Does anyone know of a good website where I can get some info about Epilepsy?
Thanks in advance, Louise

Here are several good sites with an abundance of information:

Canine Epilepsy Resource Center

Canine FAQs

Canine Epilepsy Network

These should get you started.

Thankyou, I shall have a look at them.

Has anyone had experience of a dog with Epilepsy? How did you and the dog cope? Can they still take part in activities such as obedience and showing (I know they can't be bred from)? Is it fair to make the dog live the rest of its life on medication?

Yes, I've had a dog that had epilepsy. I never put him in stressful situations after he was diagnosed and he was put on medication after the second seizure. He lived a very happy life other than the seizures which seemed to almost be on a timetable. I always knew by his behavior when a seizure was coming on and could adjust my activities accordingly. He hated obedience trials so they were out after he was diagnosed because I didn't want to unduly stress him.

Discussing the matter frankly as to quality of life and what you can expect would be a good idea. I know that several other people on the board have had dogs with seizures, so maybe they can also give you some insight.

Hi Freeway, Beth went epileptic at around 18 months. To start with my vet put her on pheno baritone but I didn't feel happy with keeping her on drugs for life so I thought id give her I try without. In her case I had no real problems. The fits came round a regular intervals which in my experience is quite normal. Beth's were at 6 weeks interval (give or take a few days) and although if she missed a fit which she did from time to time it would be another 6 weeks before it came round again. I can only tell you of my own experiences but with Beth, whilst fitting, as long as she could feel us holding her she was calm. If we left her she was inclined to panic! She was normally down foe around 10 to 20 minutes and I always encouraged her to stay down for as long as possible. More times than not, after regaining her feet she would go down again but never more than twice. Once back on her feet she was inclined to be very hyper for around an hour.

As far as working her was concerned, although I trained her I never really pushed her and never worked her except for fun, always feeling that she could do without the stress. Her main job was demonstrating to the young dogs in class, something she took very seriously.

She lived out a very happy life, dying from cancer at about a couple of weeks short of 14 years. Although there were slight character changes in later life around the time of a fit, always seeming to lack her usual confidence at that time, she was one of the happiest dogs it's been my pleasure to be around. Incidentally, at one time, at the dog club where I was chairman, out of a committee of 7 we had a collective total of 5 epileptic dogs! At the moment I have two friends with epileptic dogs!

Some cases are harder to manage than Beth, drugs being necessary to keep the condition in check and if that is the case, be where of dropping off the drugs in late life just because the dog appears to not be fitting any more. I've known this happen on 2 occasions and in both cases the owner "Lost Control" and both dogs went into Status Epilepticus and had to be put down!

I know how it feels when this strikes and I sympathise with you. If I can be of any help to you don’t hesitate to post or if you would prefer email me.

Best wishes, John

If you are near to the Birmingham area we are having a health forum on the 3rd November at Marston Green for my breed Italian Greyhounds. One of the subjects will be Epilepsy. If you are interested Email me. We are charging a small fee of £2,50 for non members of the IG club on the door.

i think the german spitz people=kleins are having a talk as its become a problem in there breed,someone might know the date and whereabouts of it,