have many choices here - obviously leaving him at home from 8 until 4 could be okay once you get the dose of his medication sorted out, but while his fitting isn't stabilized, there's no way I'd be doing this (but then I don't leave my dogs alone at home for that length of time - period!).

By all means discuss this with your vet and take his advice, but I'd say at the very least, you are looking at employing a sitter. And for sure, don't leave him with the other dogs - yes, they will gang up on him during a seizure.

[bongmbamfrank]

Put him for safety in a training crate. He can't hurt himself and the other dogs can't either.
How long did the vet say... 2 weeks or 2 days. I think you do need to find out when you can expect the medication to kick in.
Good Luck

[Weezy]

Your vet is your best ally in dealing with your dog's health problems, and so you really should address this with your vet.

If you have some doggier day care available, that might help, but you have to discuss with them the problems if you do this.

I don't know where you read that about dogs in a pack attacking each other if one is weak. Part of pack mentality is protection of the pack. In the wild, there might be some risk if there's another animal trying to rise in the pack order above the sick animal, but otherwise, I doubt that it would happen even there. -!-