Epilepsy in Dogs

While a diagnosis, of most cases of epilepsy that visit us, often after expensive MRI scans, is 'primary idiopathic* hereditary epilepsy', we find that the huge majority have their first fits within three months of a vaccination event, whether the primary vaccination course or one of the annnual boosters. Often, there has been a history of itchiness, ear problems or skin problems, before the fits emerged, which may have been suppressed by steroid drugs, ointments or lotions.

We set about choosing a homeopathic medicine for each patient, according to the patient's personality, symptoms and constitution. We also look into diet, since we believe that natural feeding is very important as a platform for health and healing. We may use herbs as an adjunct to treatment.

We look into lifestyle and environment since these factors can be very important 'obstacles to cure'.

In those patients who have been treated successfully, when the correct medication has been found (not always at the first attempt), we have often observed a steady diminution in frequency and severity of the fits, along with emergence of itchy skin (pruritus) or even skin lesions. This tends to prove the supposed link between skin problems and epilepsy. These usually eventually clear, as the case progresses.

In the unlucky few who do not respond, we believe that these are the true epilepsy cases, the others having an identifiable cause despite the specialist 'hereditary' diagnosis given at the outset.

Some important triggers for epilepsy:

Vaccination
Poisons/toxins
Injury
Meningitis/Encephalitis
Garden chemicals
Anaesthetic
Suppression of skin disease

Status epilepticus

In some cases, a cluster of fits can occur. When the patient emerges from one fit straight into another, we call it 'status epilepticus'. This is reputed to be a very bad sign, increasing the likelihood of a bad outcome. This has not always been our own experience, however. We avoid administration of Diazepam-type drugs, since we have found these to increase the likelihood of a bad outcome, in the patients we have seen.

*Idiopathic is a word dreamed up to sound good, whereas it just means something like 'we don't know where it comes from' or 'it just happens'. In our experience, epilepsy doesn't 'just happen'.

A homeopathic vet should be able to explain your treatment options.

Acupuncture

Homeopathy

Herbs

Chiropractic

Natural Feeding Information

In the homeopathic treatment of epileptic dogs, we use a great many different remedies, depending upon the individual constitution, nature and demeanour of the patient.

Here is a list of some of the most commonly used medicines:

Aconitum
Belladonna
Bufo rana
Calcarea carbonica
Cuprum metallicum
Distemperinum
Hyoscyamus
Lycopodium
Lyssin
Morgan Bach
Nux vomica
Platina
Pulsatilla
Stramonium
Sulphur
Thuja

Happily, the vast majority of those cases labelled 'hereditary epilepsy' (and therefore carrying a pretty hopeless prognosis) are, in fact, unlikely to be hereditary, since we have seen such a good recovery rate. However, there are few indicators at first encounter, to give a clue as to likely outcome.

We have found one possible indicator over the years. It appears to hold true that those cases that have definitely responded to the administration of the drug 'phenobarbitone' (i.e. reduction in severity or frequency or both) are much more likely to cease fitting altogether when the correct homeopathic medicine can be found.

Epilepsy can be very distressing for owners and family. Dogs rarely suffer when fitting.

The disease is only very rarely fatal.

Diet and vaccination can play a large part in the disease.

About 80% of cases appear to recover, following alternative medicine input.

The author is independent of commercial interest or sponsorship and cannot endorse any products or advertising material attached to this lens.

For more information, visit AVMC's information website (over 600 pages).

Chris Day - holistic vet - runs the Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre in Oxfordshire (AVMC) in Oxfordshire, UK.

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