Syracuse dog trainers have a unique opportunity on March 26 to participate in an awareness day that can help both dogs and people. Purple Day, the Global Day for Epilepsy Awareness, was founded in 2008 by then nine-year-old Cassidy Megan, who has a seizure disorder. Purple Day strives to raise epilepsy awareness throughout the world.
Epilepsy affects not only humans, but many dog breeds. Thousands of dog owners across the country live with dogs with seizure disorders. At this time, epilepsy in dogs has no genetic markers, no definitive treatment and no cure. Epilepsy research in dogs has the potential to become true translational research – science which discovers information about a disease that benefits both humans and canines.
Some dogs experience one or two seizures, and for the most part live completely normal lives on minimal, inexpensive medication. Phenobarbitol, the medication usually given as the first line in seizure disorders in dogs is the same medicine prescribed for humans. Veterinarians prescribe it “off-label” for their canine and feline seizure disorder patients, with owners filling the scrip at their local human pharmacies.
However, some dogs like Perry have multiple seizures of unknown origin, sometimes in a single day. When that happens, life can get complicated for both the dog and his owner. Perry was retired from racing when he had a seizure on the track in Alabama. He's being fostered by Kindred Spirits Greyhound Adoption (KSGA), Clinton, NY.
Perry's seizure threshold appears to be affected by temperature, stress, and parasites, although it's very difficult to determine which stressor is causing a seizure is more than one is present. His medication – phenobarbitol – has been increased twice since he arrived in Syracuse. However, after six to seven weeks on one dose level, Perry has break-through seizures and his dose needs to be adjusted. Dogs can eventually become drug-tolerant, meaning that no level of medication adequately controls the frequency of or prevents seizures.
Perry's seizure threshold is so low that he cannot be left in a kennel environment. His illness requires that his foster home maintain a steady, routine environment where his food and exercise and medications are given at regular intervals. At this time, KSGA is working with veterinarians to determine if there is a therapeutic medication level for Perry.
For more information about seizure disorders and the state of epilepsy research in dogs, read March 26 - Wear Purple Day for Epilepsy Awareness by National edition Belgian Breeds examiner Debra Eldredge, DVM. To show your support for translational epilepsy research and raise awareness of the incidence of epilepsy in both dogs and humans, wear purple this Saturday, March 26, for Wear Purple Day. To help KSGA support medical care for Perry and other retired racing greyhounds in their adoption program, visit Kindred Spirits Greyhound Adoption donation page or come to their meet-and-greet greyhound introductions at Sangertown Mall this Saturday in Utica.
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