Go Canada Go!

So I actually have a good excuse for not writing for a while. The Olympics has been taking up all of my time. Now, I know you are all asking, did I win Gold? Where can I find coverage of your amazing championship showing? Silly you! I know I can easily be mistaken for an Olympic athlete, and my physique rivals those fabulous Olympians, but the spotlight just isn't for me. So I leave it up to those who enjoy competing in front of the whole world, and I man my position on the comfy chair in front of the TV, cheering them on from the anonymity of my living room.

Anyways, I've been glued to the Olympic coverage for the past 2 weeks and that, combined with my already busy schedule, results in no blog posting.

The boys and I are busy busy busy! There is a BIG trial coming up in a couple of months, and I am aiming for a "Big Ribbon". The Canadian Shetland Sheepdog Association National show and trial is being held in combination with the Hub City Kennel and Obedience Club's annual show April 30 - May 2. Shelties from across the country will be gathering in Saskatoon to compete in obedience, Rally-O, conformation, and agility. Of course, I will be focusing on Rally-O, but may also dabble in a couple other venues. But details aren't nailed down yet, so I'll keep those plans secret for the moment. As of now, the boys and I are amping up the practice for Rally-O. They are already 100/100 scoring dogs, so we are now aiming at increasing the speed of execution. Fast, precise, and consistent. If I can nail those things down, then we are in a good position to take a "Big Ribbon". *fingers crossed*

Therapy dog visits are continuing as normal. Gio continues to visit his ladies twice a month, and Romeo patrols City Hospital every Monday. This year, Saskatchewan St. John Ambulance therapy dog program is focusing on child certification tests. There are two levels of tests in the therapy dog program: the base level adult certification test where dogs are tested to visit adults, and the child certification test where dogs are tested to visit pediatric wards, day care centers, schools, or anywhere with children. There are two child tests planned for Saskatoon, and two for Regina in 2010. Since I am the one doing the evaluations in Saskatoon, I can't very well test my own dogs. So the boys and I will be trucking off to Regina in a couple of months to be tested (and hopefully certified) there.

As I mentioned in a previous post, Gio has been having some more trouble with seizures. For a while, he was having one seizure about every 4 months. That is a level that I can accept. But recently he has been having one seizure every couple of weeks. I don't like that frequency, so last Friday I took him back to the vet for some blood work to see where things are at. Everything looks good, so we are just going to bump up his phenobarb levels a teeny bit and see what happens. So far so good!

And, of course, the photo project is continuing!

From last week:
Last Monday was Family Day, a random long weekend holiday that some Canadian provinces have picked up. The going theory is that it was added in the middle of February due to the increased suicide rates in that month. Regardless, it is a long weekend and I love it! Since the sun was shining brightly and the weather was actually kinda sorta warm, I took Gio to run at the park behind our house. The park was empty, so Mr. Run and Bark could run and bark to his heart's content. And that he did!

And from this week:
I have had plans now for weeks to do a particular shoot, but it keeps getting pushed to the side. I've now been lured by the sunlight two weeks in a row. Yesterday I got home from work full of plans to set up the shoot that has been backburnered for a couple of weeks, then I saw this beautiful square of bright bright sunlight on the wall and plans changed. During the winter months, it is generally pitch black when I go to work in the morning, and pitch black when I come home from work in the evening. So this sunlight on the wall when I got home from work made me very excited. First real sign of spring!

I quite like this picture. The only thing I would change would require home renovations. I wish I had a large window that would be at the right angle to catch this beam of sunlight that didn't have that extra bar down the middle. But that is a minor complaint on my part.

Don't Look at Me! ...

... I'm HIDEOUS!!

It is week 6 of our 52 Weeks for Dogs project. This was supposed to be last week's picture, but when the group challenge was introduced, this got pushed back to this week.

A couple of weeks ago, I took the boys over to a friends place for a visit. I had some business to discuss with my friend regarding an upcoming therapy dog test, and the boys needed a play date. Two birds!

All 4 dogs, my friend's two Miniature Poodles, Gina and Katie, and my two guys, are therapy dogs. Well behaved, well mannered, well trained dogs. And they all get along quite well. But, as dogs will be dogs, Gina has one rule that she insists upon. One rule that Gio was not aware of before.

DON'T STEAL MY TOY!

Gio now knows that Gina has a rule. He's a fast learner.

So, in light of Gio's new manly nose scar, I set up a photo shoot to tell the story.
The idea was to create a photo that suggests the nose scar (and the imagined emotions that might go along with that), without saying "Look! Nose scar!" So I took one of Gio's favorite tricks, "Are you sad?", and played around with the angles to give an impression of shame or embarrassment about his "horrible disfigurement".

I was quite thrilled with this week's submission because it required very little editing! I enjoy playing around with GIMP and learning all the tricks to making a photo look its best. But having taken a photo that didn't require any special touches is a pretty cool feeling! Just a slight adjustment to brightness, not even any cropping. *chuff*

And, before I sign off for today, thanks to everyone that sent good wishes to Gio after his seizure on Monday. He's feeling much better and there have been no more seizures since. He still seems a little dopey or head-shakey, but nothing has manifested from it. I'm still going to try and get him into the vet for some more blood work updates next week. Want to give it some time for his phenobarb levels to even out again, as I doped him up pretty good after the twitch on Monday.

New Look

Yes, you are in the right place. Same crazy Shelties, same copious amounts of Sheltie hair.

Gio has been having trouble with seizures again (think it is time for another vet visit to check on the status of things), and last night was no exception. I was jarred awake by the sound of a Sheltie hitting the closet doors at just after midnight last night. Gio had fallen off the bed and was having a seizure on the floor. I don't know if he fell off the bed because of the seizure, or if the fall triggered the seizure. Regardless, it happened. And it took a good long time for him to settle down again. By the time he was able to lay down and go to sleep, it was nearly 5am and I had long since written off the idea of getting some shut-eye and putting in a full days work today. So, since I was awake already and Gio seemed to be settled down without too much twitching, I trudged off to work much earlier than normal, put in a couple of hours, and headed back home for a nap. Seems as if the world is trying to prevent me from sleeping though, as the phone started ringing about half hour after nap-time started. I ended up getting a couple of sleep sessions in, but now, at about 2:30 in the afternoon, I have discarded that idea as well.

Normally, I would be happy for the extra daylight time to practice some photography. But with my main subject still out of sorts mentally, I hardly think a session under the bright lights is suitable today. Hence, the change of decor around here! I had to fiddle with something, and as Life is Better With Sheltie Hair is hovering around it's year and a half mark, I figured it was time for a bit of a change.

So here it is ... enjoy!

Gio's Post

Since the last THREE blog posts have been all about Romeo, I am dedicating this whole post to Gio. Only Gio. I won't even mention that Romeo nailed ALL his contacts at agility practice today, including the teeter! Nope, not going to mention that at all, just talk about Gio.

First, an little epilepsy update. This past week we saw a recurrence of the S-monster. Gio had another seizure on Tuesday evening, nearly 2 months to the day since his last seizure. It was a grand mal, but short in duration and he recovered fairly quickly. Even though the seizures have lately been coming in clusters, this was a singleton with no more since then. So maybe my new routine of double dosing him on phenobarb after the first seizure is paying off! He went to the vet on Friday for his routine bloodwork consisting of a chemistry panel, CBC and phenobarbital level check. I don't anticipate anything to be wrong, just a regular check that we do every 4 months or so. We'll get the results back early next week.

Anyways, on to happier news! Down but never out, Gio and I went tracking this afternoon. He is doing really REALLY well on his corners. He was having trouble with them for a while, lacking confidence in deciding which way to go, and then getting frustrated and giving up. We got some tips a couple of months back at a tracking seminar we attended here in town, and they have really been paying off! By rubbing a little bit of food on the sole of my shoes at each corner and then dropping a couple of treats about 5 steps after the corner, it is enough motivation for him to keep trying. I could really see the difference in how he was working today. He would cast out at each corner to figure out which way to turn, and his confidence when he found the correct direction was tangible! I really like that he is willing to cast around when he is less than 100% certain, but quickly runs back to the correct track once he has made up his mind. He's a very thorough worker, that is for sure!

Here are the two tracks we worked today.


I have a horrible sense of distance, so I have no clue how long each track was. Each track had 3 corners and the straight portions were between 30 and 50 steps, "steps" being normal brisk walking steps of a 5'5" person. We aren't really working on aging the tracks yet, just getting his confidence up and increasing the distance. So the tracks were only about 5 minutes old. Gio clearly wants to keep going at the end of the track, often continuing to follow my return path after the final food drop, so I will increase the distance substantially next time. Then work on aging.

Again, these tracks were both laid in a busy park, between two baseball diamonds that are shared play fields for two near by elementary schools. I really like using public fields like this, one because the grass is kept at a really nice length, and two because there is so much "background" scent that it really helps Gio learn to pick out one scent and follow it while ignoring the rest. I'm hoping this will come in handy down the line if we ever get around to trialing. The TD test is done in rural areas without much background contamination (other than wildlife tracks), but the urban tests are all done in public areas like this. I haven't yet laid a track over any other ground covering but grass, but I think next time we go out I will try crossing over the paths in the park to see how he handles brief bits of concrete or gravel.

Here is a video of Gio's second track. Sorry for the "Blair Witch" style, but it's a little hard to keep the camera steady while trotting after a dog on a mission, slapping mosquitos, and trying to pick up all those darned stakes!

Puppies, Seizures and Hockey

This afternoon I had plans to go squeeze puppies. Little black and white fuzzy sausages that have just barely opened their eyes.

But Gio changed those plans for me last night when he had another seizure, possibly two. I know the one at about 5:30am was a seizure, it was his typical grand mal. But I'm not sure exactly what was going on 2 hours earlier at 3:30am. It was windy last night, and the house creaks a lot in the wind, so at first I thought he was just reacting to odd noises around or outside the house. Gio woke me up at about 3:30am growling his "I mean business" growl. I have only ever heard that growl twice before in his life, both times he was protecting me against some perceived threat. It is very distinctive from his play growl or his "I want food" growl. But none the less, he was laying on my bed this morning growling at the bedroom door. I assumed he had just heard something blowing around outside, so calmed him down and told him to go back to sleep, which he did after a couple of minutes.

I never thought anything of it until 2 hours later when he woke me with the beginnings of a grand mal seizure. After that, I began to wonder if the growling wasn't some sort of psychomotor seizure. Psychomotor seizures can manifest themselves in a number of ways, often frantic running without seeing what they are running into, or "fly snapping" behavior. I have heard tell that psychomotor seizures can sometimes manifest themselves in sudden aggression, and with Gio being the very non-aggressive dog that he is (to a fault), the "I mean business" growl is as close as I have seen to aggression with him. The kicker is that he was somewhat responsive during the growling session. From speaking to other people with experience with psychomotor seizures in their dogs, it doesn't sound as if the dogs are ever responsive during the seizures. So that one is still a mystery. A theory has been proposed to me that maybe he was just a little more on-edge because he could feel the seizure coming, so reacted with a growl to normal outside wind noises. That makes a bit of sense, at least.

Either way, there was a seizure this morning and with Gio's recent trend of having clusters of seizures, I thought it best to stay close to home today in case he had another attack. So no puppy squeazing for me this week. Hopefully I will be able to make it out for some puppy breath face time next Sunday.

This evening I did leave Gio for a short while to take Romeo to his scheduled therapy dog visit at Saskatoon City Hospital. Unfortunately, he was competing with the hockey game that was on at the time, so he got very little attention. The nurses do love to see him, though, and we always spend some time with them.

Update on Gio's Pancreas

I know I haven't updated on this lately, so this is likely as good a time as any.

Gio is doing REALLY well! Seeing how he is now, it is apparent to me that he was ill for quite a while before I really noticed anything. I feel so horrible that I was excusing his condition on his epilepsy meds, thinking it was "normal". Now that he is doing so well, I see that he hasn't been "normal" in a very very long time.

He is due for another phenobarbital level check in about a week, I am also planning on ordering another CBC and chem panel to see how things are progressing there. There was significant improvement last time, things were "nearly" back to normal, so the vet said that it isn't necessary to check it again. But I just want to make sure, what is another $50 for some peace of mind knowing that things are progressing as they should be?

Gio was on the canned yuck diet for about 3 weeks and did horribly on it! Sure, his pancreas issues were improving, but everything else was going down hill. He had developed some reaction so that all the hair on his feet and around his mouth turned pink, his nose was crusted over, eye goobers constantly, orange teeth (yes, orange ... not yellow, but slimey orange), horrible diarrhea and "ass fumes of death". The vets were convinced that the diarrhea was just him adjusting to the canned food, so I decided to switch him to a home prepared pancreatic diet as I had no intentions of keeping him on the canned yuck for any length of time anyways. He has been on a home-made diet of juiced veggies and pulp, egg and/or liver, and cooked white fish for a couple of weeks now. His paw hair is back to white again, nose and eye crusties are gone, diarrhea and flatulence cleared up instantly. Teeth are still orange ... but not quite the radioactive color that they were on the canned food. I'm hoping that I can introduce some food that actually requires chewing in the next couple of months, so that should help the tooth issue significantly.

As for attitude, he is like a fiesty pup again! The switch from potassium bromide to phenobarbital for his seizure control has been a great thing for him. No seizures, so the meds are doing their job so far, and the side effects are much less than they were before. He is rowdy and pestering the hell out of Romeo nearly constantly. He is back to working Rally-O/obedience again (working for a tennis ball reward instead of treats) and performing at the top of his game! Just an overall happy boy again!

Clean Bill of Health!

Gio had to go back to the vet college this morning for some follow-up blood work after his discharge last Thursday. The vets are very pleased with how he is recovering!

They ran a CBC, chem panel and pancreatic enzyme test, as well as a physical exam. His CBC is back to normal, with no indication of inflammation. His chem panel and pancreatic enzyme test are not completely back to normal, but are much closer to normal ranges than they were at the last check on March 17th. His pancreatic enzymes (amylase and lipase) are back into normal ranges and his cholesterol is back to acceptable levels as well. His bilirubin, ALP and GGT are still slightly elevated, but closer to normal than they were last time. The vet explained that this is because, when the pancreas swells up, it constricts around the bile duct causing a back-up of gall bladder-related enzymes into the bloodstream. As the swelling of the pancreas goes down, the pressure is relieved from the gall bladder and the levels gradually return to normal. So while the concentrations of these enzymes are not 100% normal yet, the decrease indicates that the swelling has decreased and the body is slowly reverting back to normal.

Gio is to remain on his special canned diet for the next while, gradually increasing the daily amount of food to recommended levels over the next week. He is currently eating about half of the recommended amount for a dog his size. He'll be happy to know he gets to eat MORE soon, even if it is goopy canned stuff.

The vets gave an all-clear to take him off the Tramadol (pain medication), but he is to remain on the antacid for the next couple of days still.

He needs to go back again in another week and a half to run a check on his phenobarbital levels to ensure that they are within range. At that point, hopefully we can say "fare well" to the vet clinic for a while longer!

Gio Update - Saturday Morning

Again, just got home from visiting with Gio at the vet college.

He's about the same as yesterday. I would like to think he is a teeny bit better, slightly perkier, and he didn't throw up when we went for a walk. Still quite sick looking, but at least he isn't puking every time he moves. He still won't pee for the staff there, so I was charged with collecting a urine sample this morning. He will go willingly for me, so at least we know the pipes are working!

He's well enough today to maneuver himself into position for bum scratches, something he wasn't even doing yesterday, so there is hope yet.

I didn't get a chance to speak with the doctor this morning, but I would imagine that, because there aren't any HUGE improvements, he will likely have to stay the night again tonight. Hopefully I will hear from the vet at some point today for an update on how things are looking from their perspective. I'll be headed back this evening anyways for another visit and pee-break.

Lots of people have been asking how Romeo is doing. He's fine, he's a pretty self-absorbed little guy so Gio being gone isn't stressing him out too badly. He's a little lost because his routine is different ... he has to eat alone and pee alone and there is no one to pester with the squeaky squirrel. But in all he isn't doing too bad.

As always, I'll update when I know more.

Gio Update pt. 2

Another update. There are so many people following along with Gio's progress that it is just easier to post it all here instead of answering individual e-mails.

Again, thank you everyone for your support! I really appreciate all of the positive outcome stories I have received from people who have had dogs go through a similar thing. And everyone else for the positive thoughts.

It is definitely working!!

I just got back from another visit with Gio. Great big "thanks" to my boss who is very "dog friendly" and lets me run out of the lab whenever I need to to go visit or meet with the vets.

Gio is doing even better this afternoon than he was this morning. Much perkier, puking less (frequency and volume), and just seems to be in better spirits. The vets said that he wouldn't pee for anyone there, so I took him out for a walk around the parking lot. He must have been saving it for me, cause that boy drained his bladder for a solid minute! The technician was thrilled that he went for me, as she didn't want to have to catheterize him again.

He is on an anti-nausea drug and an antacid to try and help calm things down a bit. Still IV fluids and pain meds. The plan ... they are waiting for him to stop vomiting for at least 12 hours, then offer some water. If he can keep that down then a little bit of food. If that says down, too, then he gets to come home! The student said maybe tomorrow evening, but the vet in charge of the case said more likely Sunday or Monday. The size of the bill is growing, but as long as Gio gets to come home I will find a way to pay for it. I'm thrilled with how well he is doing, and the vets are equally pleased with the great leaps he is making in his recovery!

I'm headed back there tomorrow morning for another visit and a "pee walk". Since he seems to puke most when they get him up to move him around, I'm hoping that by waiting until visiting time at 9am tomorrow that will give him a good 17 hours to rest and become "puke free".

Thanks again, everyone. I will keep you updated as I know more.

Gio Update

Thank you to everyone that has sent words of support and positive thoughts. It means so much to me to know that so many people are pulling for Gio. I've had a hard time staying positive this past day or so, so the positive thoughts and healing vibes from everyone else is greatly appreciated!

I just got back to work after visiting Gio at the vet hospital. He looks 100x better than he did yesterday! He's still vomiting up fluid, but is up and walking around, not weaving or wobbling, much perkier than yesterday. Of course, anything would be perkier than yesterday ... all he could do way lay on his side and pant. Vet said that he CAN move, as apparently a dog yelped in a kennel across from him and Gio shot up like a rocket to bark at him!

They want to keep him on fluids at least for the rest of today. He's not on solid food yet and isn't peeing on his own (but all the chem panels, urinalysis, and ultrasounds said his kidneys look fine ... he's just not a big pee-er), so they want those back to normal before sending him home, and I agree with that. As long as he is vomiting, he needs to be on IV fluids. They have cut out the KBr and doubled his dose of phenobarb, assuming that he is going to puke some of it up anyways. He's still on pain killers, and they are considering putting him on an anti-nausea.

I'm headed back over there at 4pm to meet with the vet again and discuss where we are at. Not out of the woods yet, but looking up anyways.

Pancreatitis

I had to run Gio into the emergency vet clinic this morning. He was up all night vomiting, was very lethargic, and not eating. I left him at the vet hospital all day, and they ran a number of tests. Turns out Gio has bromide toxicity from his Potassium Bromide levels being too high, and bromide toxicity often goes hand-in-hand with pancreatitis.

I just got home from visiting with him and speaking to the vet. Gio is completely doped up, so was mostly unresponsive when I was there. But I got to give him lots of hugs and kisses at least. He has to stay overnight, and possibly tomorrow night as well. Lots of fluids, and depending how he is tomorrow morning, maybe some other treatment whose name has slipped my mind at the moment. Something about giving IV solution that competes with the Potassium Bromide and flushes it from the system quicker. So far, he doesn't need that, but if he doesn't improve much by tomorrow morning then it is a possibility.

Apparently Gio's pancreatitis is relatively mild, so the vet said the outlook is good. Of course, it's hard to say and I hated asking the question because so many variables weigh in on the prognosis. But so far, if he doesn't get worse overnight, it looks pretty positive.

Here's to hoping that the fluids help flush him out a bit and he is improved in the morning. I'm going to visit him in the morning again, so hopefully the vet will have some good news for me.

Phenobarbital and Ketogenic Diet

It's been a long couple of nights. Gio went nearly 3 months seizure free (no where near our previous record of 11 months), but Thursday night and Friday night he had some more seizures. Grand mals again, but not as bad as they have been in the past. Seizures, none the less, though. It appears as if this pattern of cluster seizures (more than one seizure in a 24 hour period) is continuing, unfortunately.

After the second seizure last night, I didn't want to sit back and wait. Normally, if there is just one break-through seizure, I wouldn't worry about going to the vet. Break-through seizures are somewhat normal and to be expected now and then. But with two seizures, the start of a new cluster, I wasn't about to take the risk. So I called my new vet this morning and spoke with her on the phone. I felt that it is likely time to introduce phenobarbital to Gio's medication regime, and she agreed with me. So Gio is now on 224mg Potassium Bromide twice daily, 0.15mg Thyroxine twice daily, and 30mg Phenobarbital twice daily. In a month's time, I will take him in for some bloodwork to see where the levels of each medication are at. I will likely be able to decrease the Potassium Bromide and Phenobarbital levels, as when they are given together lower doses of each are generally sufficient.

For more information on Phenobarbital, check out the Epi-Guardian Angels website. There are numerous links there on administration and monitoring of Phenobarbital, as well as potential side effects and preventing liver damage.

Common side effects of Phenobarbital are similar to those that we saw with Potassium Bromide. Lethargy, excitability, excessive hunger, excessive thirst (and subsequent excessive urination), and ataxia. All of these side effects should deminish within the first few weeks of administration. Since the half life of Phenobarbital is shorter than that of Potassium Bromide, he should reach therapeutic levels within a month.

My vet, who is a proponent of natural and holistic medicine, in addition to being well versed in conventional medicine, also suggested that I research a Ketogenic diet (Keto diet) for Gio. The Keto diet works on the basis of forcing the body to gain its energy from fat instead of from carbohydrates. This increases levels of ketones in the bloodstream and has shown to have very beneficial effects on epilepsy in children (decreasing epileptic activity by upwards of 67% in children tested). The benefits are somewhat less solid in dogs, but the concept is promising. The diet is made up of mainly fat and protein, with minimal or no carbohydrates. As it is, that is essentially what the prey model raw diet strives for. I'm thinking that I should be able to continue on with the raw diet as I am currently feeding it, but switching to fattier cuts of meat, more pork, etc. Of course, I plan to do much more research into the diet and playing around with some numbers to ensure balance before I make any diet changes. If any readers have information on the Keto diet, I would be very appreciative if you would pass it on to me!

All Things Spooky on this All Hallow's Eve!

The Feast of the Dead, Samhain, All Hallows Eve, Day of the Dead, All Hallowtide, Festival of the Dead, Hop-tu-Naa, Nos Galan Gaeaf

HALLOWEEN

Whatever you call it, I hope you all have a ghouly, ghosty, creepy, freaky, spooky and kooky night! Stay safe and have a wonderful time!

A few pet precautions for this festive night to keep your furry family safe and happy:
1) Door bells, wee ghouls of all sorts, yelling and costumes can be pretty scary for some dogs. If your pooch is nervous about strangers, maybe it would be best to keep them safely confined to a back room or their crate. Fill up a nice Kong or pull out a chew treat to keep them occupied and happy and away from open doors.
2) Remember, chocolate is toxic to our furry friends! Keep bowls of candy and chocolate well out of reach.
3) There are a lot of creeps out there, and Halloween seems to bring out a rash of pet "disappearances". Keep your beloved pets safely inside the house, don't leave them unattended in the yard.
4) Pet costumes are a lot of fun! But always be sure to supervise your pets when they are wearing their spooky outfits. Ensure that they cannot get tangled or caught up in the clothing, and remove the costumes when leaving your pet unattended.
5) Tomorrow morning, be sure to do a quick walk around of the yard before allowing the pets outside for their business. Bits of costumes, candy, garbage, or worse is often tossed over fences during the night's activities. Make sure your yard is clear of dangers.


In the spirit of all things spooky, today's post edges towards the creepy and kooky!
Included below are three bone shaking, terror-full tales. All true ... all occurring this Halloween day ... coincidence? WoooOOOoooOOO!

Spooky tale #1: Attack of the Zombie Chickens!

There once was a grad student who worked at an agricultural university full of mad scientists! These mad scientists conducted unspeakable experiments, pushing the boundaries of science to their extremes. None was so extreme as crazy Dr. Leghorn. Crazy Dr. Leghorn endeavored to produce an army that could penetrate the rural landscape undetected and, upon his orders, TAKE OVER THE WORLD! What creature would be so stealthy, yet so lethal? ... none, but the mighty mutant chicken! Crazy Dr. Leghorn toiled day and night, working on his line of mutant chickens, but then things went horribly wrong ... Crazy Dr. Leghorn lost control of the mutant chickens, they escaped their pens one night and waited, waited for Crazy Dr. Leghorn to arrive again in the morning to continue his evil plans. When Crazy Dr. Leghorn did arrive in his mad scientist lab the next morning, the mutant chickens ambushed him and killed him dead. It took the full force of the local police department to subdue the mutant chickens, only finally succeeding in killing them by chopping them into bits and scattering their limbs far across the city. The grad students were called upon to help in this effort, each being willed to take 5kg of mutant chicken to their respective homes and destroy it. Fearing for her life, one grad student arrived to pick up her 5kg allotment. Wrapped in many layers of tamper-proof plastic, she rushed the mutant chicken to her car and raced to the safety of her home.


Upon arriving home, she enlisted the forces of her two faithful guard beasts to stand guard as she prepared to dispose of the mutant chicken.

Her faithful guard beasts patrolled the kitchen as she quickly separated all the chicken pieces, mostly legs and a couple of wings, into small portions, shoved them all into a protective plastic vessel, and immediately rendered them immobile by flash freezing them in her (convenient) industrial freezer.


For now ... the mutant chickens are no longer a threat ... But what will happen when they thaw out?!

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN!

Spooky Tale #2: Festival of the Elderly

A brave and noble young knight by the name of Sir Gio was called urgently to a local retirement home in the afternoon of All Hallow's Eve. Something wicked had possessed the residents, and only he and his fluffy good looks could save their souls.

Donned in his protective red Therapy Dog cape, Sir Gio steeled himself for the potential assault as he approached the front door of the home. As he entered the building, it appeared deserted, but he could hear eerie music issuing from deep within. An upbeat tune, not unlike a Halloween waltz performed on accordians, was piping through the hallways. Sir Gio stealthily crept along the hall, following the eerie music. Rounding a corner into the common room, a ghastly sight met his eyes! Dozens and dozens of elderly people were gathered, some cloaked in witches robes, others with pointy hats and garrish wigs, still others wearing what appeared to be human bone necklaces around their necks. All were gathered in a large circle, some sitting in wheelchairs, some leaning on walkers, all of them clapping and singing as still more twirled in the center of the circle in some evil demon dance!

Stunned, Sir Gio had to think quickly how he could possibly penetrate this crowd. As brilliant as he is, Sir Gio thought up a devious plan. He would disguise himself as one of them, join their ranks and destroy them from within! Sneaking back out into the hallway, Sir Gio wrapped an orange and black bandanna around his neck and hoped that he would blend in to the dancing crowd. Assuming a casual face, he wandered confidently back into the crowded music room, pushing his way into the center of a large group of people, grinning around evil-y. Then, Sir Gio unleashed his secret weapon ... With all the charm of a used car salesman, Sir Gio donned the puppy eyes and wowed the crowds with his cute puppy tricks. Again and again he preformed his tricks until he was panting with exhaustion. Finally, when he thought he could not go on anymore ... the evil spell possessing the residents of the retirement home broke! Their grins were no longer evil, the demonic accordian waltz slowed to a calm and easy tune. The day, and their souls, were saved!

Spooky Tale #3: THE VET!!!

EEEEEEK! It doesn't get any scarier than that! I realize there may be young pups reading this, so as not to terrify them (and bring about lawsuits from outraged dog parents) I will leave out the horrific and gorey details.

I will mention only that both Gio and Romeo visited their new vet this afternoon (before Sir Gio's heroic actions at the retirement home). Romeo needed a vet signed health form so that I can submit his final papers to become a St. John Ambulance therapy dog. Gio was due for some bloodwork. It has been about 6 weeks since he has been on his new thyroid medication for his seizures, and he was due for some blood level tests for Potassium Bromide and the Thyroxine.

Because vet offices are SO SCARY we practiced some tricks for treats in the waiting room and in the exam room before and after the vet poked and prodded everyone.


They survived ... Though according to Gio, it was "barely".

Romeo: "Don't know why you are so nervous, Gio. You are such a wuss!"
Gio: "Shut up, fluffy. You don't have to get the needle jab!"

Visiting at Stensrud Lodge & A New Vet

This afternoon Gio made his monthly trip to Stensrud Lodge to visit some of his favorite people!

Agnes really loves the "puppy-doggies".


And the crowds upstairs in the common room always love to see Gio's tricks.

Right after our visit with Gio's friends, we had an appointment with a new vet to discuss some of our medication options. This vet was at least receptive of the recommendations that I had received from Dr. Dodds. She didn't seem overly thrilled about it, but agreed that we could try to thyroid meds to see if they help before going to Phenobarbital. That's all I wanted! Just someone to listen and consider other options. To be willing to give it a try, because I have spoken with other people that have had wonderful results with a combination of KBr and thyroid meds. If it doesn't work, we will have to go to a combination of KBr and Pheno. But we'll wait and see for a month or so and see what we can get out of this.

The ongoing saga of Gio's epilepsy

A couple of days ago I detailed how Gio's epilepsy recently took a dive for the worse. He had been 11 months seizure free, then at the beginning of August had one grand mal. At the beginning of September, he had another bout, this time 3 seizures within 24 hours. That was the first time he had "clustered", with 2 grand mals and a focal. Also the first time he has had a focal, to the best of my knowledge. Though the recovery time for the focal was quite short so for all I know he could be having one every night and I would never notice.

Anyways, as a result, I booked him in at the vet for some bloodwork. He was due for his regular work anyways, and I wanted to run a thyroid test as well. There has been some great research lately that points towards thyroid function affecting seizure frequency in epileptic dogs, and how merely being "within range" might not be enough. The "range" differs based on breed, age, size, sex, etc.

Now, I love my vet. I think he is wonderful. If I ever needed an emergency surgery or procedure, I absolutely trust his abilities. But he is very old-school and if it isn't in his vet manual from 30 years ago, he thinks it's voodoo or something. So when I mentioned that I wanted a 6-panel thyroid test done as well, he literally rolled his eyes at me. What 50-something year old man ROLLS HIS EYES at a client! He got all sarcastic saying "And what do you expect THAT to prove?" I mentioned that there are many epileptic dogs that get good contol of their seizures with a combination of thyroid meds and anti-seizure meds, when the anti-seizure meds alone didn't cut it. He retorted with "Is this Dr. Dodds you are quoting?" It was, and he responded with a "hrmph" and another eye roll. It literally came down to me saying "Look, it's my dog and my money. You're drawing blood anyways, the worst that will happen is that the test comes back perfectly fine and I've wasted a couple of bucks. Just do the test."

Well, the thyroid test, the chem panel, and the bromide levels came back the other day.

Chem panel looks great.
Bromide levels are too high, but we knew that already.
And the thyroid tests were all "within range", but many were on the low end of the range.

My vet calls me up to discuss the results and says that because all the thyroid tests are within range and Gio doesn't have any overt signs of being hypothyroid (you know ... aside from his short/thin coat and hyperactivity/excitability) he doesn't think thyroid meds would do anything. So prescribed phenobarbital in addition to his KBr. A reasonable decision IF I believed him about the thyroid resuls.

So I just nodded and agreed, asking him to fax me the test results as he normally does (I keep my own record of everything, just in case). I then promptly fax the results off to Dr. Dodds in California for interpretation.

I got her interpretation back yesterday ... and Gio is going on thyroid medication ASAP.

When factoring in age, size, breed, diet, etc. his T4, Free T4 and TSH are all too low! Though they show up as technically "within range".

In the chem panel, he had slightly elevated Urea and slightly elevated Calcium. Dr. Dodds noted that those are both normal based on results of raw fed dogs. By "slightly elevated" I mean that his urea was 10.7mmol/L with a reference of 3-10 and his calcium was 3.12 mmol/L with a reference of 2.2-3.

Anyways, back to the thyroid meds. With how difficult it was to even get a bloody test out of my vet, I know he is going to dig in his heels in regard to prescribing the meds that Dr. Dodds recommended. There is a female vet at the same clinic that I have seen a number of times. She is younger and newer and a very good vet. I really like her and believe that she would at least listen to reason about the thyroid thing ... But when I called this morning to speak with her, she isn't in until next week. I don't want to wait that long as it feels like I am pushing my luck already in waiting this long to change meds. So I've booked an appointment with a different vet in the city for tomorow afternoon. I've heard great things about her, she is pro-raw, sells it in her clinic and very geared towards natural medicine. She's hosted a couple of seminars based on Dr. Dodds' thyroid work in the past, so I know she will be a bit more receptive of the recommendation for thyroid meds.

I'm hoping the thyroid meds will help a bit. But even if they do not help with the seizures, they may help with his random other issues. Who knows ... maybe in a couple of weeks Gio will start sprouting a great big coat like a real Sheltie should have!

(For information on testing through Dr. Dodds, visit HemoPet.org)

Canine Epilepsy: Seizure FAQs

What is a seizure?
What are some causes of seizures in dogs?
What is a seizure trigger?
What are some common seizure triggers for dogs?
How do I know if my dog is having a seizure?
My dog had a seizure, should I take him to the vet?
What do I do if my dog has a seizure?
When I visit my vet after my dog has a seizure, what tests should I ask for?
When should I consider medication for seizures?
What are the primary medication options available for my dog?
What precautions should I take after medication is prescribed?
What can I do at home to prevent more seizures?
Additional sources of information regarding canine epilepsy


If there are additional questions that you feel I have overlooked, please leave a comment and I will update this page as necessary.

What is a seizure?

A seizure occurs when there is a misfiring of neurons in the brain, causing an "electrical storm" of brain activity. In response to this brain activity, the dog's muscles react accordingly resulting in the physical manifestation that we recognize as a seizure.

What are some causes of seizures in dogs?


Seizures can be caused by a number of things, including, but not limited to:
- head trauma
- congenital defects such as hydrocephalus
- infectious diseases such as distemper or cryptococcosis
- hypoglycemia
- hypothyroidism
- ingestion of poisonous substances
- reaction to vaccinations or certain medications
- reaction to flea/tick preventatives
- organ disease
- bacterial infection
- brain tumor

These acquired causes may result in singular or multiple seizures. If seizures happen recurrently then the disorder is called "epilepsy". If the cause of the seizures is unknown, then it is termed "idiopathic epilepsy", which basically means that the dog is having seizures but we don't know why. In many breeds, including Keeshond, Belgian Tervuren, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle (all varieties), Rough/Smooth Collie, German Shepherd Dog, Irish Setter, Golden Retriever, Dachshund, Labrador Retriever, Saint Bernard, Miniature Schnauzer, Siberian Husky, and Shetland Sheepdog, epilepsy can be genetically inherited.

What is a seizure trigger?

A seizure trigger is some stimulus that can result in a seizure in certain dogs. What is a trigger for one dog may not be a trigger for another dog. When a trigger exposure level surpasses an individual dog's seizure threshhold, then a seizure results.

Think of it as an empty drinking glass with a small hole near the bottom. With exposure to a specific trigger, the glass fills up with water. If the exposure level is low, then only a small amount of water is added to the glass and it quickly drains out from the hole in the bottom. But if the exposure to the trigger is high, then a larger quantity of water is added to the glass, taking longer to drain out of the hole in the bottom. If exposure to the trigger continues, the the glass may fill up with water faster than it can drain out of the hole. If the glass fills up with water to the point of overflowing, then the result is a seizure. Some dogs have "smaller glasses" for certain triggers than other dogs, so will react differently to varying levels of exposure to that trigger.

What are some common seizure triggers for dogs?

Some seizure triggers are more common than others. They include, but are not limited to:
- vaccinations, particularly Rabies vaccinations
- flea/tick preventatives, particularly Ivermectin (Ivermec)
- nutritional factors including protein levels, grains, chemical preservatives, artificial colors or flavors
- turkey meat
- herbs, plants or fragrances of rosemary or lavendar
- stress such as thunderstorms, fireworks, excitement, visitors, etc.
- changes in weather, air pressure, humidity
- loud noises or flashing lights
- over-exertion
- chemicals such as household or industrial cleaners, detergents, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers
- scented products such as air fragrences, perfumes, deoderizers, detergents/cleaners

How do I know if my dog is having a seizure?

Seizures can manifest themselves in a variety of different ways. They are normally divided into two catagories: general and partial. General seizures result from "electrical storm" occurs everywhere. Partial seizures result when the "electric storm" is limited to one area.

Further, there are a variety of different types of seizures:

Grand Mal (General tonic clonic) - These seizures involve the entire body of the dog. They will go rigid, collapse, and then begin flailing their legs in a characteristic "running" motion. Often also accompanying grand mal seizures is jaw chomping, excessive drooling, uncontrolled urination or defecation, labored breathing, failure to respond/rouse, vocalizations.

Petit Mal (Partial or Focal) - These seizures manifest themselves in one area of the body only. Simple focal seizures affect the area of the brain involved in movement. As such, the dog is often conscious and aware of their surroundings, while presenting twitching in one area of their body, commonly the face. A complex focal seizure affects the area of the brain involved in behavior. This will often result in the dog losing awareness of their surroundings while exhibiting abnormal behavior. Common behaviors are "fly snapping" or senseless running with seemingly little to no control. Complex focal seizures are also sometimes referred to as psychomotor seizures.

My dog had a seizure, should I take him to the vet?

Eventually, yes. But there is generally no need to rush to the vet immediately. If possible, allow the dog to recover from the seizure before adding the extra stress of a car ride and a vet visit.

Situations when you should rush to the vet IMMEDIATELY are:
- if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes (status epilepticus)
- if there are multiple seizures within 24 hours (clusters)

If the seizure lasts less than 5 minutes, the dog does not appear injured or in immediate danger, and is recovering safely on their own, then there is nothing that the vet will do at that moment. You would be better off to call your vet and let them know that your dog has had a seizure and follow their directions from there. Generally, allowing the dog to recover on their own and then scheduling a vet appointment for your soonest convenience is sufficient.

What do I do if my dog has a seizure?

Firstly, stay calm! Gently move the dog to an area that is safe. If they have collapsed, move them away from stairs, corners, furniture or other hard objects that they could injure themselves on. If they are on furniture, ensure that they cannot fall off.

Keep your fingers away from the dog's mouth. In humans, there is a risk of the human swallowing their tongue when they have a seizure. This is not a risk for dogs. But there is a risk of your dog unintentionally biting you if you get your fingers in the way. The last thing you need is to have to run to the hospital for stitches and a tetanus shot when your dog is having a seizure.

Lower any bright lights and turn down the volume of any televisions or radios in the area. Limit extra stimulus that may cause undue stress to the dog as they are seizing.

Speak gently and softly to the dog, do not try to stop them from seizing or "wake them out of it".

After the seizure ends, allow the dog to recover at their own pace. Many dogs will be disoriented, confused, or uncoordinated when the seizure ends. Some dogs may be temporarily blind, not recognize you or other family members, know their own name or common commands. Pacing and aggitation is a common symptom after a seizure. Ensure that the dog does not stumble into corners or down stairs or get stuck behind furniture or in tight corners. Allow the dog to pace if they so desire. Once they are SAFELY able, offer the dog some fresh water to drink or a SMALL bite to eat (a single dog cookie, a couple of kibbles, etc.). Blood sugar levels can drop significantly during a seizure, and failing to raise them can result in more seizures. But be careful, raising the blood sugar too quickly can also result in more seizures. So be sure to only offer a small amount of bland food or treats.

The post-seizure (post-ictal) stage can last from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours. During that time, ensure that the dog remains calm, comfortable and safe.

It is important to keep a seizure diary for every seizure that your dog has. This will help you to recognize patterns and hopefully narrow down a trigger for your dog that may help in prevention of more seizures. In the diary, note the date and time of the seizure, how long it lasted, what the dog did during the seizure, any abnormal behaviour you noticed prior to the seizure, the weather of that day, what your dog ate that day and the day prior, what they did that day and the day prior, any changes in environment, any new cleaning products/chemical agents in or around the house, any activity in the neighborhood or places that you have visited with your dog recently, any recent vaccinations, medications or flea/tick treatments, and any other information that you can think of, even if it sound silly at the time.


When I visit my vet after my dog has a seizure, what tests should I ask for?

The general course of action is to order a CBC and a Chemistry Panel. This will screen for infection/immune deficiency and organ health and function.

Something that is often not suggested by veterinarians, but is very important to screen, is a 6-panel thyroid test. There has been significant research into the correlation of hypothyroidism and seizures in dogs. Interpretting the results should take into consideration the dog's age, breed, size, and physical activity level. In many cases, a thyroid test may come back "within normal range", but still be lower than what is recommended when taking into consideration individual variances. If possible, I would recommend sending the blood off to Hemopet for interpretation. Additionally, you can have your regular vet conduct the 6-panel thyroid test and send the results off to Hemopet for interpretation. Hemopet accepts international shipments an their website offers directions for shipping.

If all of those tests come back clear, then you may want to consider abdominal ultrasound and/or x-rays. A final step would include MRI, though this is an expensive option so is often not taken.

When should I consider medication for seizures?

Medication generally becomes an option if there are multiple seizures within the course of a month. If they are occurring less frequently than that, the risks of medication outweigh the risks of the seizures.

What are the primary medication options available for my dog?

There are two primary medications for treating epilepsy: Phenobarbital (Phenobarb) and Potassium Bromide (KBr)

Phenobarb is effective in 60-80% of idiopathic epilepsy and takes 1 to 2 weeks to take effect. Common side effects of Phenobarb include ataxia, excessive thirst, excessive hunger, incontinence, lethargy and exciteability. These symptoms will normally disappear after a couple of weeks. If they persist, contact your veterinarian. Phenobarb is processed through the liver, so close monitoring is essential (see below).

KBr does not have the same liver effects as Phenobarb, though it can be significantly more troublesome to the digestive system so should be given with food. KBr takes up to 3 to 4 months to reach full effect so should not be used if immediate control is required. To get around this time delay, a higher loading dose is often prescribed for the first week. When on KBr, chloride intake food levels must be monitored closely, and any switches in food brand or formula must be taken very gradually so as to not disrupt the levels of KBr in the blood. Common side effects include excessive hunger, excessive thirst, incontinence, exciteability, lethargy, ataxia, nausea, diarrhea, or bromide toxicity. These symptoms should disappear within a couple of weeks. If they do not, contact your veterinarian.

Some dogs require a combination of Phenobarb and KBr to obtain the best control.

Other seizure medication options, that I will not go into detail with here, include Keppra, Felbamate, Primidone, and Gabapentin.

What precautions should I take after medication is prescribed?

Routine monitoring is essential, regardless of which medication is prescribed.

If your dog is on Phenobarbital:
- a blood test to determine the level of Phenobarb in the blood is required 2 weeks after starting treatment
- a blood test to determine the level of Phenobarb in the blood is recommended every 6 months afterwards
- a chem panel to monitor GGT, ALT, and alkaline phosphatase (indicating liver function) is strongly recommended every 3-4 months

If your dog is on Potassium Bromide:
- if your dog was given a loading dose, then a blood test to determine the level of KBr in the blood is recommended after 1 week of treatment
- if your dog was not given a loading dose, a blood test to determine the level of KBr in the blood is recommended after 4-6 weeks of treatment
- subsequent blood tests to determine the level of KBr in the blood is recommended every 6 months afterwards
- a chem panel is recommended every 4-6 months to monitor organ health

What can I do at home to prevent more seizures?

There are a number of steps you can take at home to prevent additional seizures or to lessen the severity of impending seizures.

Nutrition plays an important role in our dogs lives. A home prepared diet, either cooked or raw, is recommended so as to avoid unnecessary fillers or grains, chemical perservatives, flavors, colors, or synthetic nutrients. Preparing meals for your dog takes significant research and effort, so should not be taken lightly. Though it certainly isn't rocket science, so with adequate reading and commitment, it is possible to provide a natural, safe, and balanced home prepared diet for your dog. If you are unwilling or unable to prepare a diet for your dog, then a high quality kibble is essential. For information on how to choose a good quality kibble, consult the Dog Food Analysis website and the Dog Food Project website. In general, if you can purchase the food at your favorite grocery store or at your vet's office, it is NOT a good quality food and is potentially doing more harm than good.

Changing how you clean and treat your home, yard, and garden can make a significant difference in the severity of seizures that your dog may have. Take into consideration the amounts of chemicals that you use around the house. Attempt to replace those chemicals with natural alternatives and limit the use of chemicals to only those that are absolutely necessary.

Consider a minimal vaccination protocol with your dog. Titer testing is an available alternative to vaccinations, so discuss that option with your veterinarian. Also source out natural alternatives to pest prevention. There are a variety of dog-safe natural insect repellents on the market, so check out your options. I have found success with the Super Bug Spray from AnimalWellness.ca. They are willing to provide a "seizure-safe" recipe, without rosemary and lavender, upon request.

Most importantly, do some independent research and reading. As wonderful as veterinarians are, in general, they are not guaranteed to know everything about epilepsy. You know your dog best, and you are the best person to take the initiative to make a difference in your dog's life. Don't rely on everything that your vet recommends without asking questions, making suggestions, or requesting explanations. Take a pro-active stance in dealing with your dog's epilepsy, stand your ground for what you feel is right.

Great sources of information regarding canine epilepsy include:
Epi Guardian Angels
Canine Epilepsy Resources
Canine Epilepsy Network
K9 Epilepsy Yahoo Group
The Shakers Dogster Group

Gio's a Cluster Pup Now

It appears as if our luck has run out. Prior to now, Gio has had some pretty nasty seizures, but they always stopped after one and then we would go for a stretch of time before running into another. But as of this morning, Gio is officially a "Cluster Pup". He was diagnosed with "Idiopathic Epilepsy", which is a silly term in and of itself, in February of 2007. It is idiopathic because we just don't know what is causing the seizures. All of his bloodwork, x-rays, thyroid tests, and ultrasounds have come back clear and we have no conclusive trigger for his seizures. So idiopathic basically means "he has seizures, but we don't know why".

A cluster is when there are multiple seizures within 24 hours. So in addition to the grand mal of yesterday morning, Gio had a focal seizure at midnight last night and another grand mal this morning at about 3:55am.

There are methods to dealing with cluster seizures. Many pups have found success with the Valium protocol. I had some success with the Ice Pack Treatment this morning, as it was able to significantly reduce the recovery post-ictal stage to one hour rather than Gio's normal 3-4 hours. Others have reported that the Ice Pack Treatment can prevent successive seizures in Cluster Pups, or at least lessen the severity of the subsequent seizures.

I will be speaking to my vet this morning about possibly adding Phenobarbital to our medication regime as we are obviously not getting good control with just Potassium Bromide (KBr) anymore. And in the past, increasing Gio's KBr has lead to digestive issues that wreaked havoc on his poor belly for months.

Change in Plans

The Edmonton trip is off. Well, for me anyways.

Gio woke me up at 4:30 this morning having another seizure. A grand mal lasting about 3 minutes. It's just after 8am now and he hasn't settled down yet. Still pacing and restless, but at least now he is responding to my voice and recognizes his name. It took him about an hour and a half until he would lay down and sleep. He slept for about an hour and then woke up at about 7am. Since then he has just been pacing. He should settle for another sleep in a while again, then maybe I can catch a nap as well.

I'll have to bump up his medication again. His last seizure was about a month ago, and I increased his meds at that time. In the past, higher doses of KBr gave him digestive problems, so when I noticed some diarrhea after the recent increase I dropped the dose down a bit again. I'll put it back up now and cross my fingers for no digestive problems. I guess our next course of action will be going to Phenobarbital in addition to KBr. He is booked in for some bloodwork next Tuesday anyways, so I will discuss options with the vet at that time.