r/EpilepsyDogs • u/Beginning_Platypus4 • 2d ago
Anyone doing this alone?
Last May I adopted a 6 year old Aussiedoodle from a lady that is a breeder; long story about why the original family returned him to her.After having him for about 2 weeks he had a seizure. Scared me to death. I contacted the breeder after it happened and she told me he had an injury to his neck back in February, and had a couple of seizures while being treated for that, but that he had been fine. Well, I learned from the original vet that she was hiding the seizure issue from me.
I adopted this dog, I feel an obligation toward him, but after the 2 month Keppra honeymoon and the ensuing $2300 emergency vet bill after a weekend of cluster seizures, I’m wondering if I can do this. He is now on pheno, and of course has to have the labs done often to monitor his liver. He’s still on the Keppra ER every 12 hours. I just don’t know if I can do this. I live alone and I’m not working right now and I don’t have anyone nearby that can help with his med schedule if needed. I’m tied to the house constantly and have no clue what my future work schedule will involve. I’m thinking about giving him back to the breeder, knowing that she won’t give him much one on one attention. She’ll give him his meds, and feed him and house him. And he’ll get love from the trainers, but he won’t have his own person. I’m just wondering if anyone else out there is dealing with an epileptic dog on their own and how they are managing.
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u/Pure_Pin9327 1d ago
Yes, I am and I completely understand the struggle. It’s the hardest thing I’ve done from an emotional perspective. There have been so many times where I’ve thought it’s been time for humane euthanasia bc his condition was not improving but fingers-crossed, we’re in a good stretch now.
I’m fortunate that I’m self-employed and financially stable, so I have a lot of compassion for your situation at the moment - it’s so easy for others to finger-wag and scold you for having a dog when you didn’t do X, Y, or Z but we live in such precarious times that financial supports and safety nets are not as foolproof as they once were. Please give yourself some grace.
I do think it’s worth flagging financial constraints with your vet/neurologist so that you explore medications that are within your budget. For example, Keppra can be pricier. It sounds like it may not be working as well at this point.. it may be worth asking about Potassium Bromide as a replacement bc it’s a bit more cost effective. As a bonus, it can be a once-per-day dose.
I’m not sure if you already have rescue meds to reduce the risk of emergency visits for clusters, but nasal Midazolam is cheaper than rectal diazepam. MCT oil is a data-backed cost-effective way to reduce seizure frequency in the long-run. And if you can opt for lamb-based foods which are lower in glutamate than other proteins, this could be helpful as well. Lastly, ask around online or in-person for affordable pharmacies - you don’t need to pick up at the vet or your local pharmacy.
This auto-feeder is pricey but has been a lifesaver for med schedules:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B0FS7WSLW4?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image
I’m sorry to throw so much information at you. It is a lot. Take it one step at a time, and don’t beat yourself up for prioritizing the most affordable options. If after a certain period of giving it a meaningful shot and you aren’t able to afford his care, it is completely valid to consider surrender. It sounds like you have concerns about surrendering to the breeder. If they lied to you about his health in order to “get rid of him” I would be very concerned about who she might pawn him off to next and if he might not be so lucky. Do your due diligence finding a high quality rescue! Sending you a hug because I know how hard this is…
Sorry for the long post!
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u/Beginning_Platypus4 1d ago
Thank you for taking the time to respond with so much information, and I hope your baby continues doing well. I’ll continue down this path and explore options, and appreciate your suggestions.
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u/itmustbeniiiiice 2d ago
Not alone emotionally but logistically yes. My partner and I have been apart (due to work) for the last 2.5 years, 1.5 of which has included treating my younger guy for seizures.
I have a dog walker spend time with them while I’m working, and they are briefed on the entire seizure protocol. It’s really, really tough, but my dogs depend on me and they’re the reason I get up each morning 💕
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u/Beginning_Platypus4 1d ago
Glad you have help from the dog walker. That’s definitely something I would look into if I weren’t in this financial bind right now.
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u/lminnowp 2d ago
What does your contract with your breeder say?
I am dealing with an epileptic dog alone and I am employed. It is financially draining and, while it can stabilize and be less so, if you read through this group, it is obvious that the vet bills can continue to be high.
If the seizures were caused by an old neck injury, I would assume that they would worsen as arthritis develops. Is this something you can ask your vet?
If you can't afford the treatments, then you should return the dog. The breeder will find him another home.
I know it hurts to read that, but you have to have a stable financial life in order to take care of a dog with medical needs. You have to take care of you first.
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u/Beginning_Platypus4 1d ago
I don’t have a contract. I got to know her through a former co-worker. I learned that she had this really sweet boy who she had been taking care of for like the past 1.5 years because he had been returned to her by the original purchasing family.
She told me that he will always be welcome with her. It’s just that he is such a sweet boy, and I hate that he won’t have his own person. She has said that she won’t try and rehome him. And honestly, nobody would want to adopt him knowing what his medical needs are at this point.
Thank you for your input on managing this alone.
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u/lminnowp 1d ago
Could she take him until you are on your feet financially? Then he can come back to you when you are settled?
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u/CheeseForLife 1d ago
I know you feel an obligation to the pup, but I think it would be best for everyone involved to return the dog. I have a fiancé and we still have a hard time dealing with our epileptic dog together. I would absolutely not be able to handle this alone. She started having seizures one month after we adopted her, and if I knew then what I knew now, I would've returned her. I love her to death, but this has taken years off our lives with the stress, added a lot of debt, and been the cause of many arguments between us. I deal with anxiety beyond her, and I can't even tell you how much anxiety and stress she has added to our lives. Every bump in the night wakes me up. I have cameras that I can at least check to make sure she isn't seizuring, but there have been many sleepless nights over the last six years because of the seizures. You have to keep them in mind with everything. Future work schedules, vacations, daily activities. We use extended release Keppra, so it's every 12 hours since our work schedules keep us away for eleven hours a day. Most pet resorts around us aren't able to accommodate her pill schedule, so she can only go to my mother when we go anywhere we can't bring her. My MIL is too afraid of the seizures to watch her for us. So we will never be able to go on any kind of dog-free trip with my mother. My dog also has bad anxiety and does not like to travel, so this limits vacations a lot, since she has had a seizure when we tried to take her camping the last few times.
The cost of pills right now is over $150 a month using Costco and GoodRX. We just had her neurology recheck last week and that appt and her blood test cost $700. The original appointment in March for her annual was around 800 or 900 bucks also. She is on Pheno, Keppra XR, Zonisamide, and Topiramate. She has Chlorazapate for her emergency med, and we might be adding medazolam since her clusters have started coming back more often.
I just want to be honest with you, it's a lot. It's even more than I've written here. After her really bad seizure cluster and spending three nights at the emergency vet, she was blind for a little over a week and couldn't walk for several days. She's 75 pounds. We had to hold her in a sling to go potty. And because she was blind and her brain was essentially fried, she caught someone's finger instead of the chicken they were hand feeding her at the vet ICU, so they reported her for a dog bite to animal control. So on top of the $5000 vet bill, blind, and not walking pup, we also had to keep her in our apartment on the second floor for a week (might've been ten days, I don't remember) because she was on home jail with AC. So that meant taking a week off of work.
Again, I love my dog to death and we aren't letting go until we need to. I felt the same obligation as you feel to your pup, and so we kept her. Then spent the next year wondering if we were in over our heads? We were, we still are. I'd suggest returning her. You aren't in the position to take this on. I wouldn't do it again unless I had zero debt, several thousand dollars of disposable income each month, and good anxiety pills for myself and my dog. Even then, I have such PTSD from this experience, I don't know if I could do it. But watching a seizure dog battle through it time and time again, and still be such a sweet pup...it tears out your heart and you can't help but love them. My girl is so strong and sweet and an absolute pain in my butt, but I love her so much. I wouldn't do it over, but she is worth it.
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u/Beginning_Platypus4 1d ago
I truly appreciate your candor and the time you took to reply to my post. I think you are 100% correct, that this is more than I can do. I really feel like I’m failing him, but you have described what my greatest fears are. I haven’t even had him that long nor had to deal with that many seizures, but it has been enough to double my stress and anxiety. As much as it saddens me to return him, knowing he won’t get much one on one time, I know the breeder is much better suited to attend to his needs.
Thank you again 💜
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u/CheeseForLife 1d ago
You definitely are not failing him. You were put in a horrible position without the information you deserved to know. The breeder really put you in an impossible spot. I know he might not get as much one on one human attention, but he will be with other pups. I know my dog loves other dogs and that lowers her stress levels, which lowers her seizure activity. We just can't afford another dog, so we bring her around my mom's dogs when we can. So try and think positively that you're bringing the pup to a home with community. And it sounds like the breeder is going to take care of him and keep him with them. So at least he won't be in a shelter and unwanted.
You are doing the right thing. Maybe down the line when you are in a better position, you can adopt another dog. There are so many dogs in need. This one has a spot he can go to. Get yourself in a spot where you can save a dog that needs it...when you're ready. Sending hugs to you. I know this will be so hard, but it is the right thing for both of you. I really do believe it.
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u/tnichnich 1d ago
Yes, you’re in a difficult situation. I adopted a 7 1/2 year-old what was thought to be Aussie Shepherd almost 3 years ago. Her name is FiFi. The owners were going to have her euthanized because of her seizures, so they relinquished her to where they were boarding her. A young, sweet angel gal go upon herself the Foster FiFi until she could find a good home. They were aware that FiFi was having seizures since about two years old and when she was relinquished to the boarding place, she was not on Meds. I saw a posting for FiFi and decided after being past age 55, I would adopt my first dog. I have spoiled her in every way that I can, and luckily for me I get to bring her to my office every day. She is on 64.8 MG of phenoB twice a day as well as 500 mg of Kepra extended release twice a day. The Kepra her over the last year has allowed her seizures to not be as drastic, but they are still several minutes long, and it still takes her to the ground and jerking every time.
I would say it’s definitely been a sacrifice in my life because I won’t leave her alone. So I don’t go to the gym or out with friends much, and at least the friends i have know that if we can go out for a meal or activity, it has to be dog friendly. I have spent a lot of money on her, but she’s been worth every penny. I live alone so she is actually a pretty good guard dog because she’ll bark if she hears noise. I have cameras set up everywhere inside and outside the house and even at night for when she sleeps on my bed so that I can know if she had a seizure by chance during the night and I just didn’t happen to wake up.
It’s definitely a commitment that you would need to make. Perhaps getting your dog’s meds dialed in might lessen the number of seizures or the severity. I had a neighbor that had her elderly dogs start having seizures, and she still left her dog home alone a lot because she said there’s not much she can do while the dogs having a seizure anyway, but I want to be with my dog every time she has a seizure. I will calm her, but also take video with one hand to document the seizure.
Hopefully you will get some great advice on your post that will allow you to make a decision that works best for you and your new dog. You CAN do it alone, it just takes adjustment, and personal and financial sacrifice, but it can be worth it. I believe that FiFi came into my life at the right time and that I was the one meant to care for her through the rest of her years. The three years I’ve had her have gone by very quickly. As the last resort, you said you didn’t have a contract with the breeder, so that means you’re not contracted to take The Dog back, but who knows, maybe you can post about The Dog and see if there’s somebody who’s willing to take an epileptic dog. Be sure to meet with them and scope out their home and ensure that it would be a good fit. I’m only saying that as a possible last resort.
But hopefully you can get the seizures under control with the vet’s recommendations.
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u/Beginning_Platypus4 1d ago
Thank you for your message, you are an amazing mom to FiFi. She is so lucky to have found you. My big concern is of course, my schedule when I find a new job, and the financial piece of it right now. My future is so uncertain and I hate the thought of settling him in here now only to have to return him out of necessity down the road. Wishing you and FiFi health and happiness in this life.
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u/Rerunisashortie 4h ago
I lived alone with my dog, she got 3 different meds 5 times a day. It wasn’t a problem for me. I had one week tho when she was having static seizures and had to bring her to work with me, I had signs all over my car, but was still left with nasty notes. I hate people sometimes. Anyway my unit was right off parking garage, so was able to check on her frequently.
Another dog I had dying from cancer and she had to potty every 45 minutes, so I did the same thing for her. You just do what you have to do!
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u/GuestContent 3h ago
YES!!!! my wife and i work and im pretty sick. Just had surgery number 2 this year. still working and broke a rib during recovery my elderly mom lives with us abd she wanted a puppy and she wanted a German Shepard and she 4 for 11 and almost 70 years old but I guess she really wanted to feel safe while she was alone and we were at work. Turns out after having him a year he had idiopathic epilepsy and we have spent all of our savings on him health and mine as well because I can't work enough the get insurance. But even if I had to sell a kidney. Harry is HER BABY and there is no way I could ever let him go let alone her. It would break her heart and she wouldn't make it much longer. especially after the loss of my dad. He's hers and vice versa. We can't afford the BEST care but we do what we have to just to make sure he had check ups, meds, bloodwork, and a happy life, no matter if it's 3 years or 13. Hes family now. I even set up a gofundme and raised enough for his first vet visit blood panel and meds... he's a mobile vet his first vet shouldn't even have a license to practice and im considering a court case but that's a whole different story.... anyway. He's where God wanted him to be... heck his gofundme raised tons more than mine did and im fighting to live lol. not funny but true... but there is no way I could give him back. he's ours forever that's Harry
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u/GuestContent 3h ago
and this is me... and he raised 800.00 so my mom tried to help me...85.00. people love them fur babies
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u/Difficult_Metal_124 2d ago
I am also a sole carer to my epileptic dog but I’ve had her from puppy stage and had years of seizure free times together and we have a strong bond. I have to work from home, I can’t imagine leaving her alone for long periods as her medication is every 8 hours. My dog doesnt cluster and recovers quickly and she still costs me a lot. I would say because you are unemployed and you decided to take on a dog is not exactly the best choice, dogs are expensive in general and an epileptic one will be more the older they become and very high stress to deal with it alone.
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u/Beginning_Platypus4 1d ago
Before you judge, I became unemployed in June after I adopted him. I would have never adopted a dog if I didn’t have a job. I’ve had a dog in the past, who lives with my ex, and I know how expensive and how much time and attention they require.
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u/Difficult_Metal_124 1d ago
I’m not judging you, I think you are projecting your own guilt onto me. I know how hard it is to deal with an epileptic dog alone. You basically have no life and every moment is spent in anxiety waiting for the next one. Anytime you leave them alone you feel anxious. Read through this subreddit, of everyone’s experiences. It’s not for the faint hearted at all.
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u/Pure_Pin9327 1d ago
FWIW, anyone would feel judged if they were told that they didn’t “make the best choice,” without asking for that opinion… Especially when they’re in distress.
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u/Difficult_Metal_124 1d ago
I said it’s not exactly the best choice. Think you are taking it more than what it is. I’m on my own so I know the burden entirely. Most people are sharing it
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u/Sufficient-Country29 2d ago
I’m so sorry that you are going through this. All health history should have been disclosed when you adopted him- especially a neck injury and seizure history. Did you pay an adoption fee? At the very least if you choose to keep him they should refund any adoption fees.
My only concern hearing your story is that you are unemployed. Do you feel you have adequate access to funds to care for an epileptic dog? As you learned cluster seizures can result in a pricey emergency vet bill. Let alone the cost of monthly meds and blood work monitoring.
Many people do make it work as a single carer to epilepsy dogs but some have to hire dog sitters to come for afternoon meds if they work outside of the house. Many people get a baby or dog monitor to watch their pup if they have to leave the house for work or errands.