My bully also has idiopathic epilepsy

BullyLove143

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My bully also has idiopathic epilepsy. He fly snaps, looks like he is trying to bite his ear-- I was wondering if over time they could turn into grand mal.. Does anyone have experience with this. My vet can never give a straight answer.. His medicine has been trial and error now for months. He becomes immune to the dosage increase monthly.
 

2BullyMama

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

My bully also has idiopathic epilepsy. He fly snaps, looks like he is trying to bite his ear-- I was wondering if over time they could turn into grand mal.. Does anyone have experience with this. My vet can never give a straight answer.. His medicine has been trial and error now for months. He becomes immune to the dosage increase monthly.
[MENTION=572]Libra926[/MENTION] [MENTION=4246]ChanelnBrutus[/MENTION] -- can give more insight. it would be great if you video you could post fro them to view.
 

ChanelnBrutus

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

My bully also has idiopathic epilepsy. He fly snaps, looks like he is trying to bite his ear-- I was wondering if over time they could turn into grand mal.. Does anyone have experience with this. My vet can never give a straight answer.. His medicine has been trial and error now for months. He becomes immune to the dosage increase monthly.

Yes my Brutus does fly bite! He had a surgery at 8 mnths and a week later experienced 3 seziures within a couple days! About a month later he started fly biting and we were told by a vet that it was a seizure. We had put him on meds (seziure meds) and I didnt like the side effects that came with it!!!! THe episodes were quick when he did it maybe a minute but once we distracted him with something he stopped! I still havent figured out what triggers them and I dont think I ever will! When he starts try to give him a treat or a toy to keep him distracted! It should work....We had seen another vet who said that he wouldnt classify it as seizures and didnt think the meds were a good idea!!!! Epilepsy is something different and if he is having seizures (epliepsy) with the fly biting Im not sure! Cheryl has more advice as far as seizures...

Has your bully had seziures along with fly biting? Do you have some videos you could post
 
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BullyLove143

BullyLove143

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

No he has never had a seizure. Just fly snapping. All I do is research because I swear this comes from a behavioral issue. He is on pheno2x a day & Potassium bromide 2x a day. It just doesn't seem to be working like it should. Every time we have to up the dose, it seems like he does it more. He will do it at least 3x a week for about 1 minute. He is very very high energy and only does it when he's not being entertained with someone or by something. I hate to keep increasing his medicine when the improvements aren't that noticeable. The dr I deal with is a very well know neurologist- I'd like to get a 2nd opinion but I don't know whom else to turn to.
 

ChanelnBrutus

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

No he has never had a seizure. Just fly snapping. All I do is research because I swear this comes from a behavioral issue. He is on pheno2x a day & Potassium bromide 2x a day. It just doesn't seem to be working like it should. Every time we have to up the dose, it seems like he does it more. He will do it at least 3x a week for about 1 minute. He is very very high energy and only does it when he's not being entertained with someone or by something. I hate to keep increasing his medicine when the improvements aren't that noticeable. The dr I deal with is a very well know neurologist- I'd like to get a 2nd opinion but I don't know whom else to turn to.

I'm not sure why he was diagnosed with epilepsy if he hasnt had a seizure! [MENTION=572]Libra926[/MENTION] Vegas has epilepsy ( he has seizures) and was taking those same meds to help control them! I dont think Douglas should have been diagnosed with that or even taking those meds! I was told by a bully nurologist that those meds are for seizures not fly biting! Fly biting could be out of boredom when not associated with seziures! Brutus does it at random for instance someone comes over and doesnt pay attention to him it happens! He is stiing there wathcing tv bored it happens no real reason as to why or how! We just give him a kong filled with treats and it stops and usually doesnt happen the rest of the night! Brutus is now 2 and he has them maybe 2-3 x a week but never more than 1 a day! I would monitor him and see how it works after distracting him with treats and such! The dr told me not to make a big deal out of it as some dogs tend to do things to gain attention (i dont belive it but you never know) Where do you live? Do you have any bulldog rescues in your area that could reccomend a bulldog specialist vet :)
 
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BullyLove143

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

Apparently it's a form of seizure. It can be labeled under petite cluster seizures too. 3 doctors have told me the same thing and the Internet does too (shame on me) but yes, that's All e does. I'd hate to have him on something that he doesn't have to be. I live in Philadelphia. My neurologist also suggest that I get a MRI because he is still having break through "seizures" being on the meds.
 

ChanelnBrutus

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

Apparently it's a form of seizure. It can be labeled under petite cluster seizures too. 3 doctors have told me the same thing and the Internet does too (shame on me) but yes, that's All e does. I'd hate to have him on something that he doesn't have to be. I live in Philadelphia. My neurologist also suggest that I get a MRI because he is still having break through "seizures" being on the meds.

They had told us to do an MRI after Brutus had his seziures (not fly biting) but were then told if he had a brain tumor we would know by now! Wouldnt be able to walk and such! I am confused you had said he didnt have any seziures (not fly biting) A seizure is when he loses control of his body and may potty himself or foam at the mouth???
 

2BullyMama

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

Apparently it's a form of seizure. It can be labeled under petite cluster seizures too. 3 doctors have told me the same thing and the Internet does too (shame on me) but yes, that's All e does. I'd hate to have him on something that he doesn't have to be. I live in Philadelphia. My neurologist also suggest that I get a MRI because he is still having break through "seizures" being on the meds.

Since you are in Philly.... unless you are going to a neuro at UP... there is one in Valley Forge/Audubon at Metropolitian Vet that is very good, but the best that I know of is in Tinton Falls NJ... Red Bank Vet.
 

ChanelnBrutus

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

Since you are in Philly.... unless you are going to a neuro at UP... there is one in Valley Forge/Audubon at Metropolitian Vet that is very good, but the best that I know of is in Tinton Falls NJ... Red Bank Vet.

Also I go to Richmond Valley in Staten Island . The director has owned and breeded bullies for 25 years very knowledgeable there!!! Tinton Falls (Garden State Vet) is where Brutus goes for nureolgist and they are amazing!!!
 
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BullyLove143

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

No I've never seen him have a seizure. He has had some accidents on the sofa where he sleeps but I assumed that was due from the massive amounts of water he drinks. When your dog has a seizure, is he usually unconscious?
 

Texas Carol

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Have no experience just wanted to say I'm sorry for you & your bully.

Will pray he gets properly dx'ed and proper meds or treatment that is helpful.

GOD be with you.
 

DudleysMom

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

Apparently it's a form of seizure. It can be labeled under petite cluster seizures too. 3 doctors have told me the same thing and the Internet does too (shame on me) but yes, that's All e does. I'd hate to have him on something that he doesn't have to be. I live in Philadelphia. My neurologist also suggest that I get a MRI because he is still having break through "seizures" being on the meds.

May be a stupid question, but have you taken him to the vets at Penn? I've never had to go, but I have friends who swear by them!
 

Lokismom

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It makes me sad to see this! Loki is also on medication for seizures he is currently on phenobarbital twice a day 60mg per does and has been now for almost 3 weeks. Have they tried just the pheno alone? I have heard some people saying that the potasium could be also causing an adverse reaction. The side effects at first were really hard to deal with (tiredness, wobblyness, even more stubborn) but now it is hard to tell that he is even on medicine! There are a few kinds of seizure from my understanding as we are new to this as well, there is a "smaller seizures" that last a few seconds generally no foam but can sometimes lose bowels or bladder, "Grand Mal" that is the scary one and how we figured out Loki had a problem. That one can last a while, cause a higher fever and loss of bowels or bladder, temp loss of vision and focal or visual seizure that can be seen such as fly biting or head shaking usually leg lifts too. There is probably more that I am missing since we are relatively new to this. As with humans it is really hard to say if it will turn into more then just the fly biting. I would recommend limiting the space that he has to roam around during the day also if you have stairs try and avoid him going up and down them when he is alone. Here is a link to Vegas's story that Cheryl sent me when we first figured out that Loki was having seizures Cheryl did a great job at documenting everything. Hopefully it can help some.
 

ChanelnBrutus

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Re: Article: Head Tremors in English Bulldogs

No I've never seen him have a seizure. He has had some accidents on the sofa where he sleeps but I assumed that was due from the massive amounts of water he drinks. When your dog has a seizure, is he usually unconscious?

Oh ok you had mentioned he had break through seizures so I was wondering! Brutus was concious but not sure he was aware of what he was doing! He did pee during 1 episode and the other 2 he just was shaking uncontrolable. A month or 2 later is when the fly biting started and it is considered a partial seizure but our vet told us its not enough to warrant having him on seizure meds! we were told to distract him with something! I am wondering if you could take some videos of when he has the fly biting episodes? There is a difference with seizure and fly biting ... There are also head tremors, bubblegum fits where they are licking constantly! If you do a search on EBN there are some videos of fly biting, seziures, and head tremors.
 

ChanelnBrutus

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Also epilepsy is when dogs are having seizures not fly biting episodes
 

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