Refractory Epilepsy

I have consulted with our regular vet and the neurologist.  I am slightly cautiously optimistic.   Both vets said that Spike is in a difficult spot, he has what is called refractory epilepsy, which means epilepsy that is resistant to drugs.  There is still hope that the Zonisamide might help.  However, the neurologist was honest and said that if the Zonisamide does not help that the likelihood of another drug combination  working is slim.  Scott and I are determined to focus on making sure Spike enjoys the life he has.  Every minute we have with Spike is a gift.

Spike standing by in case Scott does not eat his burrito.

Zonisamide

Spike came home today, which was not at all certain.  Scott and I had come to terms that Spike might not ever come again.  

Our regular Vet and the Neurologist were both unavailable due to the holiday weekend.  We have so many questions and no one to really consult with except with the ER vet, who is so busy that he really does not have the time to coddle us.  I really need some coddling right now too.

We have added 3 Zonisamide 3 times a day.   Spike is wiped out. He has been asleep almost all day.  I could not take being at home any longer and went did a little retail therapy. I bought a new couch and ton of new Christmas decorations.  

We had plans to get together with some friends tonight, but had to cancel when Spike had a 20 second focal seizure.  We called the ER Vet and he said that he not really concerned about focal seizures with most dogs, but Spike is not most dogs.   The focal seizure just made us even more nervous.  

I read a bunch of studies about Zonisamide and it does appear to be effective for many drug resistant dogs.  Crossing my fingers that Spike is one of those dogs.

Hopelessness

Spike has had 2 more seizures since being in the hospital.  We are losing hope.   If there is a treatment that will make him better, we want to give it to him.  However, we cannot continue like we are now.

A Thanksgiving Status Seizure

Progress, maybe not.

This morning at 10:44 AM, I noticed that Spike had that pre-seizure look about him.  His head was up and he was holding his body still.  He head started to shake and foaming at the mouth.  The seizure lasted 30 seconds and he never lost his feet.  Two minutes later he had a Grand Mal seizure that we stopped with Valium.   Once it was over Scott took him outside to go to the bathroom and while I was cleaning up, I saw Scott carrying Spike towards the house having another seizure.  We stopped that one too Valium and gave him 3 Clorazepate.  These seizures were not as violent as the ones in the past but they were coming close together.  Minutes later he went into a focal seizure and we loaded him in the car to head once again to the emergency hospital.

He had 2 more focal seizures in the car, he just barked constantly but he was not aware of his surroundings or of me holding him.   He is going to spend the night again.  The Vet hinted that we may need to think about whether we can keep this up.

It is so hard on Scott and I, but I have to believe that we have done everything we can.  They are adding Zonisamide to his treatment.

Focal Seizure

Last night, Spike had his first focal seizure.  It was not bad, we can deal with this.   I woke up about 3:20AM to hear Spike making this weird coughing/gasping sound.   I have since learned this is called a reverse cough.  We could not get his attention and he was not aware of us.  This lasted 2 minutes and when it was over Spike went right back to sleep.  Progress?

Potassium Bromide

The MRI and Spinal Tap came back normal, which is good I guess.

I am back in Louisville and Spike came home today.  He is a little tired, but back to normal for the most part.  We have started on him Potassium Bromide (KBr) 1250 MG once a day in additional to PB.

A Trip to the Horse Hosiptal

Overnight Spike had 2 more seizures.

Today Spike went on a trip of his own to Lexington to go a state of the art horse hospital that has an MRI machine for animals.   The Neurologist is concerned because Spike is so young and healthy to be having such serious seizures, because most dogs do react well to the PB.  He is going to have a spinal tap as well to look for a potential underlying cause.  I know this an expensive long shot, but I almost hope that Spike has something else wrong so we can treat that and have our boy back.

Seizures in Seattle

One of the worst things about epilepsy is the not knowing when a seizure is going to happen.  Every time we come home, we don't know what we will be walking into.  We have annual trip we take to Chicago for our anniversary, this was the first year we did not go.  We could not leave him.

However, I occasionally have to travel for work.  I had committed to present a conference and needed to leave.  Part of me wanted to be able to get away and leave the stress behind for just a little while.

My husband came home today to find the house a disaster with 3 different places in the house showing evidence of seizures, urine and foam.  Spike was agitated and would not stop pacing for hours.  I was on the other side of the country and completely powerless to do anything.

At 9 pm, Spike had a 4th seizure.  Scott gave Spike Valium rectally which stop the seizure immediately and loaded him into the car to take him back to the hospital.  They placed him on a Valium IV drip to stop the seizures and we will have to wait to hear from the Neurologist in the morning.