| I have spent hours trying to research this problem. | | | | Salmon, jamon serrano and pate de foie gras are |
| This is not a scientific survey but we have records | | | | useful tools. |
| of every fit our dog, Wazir, has ever had and we | | | | Zonegran is a medicine used for human epileptics. It |
| are personally convinced that Zonegran stops the fits. | | | | costs, here in Spain, €130 for 56 capsules. At two |
| I read Zoology at University College London so | | | | capsules every four hours, plus one at the end, the |
| please bear with me. | | | | packet lasts around four months or four times of |
| We have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Wazir. He | | | | epilepsia. Our rule is to let Wazir have three fits and |
| is an epileptic. We used to blame his breeders but we | | | | then start the Zonegran: the fits are over within 12 |
| now know that epilepsy is possible in the meanest | | | | to 15 hours after starting the Zonegran. |
| mutt and not just the interbred showdog. | | | | Our vet (who we love and has known Wazir since 3 |
| So, if you have an epileptic dog, here are the facts. | | | | months old) told us that there was no way that |
| Wazir weighs 22kg and is four years old, he has had | | | | Zonegran could have an effect in less than a week |
| epilepsy ever since an encounter with a labarador | | | | of constant use so we recently decided to try going |
| which frightened him by attacking him when he was | | | | through Wazir's monthly session of fits without using |
| one year old. | | | | Zonegran and to save money. Instead of having |
| Wazir takes 50mg of Gardenal (a barbiturate) and | | | | three fits before we dose with Zonegran and five or |
| 750mg of potassium bromide twice every day. This | | | | six fits while it takes effect, over a time-frame that |
| dose has been reduced from 75mg (1 ½ pills of | | | | normally does not exceed 36 hours, the poor dog |
| Gardenal) twice a day and the dog is much happier | | | | had 39 fits in the three days before I could get to a |
| for it, being less "doped up" he is transformed from | | | | chemist that stocks the drug and nine fits in the |
| an "old dog" to a dog we think more normal for his 4 | | | | subsequent 13 hours before the drug stopped them. |
| years of age. We have tried a "super-magnet collar" | | | | 48 fits over 90 hours compared with an average 9 |
| and, if anything, it made things worse. | | | | fits over 24 hours. Wazir lost control of his bladder |
| These drugs keep the epilepsy at bay but, around | | | | and bowel which does not normally happen. It |
| once a month, Wazir has a series of epileptic fits. | | | | obviously had a devastating effect on the dog who |
| We have dosed him, for the last 21 months, with | | | | we thought might even be brain damaged |
| Zonegran 100mg, two capsules every four hours | | | | afterwards (he seems OK now, three days later). |
| whenever fits have started. After around 12 hours | | | | Poor Wazir, who is normally blind after a fit but |
| the fits stop and we give a final single capsule when | | | | needs to take exercise because he primarily has fits |
| the last fit has been more than four hours. | | | | when asleep or resting, was just lying in his own |
| This stops the fits but the dog doesn't like the | | | | excrement unable to move through exhaustion. My |
| effect that this drug has on him and we have to be | | | | wife had to fly back from the UK to help me cope |
| devious to get the capsules down him. Smoked | | | | with the sleep deprivation. |