Potassium Bromide should probably be the first drug of choice for treatment of seizures because it will not cause liver damage like the Phenobarbitol, but, if already on Phenobarbitol, you can use it in conjunction with Phenobarbitol and sometimes reduce the amount of Phenobarbitol or sometimes, even eliminate Phenobarbitol completely. This all must be monitored closely though by your vet--blood levels checked often. Potassium Bromide usually takes about 3-4 months to reach it's full effectiveness whereas Phenobarbitol is quick acting. To monitor possible liver damage with Phenobarbitol, pre and post bile acid tests should be done about every 3-4 months. If there is liver damage from this and you catch it early, it is often reversible. Dr. Jean Dodds has a very good "Liver cleansing diet" using Milk Thistle available.
There is also a specific rectal/oral valium protocol for emergency treatment of clustering seizures........if they are happening frequently, this is good to have on hand.
Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally found in the body and is involved in telling the body when to sleep and when to wake. It has been found to help especially with dogs that seize between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am by either reducing the frequency or severity. *I truly believe in this because when my mother was dying from her brain tumor, the neurologist had suggested the Melatonin for her at night to "help with the seizures".....and it made a world of difference! (Melatonin has also been found to be helpful with dogs who have sound phobias such as with fireworks and thunder. ) Recommended dose is 3 mg/35-100 lbs 1 hr before bedtime. You want to use the Natural made kind and not time released. (It is a great sleep aid for humans too.)
A dog's blood sugar drops drastically during a seizure and they will burn a TON of calories. The ice cream after a seizure will help to raise the blood sugar. Haagen Dazs is recommended because it does not have any preservatives.....vanilla flavor. Why use ice cream rather than honey or syrup? Well, if you give them too much sugar too fast, it can cause their sugar to elevate too fast and trigger another seizure. The sugar in the ice cream is suspended in fat and will get into their system at a slower, safer rate. (>100lbs = 1/4 cup) If they commonly demonstrate pre-seizure activity, sometimes giving them a couple of spoonfuls of ice cream then can prevent the seizure. It is also recommended that once they are awake & oriented enough after a seizure to feed them carbohydrates (ex. kibble/crackers, etc) because of all of the calories that they have just burned. Feed small amounts to be sure they can handle it at first. This will help their recovery also. For travel, you can mix butter and honey together to feed your dog......again, the fat from the butter will slow the sugar processing. (People also often add a few drops of Rescue Remedy to the ice cream.)
Finally, it has been found that placing an ice pack between the middle of the thoracic vertebrae and the middle of the lumbar vertebrae during a seizure can help to reduce the length/severity of it. A large zip lock bag full of ice works great. (Frozen peas/corn does not work as well.) Just press it firmly to their back throughout the seizure.
You should sort of have a seizure emergency PLAN......have the ice pack made in the freezer ready to go.....vanilla ice cream in the freezer......towels for the head to prevent injury.....towels to catch the urine/feces. And, if available, the oral and rectum valium.
This may be info that you are already familiar with.........just thought I'd share and hope it helps. Seizures are extremely hard to watch........and I feel for you and your girl.
