Riddick is home, fetched him from the vet this afternoon. He's in his happy place, on mommy's bed. You can see the his HolisticVet harness in the picture. He is still very weak in his hind legs and needs help to busy, but he's a lot more lively than he was yesterday, and he can actually pull himself up into a sit! The blood test results for his electrolyte and Pheno levels will only be in tomorrow morning (hopefully), but the results for his kidney and liver function were fine, thank goodness! His blood sugar was a little high, but that is normal when he is at the vet. We are weaning him off the Pheno in the next two weeks and have started the Pexion, which works faster and has fewer potential long-term side effects. We're really hoping it will work to control his seizures (he hasn't had one in a few days now, YAY!) I so wish we had started with the Pexion from the beginning... But one week's pills cost the same as five months worth of Pheno, and with his insulin and special food and vet visits he costs us thousands of Rands every month, and we opted for the cheaper meds. Thank you all for your wishes - it has really buoyed me today!
I am sure if you can get the right balance of medication it won't happen for you beloved Riddick. If he starts fitting and then fitting straight away and you get the vet to you quickly, diazepam given rectally will help.
We didn't get the electrolyte and Pheno level blood test results today, the labs don't always get the results out promptly on a weekend so we have to wait for Monday. :-/ My precious boy is a little more of his lively self every day, and he is more and more able to lift himself into a sit and change position when he is sleeping, but he still needs help to walk and to go busy. We are exhausted... carrying him, helping him walk, waiting for him to seize or need to go outside... I can barely keep my eyes open!
Goodness I am not surprised you are exhausted - this must be really tough. Really hope things continue to improve for Riddick.
I feel for you - so exhausting, and the waiting for a seizure is so stressful. I hope things improve quickly.
Hope you've been able to have a quiet chilled weekend at home with him and have a full set of results ready tomorrow.Bet he's loved being snuggled up on your bed having cuddles x
Thank you @Atemas, @MF, and @Dexter. Touch wood - he hasn't had a seizure in a few days now. And we aren't see any obvious signs of Phenobarbital withdrawal as we decrease the dose with the switch to Pexion. And he's stronger every day. Today he was able - very very briefly - to stand on his own to drink water! Yay!
Riddick gets better every day! We are still using the harness to help him up and help him walk, but this morning he held himself up when he had a pee! I got so excited I nearly hugged him while he was peeing! We have also not seen any signs of withdrawal as we wean him off the Phenobarbitone and give him Pexion, and there have been no seizures! I am SO relieved! My baby is almost himself again! He is so frustrated with thinking someone or something is holding him down! And just 'coz he's so cute, I thought I'd show you a picture of him in his Doggles! When he was younger, before the cataracts, his eyes were very sensitive to bright light, so we got him the Doggles to wear when we went outside or to the park.
Just catching up with this. I'm glad Riddick is getting better every day He looks like his namesake in his doggles!
My Riddick has managed to stand on his own for a few short seconds a few times today! And he could support himself to pee twice! He's also managing to change position when he's sleeping - he loves to sleep like a frog and for a few days he hasn't been able to kick his legs out behind him without help. We finally got the blood test results today - nothing strange or unusual in his Pb levels or electrolytes, so still no answers.
Sounds like he's making great progress,so good he's not reacting to the phenobarb withdrawal.Must be wonderful to see him getting stronger ,he is very cute in his doggles ( Had to google Riddick ,Fiona! ;-) )
Riddick is so much stronger! He is walking short distances on his own, and he can steady himself to pee, though he still needs help to get up from sitting and to go #2. We took the back part of his off for most of today, too. He's also so much livelier and more himself, and we are one week seizure-free!