Health Articles
Colitis in Dogs ~ Vaccines ~ Epilepsy: One Dog's Story
~ The Road to Hell Epilepsy and the Australian Shepherd

by Janet White, Conformation Editor

This is Rascal's story. Rascal's breeder, Kathy, purchased a lovely blue merle female from a reputable breeder judge to start her Aussie career.

Kathy contacted the stud dog's owner to discuss the potential cross and proceeded to breed her dream litter. The litter was whelped without incident and Kathy was very pleased with what she got. Out of the five puppies born, she kept Rascal, a striking black tri male with a happy-go-lucky attitude. The other four puppies in the litter were placed in pet homes on spay/neuter contracts.

Trouble started in July of 2002, just five weeks after Rascal's first points. Kathy heard a tremendous banging from the back room and immediately recognized that one of her crated dogs was in danger. When Kathy walked in the room, most of her dogs were sitting up, eerily quiet. Rascal, however, was staggering to his feet. He seemed incoherent and very frightened; his eyes were bugged out and he was drooling profusely. After regaining some composure, he began to bark and to show potentially aggressive behavior. This was the first time the word "seizure" entered Kathy's thoughts. It would not be the last.

Nothing more happened for a week. Kathy crossed her fingers and watched Rascal closely.

Rascal suffered four more grand mal seizures in the next twenty-four hours. He experienced severe fear and confusion so poignant he had to reorient himself to his everyday surroundings. He also suffered incontinence, and he had difficulty walking. Rascal developed a habit of pacing unhappily as his anxiety grew.

As soon as she could get an appointment, Kathy took her boy to her vet for a full blood work panel to rule out any underlying illness. Rascal had been given his monthly heartworm preventive and Advantage a week prior, which could have possibly caused the seizures, but Kathy's vet warned her it was not likely. Kathy fervently prayed that her dog's problems were caused by something, anything, other than epilepsy. Those hopes were dashed when Rascal's blood panel came back clean. He was administered his first dose of Phenobarbital that night. **

Over a month went by, and Rascal seemed healthy and happy; a normal, athletic dog whose days consisted of chasing balls and getting pats from his "mom." Rascal was weaned off his medications, and the general assumption was that perhaps the seizures were a result of a chemical imbalance and not epilepsy. Kathy experienced hope for the first time in several weeks.

Two weeks after being pulled off the Phenobarbital, it happened again. Fortunately, Kathy was home-as this time when Rascal seized, he fell with his muzzle stuck down in his water bucket and his lower jaw on the outside. When the seizure started, Rascal's top skull became lodged under the bucket's handle and he began to inhale water; he would have drowned if Kathy had not been home. The convulsion was so violent that Rascal actually bit a hole through the metal bucket as he seized. Phenobarbital was administered again right away. Kathy no longer put a water bucket in Rascal's crate, nor would she allow him to jump on her bed, as Rascal fell easily. It was very hard for Kathy to determine what was safe for Rascal.

Four weeks later, while on Phenobarbital, Rascal had another cluster of at least four grand mal seizures in one twenty-four hour period. Words cannot accurately describe Kathy's emotions. Rascal's epilepsy did not seem to be treatable. However, his medication was increased, and everyone involved hoped for the best.

Kathy dared to hope as each day passed, but only three weeks went by before Rascal was stricken again. He had a single seizure that seemed minor in comparison to what he had gone through before. However, the next night Kathy witnessed another grand mal that was worse than any seizure Rascal had suffered before. Rascal turned blue and drooled uncontrollably while his eyes bugged out. He also became paralyzed, which caused both Rascal and Kathy unimaginable waves of fear. Rascal began to associate his crate as the place where he suffered, and refused to get near it. He also was agonized by terrible separation anxiety and would literally howl if Kathy left the room. If a train came by, Rascal associated the vibrations with his seizures and panic. There was no way Kathy could explain to him that it was okay. Even as his "mom," she could not make it go away.

Even though Kathy was emotionally shaken to the core over Rascal's condition, she contacted Vet Gen, a study center for epilepsy in dogs with the goal of developing a test for carriers. She shared her story with a Vet Gen consultant who asked Kathy to submit a DNA sample, copies of the diagnosis, records of the blood work performed, sibling information and pedigree before having Rascal put to sleep. Kathy agreed. A DNA kit was sent by overnight express so that others could benefit from Rascal's short life.

It was at this point that Kathy made the hardest decision in her life. In four months, epilepsy took her beautiful, athletic, active, bred-by dog and reduced him to an anxious shadow of his former self. Kathy was determined to let Rascal go with dignity before the disease took that, too.

On his last day, Kathy played ball with her baby boy one last time. She gave him doggy cookies as he sat on her lap and gave her sloppy kisses. Finally, she carefully brushed him to make him look his best and took a few pictures. She had happily planned Rascal's litter; she had brought him into the world, and she felt the only responsible thing to do was to let him go. Rascal did not go easily. He went into convulsions before the vet administered the injection, and once again he felt the cold grip of fear. Rascal was only two years old.

Epilepsy is definitely a problem in our breed. Unfortunately, many owners and/or breeders would rather hide information on dogs that are afflicted rather than share vital information. Kathy's bravery is a beacon to other owners of epileptic dogs; please share your stories, too.

Since her horrific experience, Kathy has met other Aussie owners who have had epileptic dogs from various lines. The majority could not be treated and were put to sleep in less than a year after the first seizure. There is no way to know when or where it will show up; all our dogs are vulnerable. Epilepsy is the silent killer. Kathy reminds us that there are two parents for every litter. Breeding is a crapshoot; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Of course it's best to try to avoid problems, but in the end it's all in the hands of Mother Nature.

If you have a dog that is affected or know of someone who does, please contact Vet Gen at (800) 483-8436 or healthydog@vetgen.com.

Test kits (including return postage) are free.

Endnotes:

* As defined by dogs.about.com, the definition of a Grand Mal seizure in a pet is: Full-blown convulsive seizure with loss of bowel and bladder control, tongue swallowing, jaw snapping, feet paddling and back arches.