Phenobarbital for seizures

Several types of health problems can cause seizures including diabetes, epilepsy, and tumors.
Post Reply
izshadow
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2012 1:47 am

Phenobarbital for seizures

Post by izshadow »

I need to talk to anyone on here that has there dog on Phenobarbital for seizures. Or has had a dog on it. Need to talk side effects.

Also, I read somewhere 2000mg a day of fish oil is cancer fighting in dogs. And 1000mg a day is ideal for your average dog with no cancer. Anyone use fish oil with their dogs????

My dog is MDR1 positive. Border line lethal white aussie. Just diagnosed with a brain tumor and VERY LOW oxygen in his blood stream due to the tumor. Recently put on Phenobarbital to help get more oxygen in his blood. Has been having seizures the past four years (since I got him so chance he may have been born with this)..... can not play with my dog or do anything active. That triggers his seizure due to his body not being able to get oxygen during play......
Bobbie
Wheelchair Expert
Posts: 1857
Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2002 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Phenobarbital for seizures

Post by Bobbie »

My corgi has been on Phenobarb for about four years. (Epilepsy.) He's on it to control his seizures. It makes him hungry. It also can, over time, affect the liver.
Bobbie Mayer
"Corgis on Wheels: Understanding and Caring for the Special Needs of Corgis with Degenerative Myelopathy or DIsk Disease available now!
http://www.corgiaid.org/cart/corgisonwheels
izshadow
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2012 1:47 am

Re: Phenobarbital for seizures

Post by izshadow »

Once you got the levels correct with how much medication to give..... when did you notice a change?

I go back in two weeks to check his levels and adjust the dosage if needed. My vet said give it a few weeks before I take him in the backyard
and try to play with him. I'm just terrified to!!! My heart stops every time I see him fall over drunk. But I know I need to test him
out and try to start playing with him.

How long were you on the medication before you noticed a change? Has all seizures stopped for you or did it just lower the amount of seizures your dog has?

I hope you dont mind the questions! I'm a newbie to all this. And hearing it may affect the liver... for sure a chance I'll have to take though.

Right now I cant even play fetch with my dog. Any activity is a trigger and well I rather be able to play with my dog and have him happy then keep denying him.
Just isnt fair to a young dog who is super hyper.
Bobbie
Wheelchair Expert
Posts: 1857
Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2002 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Phenobarbital for seizures

Post by Bobbie »

I never do levels. He's on a relatively low dose so we know it isn't too high, and it works, so it isn't too low. He's also on two other meds which were added so that the phenobarb dose didn't have to keep going up and up, so now he's on 30 mg one day and 15 mg the other day. (25 lb dog.) He is also on KBr and Gabapentin, though. I think its 375 of KBr and 100 mg of gabapentin daily. What we do check annually is liver enzymes though I don't know what to try next if that goes up as so far no add-ons have let him get completely off phenobarb.

Initially, just on Phenobarbital, his seizures got less frequent but then started to happen more often so then rather than increase it we added KBr. The Gabapentin let him go from 30 daily of Phenobarb to the 30-15 routine but could not go lower as he started having seizures again.

I also have liquid Valium for giving him during a seizure if it goes on more than a minute or so. It's given rectally or orally, usually the former as I can't get anything in his mouth during a seizure. Same for injecting.
Bobbie Mayer
"Corgis on Wheels: Understanding and Caring for the Special Needs of Corgis with Degenerative Myelopathy or DIsk Disease available now!
http://www.corgiaid.org/cart/corgisonwheels
Post Reply