Adopted from a breeder ~ 3months old.
Past Diet: Canned and Kibble,
Vaccine: Had all required vaccines on time per owner.
Hx from prior vet:
Seizures began 2/2020 multiple seizures and patient was placed on Phenobarbital.
Seizures averaged 1-3 per month
Hip dysplasia diagnosed March 2020, owner noted difficulty running, Adequan injections seemed to help.
Farmers Dog food started December 2020.
May 2021- Owner said she was having adverse reactions to Phenobarbital, at one point she needed to be hospitalized, for “drunk” like behavior and could not stand/walk. Patient was weaned off of phenobarbital and patient improved dramatically. She was much better after stopping phenobarbital and was put on Keppra 2,200mg TID and Zonisamide BID
( side note- the owner notes urine leakage almost every day, he says once he started the keppra he noted that, if there is a day or dose he misses the keppra, she does not leak urine per the owner)
She had 1-2 seizures per month until 5/2022.
May 2022- She was overfed one evening and was given avocado, she vomitied multiple times and had ~9 seizures which was stabilized at an ER.
Recently they have have increased in frequency but the intensity has lessened at bit, but just today she has had 4 small seizures between 5-7:30pm.
The days she has seizures she becomes very quiet, lethargic and often drools.
The seizures used to be in the early mornings but now have been in the later part of the day.
The only other history is that she has a very sensitive stomach, many times the days she has seizures she has had soft stool or diarrhea. The owner has made a correlation between Gi upset and seizures.
Currently, she is on a home made diet. Supplements, Probiotics..etc..
Another side note- 2 weeks ago she presented with a limber tail, could not move the tail and she was very painful just caudal to the base of the tail and it seemed to be slightly swollen. She was given metacam orally, which helped but she had a seizure after the second dose so that was discontinued. Her tail is now normal. Apparently this happened a couple of years ago, same presentation, resolved with anti inflammatories.
Physical exam:
70lbs,
(I can needle her and she is the calmest, most quiet demeanor, does not move at all)
She sleeps during acupuncture and physical exam
She initially had a smell around her anus for months and recently this has gone away, but today I smelled it again. Smells like maybe anal sac ? But not as potent. )
Pulse:
- [ ] superficial to mid depth
- [ ] Resists compression
- [ ] Highly toned
- [ ] Normal to slight increase in diameter
- [ ] Moderate finger lift
- [ ] Normal rate and rhythm
Tongue: Dark pink to Red
Labs: non regenerative anemia, very slight. Cause unknown, everything else is normal.
Acupuncture: pulse seems to moderate with GB34, GB20 and LI 4. I sedated SP 9 and maybe a slight change in pulse.
Herbs:
- [ ] Chai hu jig long gu mu Li Tang (1/2 tsp BID)
- [ ] Dang gui and Peony support
I had her on Spleen support but stopped since she is warm-hot.
8 parameters:
Internal
Excess ( seizures)
Deficient ( soft/loose stools, leaking urine?, hind limb weakness, flaccid tail)
Hot
Some dampness- perianal odor, some improvement with diet.
Western Diagnosis- Epilepsy
TCM- Shao yang disharmony?
Despite my current treatment plan, she remains warm to hot and persistent seizures
Not sure where to go from here…
Thanks so much…..