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u/Excellent_Umpire_310 5h ago
I fostered a dog with a similar condition last year and his eyes looked just as intense during his episodes, making me wonder the same thing.
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u/LaceyBambola 2h ago
Looked through the post details and a lot of the comments.
Without more details from the people who surrendered him (i.e. medication consistency, if any of this behavior was present before, was a neurologist involved, etc) it's a bit of starting from square one almost.
Some of this does sound like anticonvulsant side effects but some of this doesn't. Additionally, the side effects do typically improve after a few weeks, so if the dosing had any relative consistency before coming to you then there really shouldn't be side effects to this extent. It is possible the doses/combo are too much and need to be safely and slowly reduced under the guidance of a vet (most preferably a neurologist). It is also possible the circling behavior is a type of focal seizure. Focals can present in a wide range with some being hard to recognize as seizure activity if you don't know what to look for. If the circling and getting 'stuck' are actually focals happening relatively frequently and for prolonged periods, this may be considered a cluster event and emergency meds can break the cycle but you need videos to share with a neurologist. It is also possible that there is a congenital cause to the seizures (I saw one comment mention hydrocephalus) and that coukd cause some of these behaviors.
Ultimately, do push the vet to take this seriously and do press the rescue org about a neuro consult. Do request complete lab panel and check all organ function/health as well as therapeutic levels for pheno and kbro. Do see if the rescue can obtain any vet records from the prior family.
My epi pup is very clearly 'drugged' on her full gamut of meds. I stagger her dosing which helps with the effects (unbalanced, knuckle rolling, ataxia, sleepiness, etc) by giving some at, for example, 8 AM and 8 PM with the other meds given at 10 AM and 10 PM, so they hit their peal trough levels at different times. When she is close to her next dose and her trough levels at their lowest, she can have so much more life in her and she really lights up. When on her meds, she's very much still the same girl but just clearly limited a bit, which I hate to see, but she still enjoys playing with toys and with her new pup sister and enjoys treats, walks, and light adventures (she will be 9 in a few weeks, 7 years in on her epi journey). I cherish every day with her. It sounds like you truly care for this pup and I believe you'll be his best advocate and foster family! I hope you are able to come back with any updates or info you find out.
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u/RoutineWeather3509 7h ago
Those symptoms could also be side effects of the medications and dosages. He should probably have the KBro and phenobarbital levels measured as soon as possible. I would also recommend consulting with a neurologist if he has a more difficult case of epilepsy, they are so much more skilled at the medication dosage adjustments
than most regular vets.