Marley's epilepsy

[wolfpup]

Once Marley started having fits last year I kept a record for the vets of date, duration, severity etc.   My vets were unwilling to put him on medication because of his young age (I am against drugs of any kind if there is an alternative anyway).    After his first fit they tended to come about every 3-4 weeks .  However in March he had 2 fits on March 7th with another one on March 9th.    I had been giving him a teaspoon of powdered passsionflower and skullcap with his food (recommended by a vet who is also a qualified herbalist) - his previous fit had been on 28th February  (10 days prior to the fit on the 7th March).

So the last four fits were  coming with ever more frequency  -  four fits in 12 days.   However they were not getting worse in severity  -  he remains conscious throughout at present.

Even my allopathic vets still are reluctant to put him on medication because of shortening his lifespan.

I really cannot describe what it does to me - when he staggers over to me at the start of a fit for reassurance and comfort  -  it rips me apart  -  I used to be a nurse in my younger days and have had many patients go through fits and am trained in what to do for the type of fit  -  but I feel so helpless with Marley  - I just wish I could take them away - it really breaks my heart.

I've been researching cbd oil for fits since last December  -  knowing they do help control fits in humans (my daughter in law is Gran Mal epileptic)  -  and finally decided on the strength needed to start Marley on after discussions with the supplier I had chosen  -  Simply CBD is the website -  these are the people who set up and run the K9 rescue organisation. 

I started Marley on the Purple  4mg  (two drops) with his food on the 20th March - and after 4 weeks raised it to three drops a day.   Today is his 59th day without a fit -   double the longest time he has ever gone without a fit.

At the same time I got the Liquid Gold cbd oil for Lunar (13 yo) to help with his arthritis (in paws mainly - but back legs are starting to show signs of weakness) and we have both noticed a difference  -  there is no sign of discomfort even after a long walk and he licks his paws and ankles a lot less.    He keeps up with energetic Marley in play fights and romps although has never been a fast runner even as a pup.

I am not naive enough to think Marley is cured  - and am aware it could just be  coincidence  - but I am grateful for every single day he goes without another fit.   My vet was alarmed at first  -  thinking I was giving Marley THC (mind altering) - and I had to explain about the 6 different types of CBD around.    He asked me to keep him updated weekly which I have been doing - and he is now happy for me to continue medicating Marley at this level.

After his next fit I am to up the cbd by another drop  -  then consider going up a level in strength. If it continues to help his epilepsy at least I have the knowledge that it does not do him any harm whatsoever, - which cannot be said for the drugs my previous epileptic dog was on - although with him I had no choice but to use the drugs as when he was having a fit he used to attack me, biting savagely and once breaking my middle finger.   The drugs were however very successful in controlling his fits for the last five years of his life.

I am very aware that use of cbd oil may be contentious with some  -  but I will do anything to help my beautiful, funny and very loving furbaby that I can  -  and even if I can just double the length of time between fits as I have done this time then the cost in time researching and money is worth every second and penny, especially knowing that the oil can do no harm of any kind.

 

 

[Emma]

That's great to hear.  

Im on an IBS website and they discuss the use of CBD oil on there quite a lot.  Some of the people have had really great experiences from using it, also noting that it helped anxiety symptoms as well as digestive too.  There's definitely something there worth further investigation. 

[Jay]

I know how you feel as I have an epi dog as well.  It's heartbreaking to watch him during his fits, and sometimes he doesn't have a grand mal, but just twitches and drools alot.  Unfortunately I had to put him on drugs to control them, but we are maxed out on what he can take.

I started him on CBD oil several months ago, and I have seen an improvement.  He still has some breakthroughs so I might up his dosage.  Hopefully no one will give you grief because I feel that CBD oil is a great product for them, and they should research it to find that it is not the same as giving a dog marijuana.   

[hannahpatterson93]

https://www.snowdog.guru/zinc-deficiency-seizures-huskies/


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[wolfpup]

4 hours ago, hannahpatterson93 said:

https://www.snowdog.guru/zinc-deficiency-seizures-huskies/


Sent from my iPhone using Husky Owners

Thank you Hannah   -  I am aware of this report and have a saved copy on my computer.   However Marley is raw fed and I know exactly how much zinc he gets each day, he shows no sign of deficiency and it has been ruled out as a cause of his epilepsy.

[Luke Daniel]

@wolfpupI have a 1 year and 2 months old sibe and he was diagnosed with epilepsy 2 months ago right at a year of age. I'm 18 and have barely any money to feed him a raw diet and sad to say, hes been on a processed kibble diet his whole life. I wanted to know if you've any experience concerning zinc deficiency and whether or not that may be it. I also wanted to know about Marley and how hes doing since u started him on cbd

[wolfpup]

1 hour ago, Luke Daniel said:

@wolfpupI have a 1 year and 2 months old sibe and he was diagnosed with epilepsy 2 months ago right at a year of age. I'm 18 and have barely any money to feed him a raw diet and sad to say, hes been on a processed kibble diet his whole life. I wanted to know if you've any experience concerning zinc deficiency and whether or not that may be it. I also wanted to know about Marley and how hes doing since u started him on cbd

Your post is timely  ....................... yesterday Marley reached his 2 year milestone seizure free.    Marley was 10 months old when he was diagnosed.   It later transpired that he had 9 different food allergies  -  mainly to grains  -  which is becoming ever more common sadly.      Once we knew about the allergies I changed his diet to ensure he ate no meat that had ever been fed  soya (his most dangerous allergy), wheat, corn, oats, rice, potatoes, carrots, peas or sugar beet   (no mean feat).    This together with the cbd is what I believe has stopped him from having further fits so far.   I know he is not 'cured'  - you cannot cure epilepsy, only manage it.   I am convinced that it was the food allergies that started his epilepsy in the first place.

If your pup had zinc deficiency you would notice other outward signs  - like crusty sores around his mouth and eyes that would temporarily disappear with the application of a zinc cream -  it is dangerous to give extra zinc to a dog that does not have a deficiency.   Zinc competes with calcium and magnesium in the body (from memory).

It might be that your dog is developing a sensitivity to grains   -  many, many epi dogs improve the seizure rate if taken off kibble (even 'grain free' kibble contains things like rice  -  kibble is after all at least 30% starch  -  it has to be in order to stick together in the little 'bits'.   Whilst, contrary to many trains of thought, dogs can digest starch - they have no dietary need for it  - they have developed this ability because that is what we feed them.

Many forms of kibble are just as expensive as feeding raw  -   I feed two huskies a raw fed diet for about £15 a week, possibly £18 a week  - but this takes into account that I have to supply grass fed beef and lamb that is finished on Barley only  - not soya, or corn  - the usual 'fattening up' rubbish, also the fish must be wild caught, not farmed - farmed fish are fed copious amounts of soya.

You do not state where you are from  -  I have helped many people, both in the UK and in the USA transition their dogs to raw  - and on a budget  (I am a pensioner myself)  it takes a little research, a little bit of hard work in searching the best deals, but once done you and your dog are set for life.     If you want to try and transition your dog to raw on a budget  - or even if you can only add bits (raw fed days) into a kibble diet - I can help you provide your dog with a much better diet - that may help him/her.