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Expert: Labman - 7/7/2004


Question
I am new to this and I want to first say thanks for being here.

I have a mini long haired dachshund named Casey
[http://www.waugh.ca/torontodachshund/images/photos/finnigan+casey/imag000
5.jpg]. He is the best thing ever but was recently ill.

He had the runs and the vet gave him Flagyl to stop it. Everything worked
out great for the first 24 hrs. It stopped the diarrhoea but he had a
seizure within 24 hrs of taking the medication. We rushed him to the vet
and asked her to look at him. She mentioned that it was very hard for her
to believe that the medication caused it. I immediately took him off of
the medication after one day. It has been 10 days now without a
reoccurrence of a full blown seizure but yesterday he has developed a head
tremor like syndrome.

My research in to the drug is that there are possible side effects if
overdosed or used on puppies or kittens that are seizure like conditions.

I am desperate to find out if the seizures are related to the drugs or if
it was an underlying condition. Has anyone else experienced this? Does it
take days, weeks or months to weed this out of their system?

Any information at all would be greatly appreciated. It breaks my heart
every time I think about this poor little guy and how the meds may have
seriously or permanently damaged him.

Answer
I am very sorry to hear about this.  This is not an area I have much experience in. I can say that dogs do occasionally have seizures without being on medication.  I have had dogs have seizures, and it is scary.  I think most medications are metabolized to below effective levels in days.  They may not even be detectable after a week.  I am not sure where to send you for more info.  Most of the dog forums I hang out in, the others know less than I do and there aren't many people at them.  I don't know much about the other experts here either.  You might try some of them.  

Beware of junk science.  There are kooks around hostile to any medication.  They are short on facts and long on opinions.  Do not count on anybody talking holistic or natural therapies being very objective.  

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Labman

Expertise

I can help you with your new dog. I am experienced in, and trained in techniques the average person can make work with dogs, especially puppies. I strongly believe in obedience training and the need to give your dog proper leadership. I have been raising a new puppy every year since 1991. I know housebreaking and protecting the puppy and the house from each other. I can explain the the feeding regimen you can easily follow to give your dog the same long, active life life as highly valuable dog guides. I try to give answers you can make work. The mark of a real expert is knowing the limits of his knowledge. I will not try to answer questions on breed standards, AKC registration, etc. PLEASE DON'T SEND ME MEDICAL OR BREEDING QUESTIONS. An internet forum is not the appropriate place for them. Even if I could tell what was wrong from a handful of symptoms, you would still need to get the medications from your local vet. Breeding should be left to those not needing to ask simple, basic questions. Books have been written about it. Rather than ask me a question, start reading. Those unwilling to do the work it takes to produce quality puppies should spay/neuter their pets at 6 months. I will not answer questions that sound like a poorly prepared breeder.

Experience

Like many, I grew up around dogs, but never realized how much I had to learn before my family started socializing puppies for a large dog guide school. The school shares their experience from thousands of dogs with the people they entrust to raise their puppies. Their recommendations on training, feeding, and care come from a large, well documented program. After it is a year old, they X-ray every one of the hundreds of dogs they breed every year. I continue to attend monthly training sessions with trained volunteers and professional staff. I share experiences with others doing the same. The school must have sturdy, healthy, well behaved dogs, that will have a long, active life. If that is what you want too, I can help you. In addition I have done extensive reading, and the 4 years my daughter was in 4-H were a real learning experience for Dad too. That exposed me to more breeds than the Labs, Shepherds, and Goldens in the dog guide program.

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