Alfie's story...
 Early
one morning Kay Westgate woke to a horrific rattling. She jumped out of bed only
to see her three year old Jack Russell Alfie in his crate, having a Grand Mal
seizure. The vets said it might be a one off and suggested that she wait and see
what happened. Unfortunately it was not! Kay has written this article to help
other who might find themselves in the same situation.
It was 5am
when I heard Alfie who had been sleeping in his crate in my bedroom. I jumped
out of bed and saw Alfie convulsing. After several minutes, a very agitated
Alfie came around and staggered about, making a pitiful noise. He was ravenously
hungry and also wanted to pee.
I rang the vets when
they were open, and they suggested an MRI scan and blood tests. At the time, I
decided against a brain tap. The diagnosis was idiopathic epilepsy, so Archie
was put onto a low dose of Epiphen. The side effects were extreme hunger and
some agitation but fortunately no ataxia or weakness of his legs. He did want to
pee more and was always hungry.
The seizures did not
stop. They happened several times a week. Gradually the Epiphen was
increased. He was still having seizures. He had been a promising agility dog but
he now he had noticeably slowed down and his interest was not the same. He also
put on weight. I now slept downstairs on the settee so he had easy access to the
garden.
Taking control
In my experience, vets only prescribe medication and nothing else. I
desperately wanted to find out what else I could do to help Alfie so I started
looking into alternative remedies for canine epilepsy.
First I went to a
homeopathic who advised me to change his diet to raw feeding with no grains
or anything containing rosemary. So I found grain-free biscuits with no
rosemary. I
was also warned about cheese and high salt products.
I avoided turkey and any game meat, as
advised by a raw food company who had epileptic canine customers and had done
their own research.
Then I joined a Facebook
group for canine epilepsy and frankly I learned more from them than anywhere
else as we were all in the same boat! I learned that a taurine supplement might
be of benefit, and that ice packs over the dog's back during an attack could
lessen the seizure time and aid a quicker recovery. Ocular compression of the
dogs eyes could also help. The main recommendation was to stop all vaccinations
and all chemical worm and flea treatments. Epilepsy lowered a dogs immune system
so overloading it was not a good idea. Needless to say I had a right battle with
my vet when I said I would no longer vaccinate and use chemical treatments. Be
it on my own head I was told!
I decided to titre test
and use worm count.
Finally Alfie had a
cluster seizure and was hospitalised at the vets overnight in case he went into
status epilepsy. Epiphen was increased again to two 60 milligrams of Epiphen
twice a day. He also had two capsules of Epitaur 500.
Drastic action
It was then that I decided to stop vaccinations and chemical
treatments. Alfie went a whole week seizure free, then two weeks and then a
month. Another and another month went by until now, nearly four years later. I
know I am so lucky. I found what was best for him. I know this may not last as
epilepsy is incurable. I got back to sleeping in my own bed and Alfie has
his. No more cages!
 He
has six-monthly blood tests to check his levels and the state of his liver. He
is tolerating the medication well
It took 18 months to
discover all this information and put it into practice. Perhaps just the Epiphen
did the trick! No way am I going to rock the boat and change now. It all works
for Alfie.
Alfie and I are now
retired from Agility. To look at him you would not know he has this condition.
Epilepsy does not alter their appearance other than perhaps putting on weight.
We just enjoy our companionship together. I am an old lady anyway!
In the beginning when I
found out he had epilepsy I was distraught. I became very depressed. The sight
of your dog having a seizure, making that terrible noise, weeing and defecating,
howling and staggering about in obvious distress is horrific. The not knowing
when the next seizure will strike is the worst. Your whole life revolves around
it. I say this not to frighten you but just to tell it as it is.
This is a horrible
condition. Alfie is now eight years of age and he's had this condition from the
age of three. We've been through a lot together and have come out the other end
for the time being. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I do know,
however, that other epileptic dogs are not so lucky.
I hope my experiences
might be helpful to others. My other little dog had pancreatitis and, once
again, as there was so little out there for that condition I had to do my own
research so find out what was best for her. Epilepsy is the same unfortunately.
 About
the author...
Kay Westgate caught the Agility bug in the 1980s. She started Agility
with her Cairn Terrier and went on from there. In 1996 she got to Crufts with
her crossbreed Sam, competing in Agility, the Knockout, Pairs and Flyball.
Kay is a retired
Personnel Office who worked for the City of London Police. She now has eight
grandchildren and three great grandchildren with the fourth on the way any day
now which keeps her busy!
First published
21st October 2019
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