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Four year old Bentley’s seizures are managed with acupuncture as a
sole anticonvulsant therapy, Chinese herbals, diet and exercise.
In the perfect world, anticonvulsant medication would completely
eradicate all clinical seizure activity in all cases. Unfortunately,
that is almost never the case. |
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The entire
veterinary clinic was running as we had trained. I stepped over the
gurney resting on the floor and surveyed my patient. A male German
shepherd, middle aged, and ninety pounds at least. His head was thrown
backwards, his body twisted in a seizure so fierce that two animal
technicians could barely hold it on the floor. They were covered in hair
and drool, and their arms were now marked with long red toenail scratches
from holding down the dog.
Training called
for placement of an intravenous catheter (IV) in the leg so anticonvulsant
medication could be given. The German shepherd was so violent with its
kicking, the nurses abandoned placing the IV catheter, and I called out
the order for the first dose of medication to be given rectally. The
anticonvulsant medication can be absorbed somewhat through the membranes.
This slowed the seizure long enough for a proper IV to be set and
medications to be started.
While I am tending
to the German Shepherd, the technician is speaking with the owner and
gathering valuable information.
How old is the
patient and when was the first seizure? Congenital epilepsy generally
develops between six months to six years of age. Schnauzers, Basset
hounds, Collies, and Cocker spaniels have epilepsy two to three times as
often as other breeds. Young animals could have a bacterial infection or
a viral infection, like canine distemper or feline infectious peritonitis.
I would also consider a liver shunt, a condition in which the liver does
not metabolize the toxins in the body.
Are there any
other existing medical conditions? If the German shepherd was diabetic,
treatment with too much insulin would cause seizures if the blood sugar
dropped too low. Animals in the final stages of kidney disease can
seizure.
Was there any
exposure to a toxin? I’ve seen my share of dogs who ate snail bait. Some
cat owners apply over the counter flea treatments intended for dogs to
their cat. This will certainly cause seizures. The
Japanese Yew, methomyl fly bait, strychnine,
and certain types of fungus can cause seizures. I a patient is older, then I
consider a tumor growing off the skull and pressing on the brain, a meningioma. Some tumors are operable if found early.
History and blood
testing helps to determine what treatments are needed. Congenital epilepsy
is often a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning, that no other cause is
identified.
Anticonvulsant
medication is often required. In the perfect world, anticonvulsant
medication would completely eradicate all clinical seizure activity in all
cases. Unfortunately, that is almost never the case.
Other treatments
of seizures include 1) Experimental Surgery to remove the epileptic center
in the brain as is sometimes done in humans. 2) Vagal nerve stimulation,
where an electrical stimulator is implanted 3) Acupuncture, as either a
sole anticonvulsant therapy or in conjunction with traditional therapy and
4) Homeopathy.
Anticonvulsant
therapy is not a recipe--the exact same approach will not work for all
patients. It is a balance of the individual needs of the patient and the
side effects of medications.
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