[Deleted]
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,396
Likes: 0
From: Ellerbe NC USA
I had an old lab that had the same problem....he was 6 when diagnosed with epilepsy. We did the phenobarb for another 9 years.....He lived to be 15 and never had any liver probs.....
#4
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: Pike Co., IL
your dog may not need to be on a very high level of phenobarb to control the seizures. yes, there is a risk of liver side effects, but most dogs do fine for a long time. (in my experience)
#5
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Ivanhoe, TX
Jim ... my .$02 ... you didn't mention either the duration or severity of the seizures. However, when they are that frequent the dawg needs your help. It's been my experience that once you start phenobaritol as a preventative, your dawg will be on it forever. You might be able to get by on a reduced dosage, at least initially. Yes, there are or can be side effects to pronged use of phenobarb but that's true with most any medication over a prolonged period of time.
Here are a number of alternatives but, you'll notice, that almost all suggest liver damage may occur following prolonged use.
http://www.destinationrx.com/learnin...&name=Epilepsy
Please don't assume that just because YOU AREN'T SEEING it's seizures more often than 2X/mo ... that your dawg isn't having more of them. MOST seizures occur while at rest, and often at night when you're asleep and therefore you're not aware of them. But the dawg is and he clearly needs medication so please don't withhold it for fear of a side effect.
Here are a number of alternatives but, you'll notice, that almost all suggest liver damage may occur following prolonged use.
http://www.destinationrx.com/learnin...&name=Epilepsy
Please don't assume that just because YOU AREN'T SEEING it's seizures more often than 2X/mo ... that your dawg isn't having more of them. MOST seizures occur while at rest, and often at night when you're asleep and therefore you're not aware of them. But the dawg is and he clearly needs medication so please don't withhold it for fear of a side effect.
#6
I would try potassium bromide before the phenobarb. We always start dogs on this first. Most dogs it works very well on and you never have to go to the phenobarb. It is cheap and basically no side effects.




