Dogs with Epilepsy

[lazymum99]

I have taken on a dog which was rescued from Romania. He is about 7/8 years old and has epilepsy. When he arrived in this country in April he was fostered and was fitting most days. Once he started on medication he has not had a fit since. He has not had a fit for 6 weeks.
I currently have him for a week to make up my mind. Obviously everyone has fallen in love with him and my other 2 dogs seem fine with him.
I know the vets fees will be alot and I won't be able to get insurance cos of age and epilepsy. That is part of the reason I took him. I knew there would be fewer people than usual willing to take a dog like this on.
I would just like any others with experience of epileptic dogs to tell me how it is. Because of his background we don't know what caused it.

[Lizcat]

The vast majority of the time we are unable to identify the cause of epilepsy so that is not unusual. There is no set pattern with epileptics so we medicate and never fit again so have an escalating epilepsy and require higher doses and other drugs to be added in.

[outmonday]

Epiphen (the usual medication) is cheap and he will have to have twice yearly blood tests so Epilepsy is not an expensive problem.If the fits are under control he should be perfectly well though may still have some fits. They won't bother him, he and you can live with it.

[lazymum99]

Thanks for your replies. he is currently on Epiphen and a blood test just taken showed that he needed to increase his dose, although he has had no fits since being medicated.
I worry in case he fits at night (they sleep in the kitchen) or when noone around. The dogs are hardly ever left alone but the odd couple of hours is sometimes necessary.
The only strange thing he is doing, unconnected to the epilepsy, is licking his paws, the sofa or carpet alot when lying next to me. I am putting it down to him being stressed at all the new situations he is facing. Hoping that stability and loads of love and cuddles will put a stop to this!