Decision.....

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maisie

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My 6yo lab bitch has had 4 epileptic fits over the past year - one last Feb, one in Oct, one in Nov, and one this week. We haven't given her anything as vet advised not to medicate until they formed some sort of a pattern, or became much more regular. Spoke to vet yest after her last one and he now thinks from the waythey are pogressing and from her age, that they may be caused by a brain tumour
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Scenario is now to either medicate and hope she either improves or at least does not get worse, or send for MRI to get definite diagnosis of tumour - is insured so that is not an issue for the scan, however if it is a tumour, the insurance won't cover the cost of treatment so will likely have to medicate and wait and see anyway. (could have anything between 6 and 20 months ish to live).
I have no idea what I am going to do
 
Ohhh HUGE hugs... I'm afraid you need to do what is best for your dog... not your pocket (I don't mean that in a harsh way - as I realise money is a HUGE issue, well it certainly is for me!!)

If it were me I would want to know what it was.... so would have the MRI scan... remember there is 50/50 chance that it is or isn't a tumour.

Good luck in what you decide... xxx
 
Understand what you're saying - just don't know whether to go thru with the trauma of her having the scan, when the treatment will be the same whatever the outcome! Fact is I cannot afford for 'potential' tumour to be removed and I feel dreadful about that - she's my baby and I want her to have the best quality of whatever life she has left!
 
My policy is £2500 per 'incident' and the MRI is £1000 - I know that an op would be more than £1500 (I work for the vets)
 
Awe that's awful news i'm really sorry - i think i would have her scanned i would just want to know. You never know though shemay not have a tumour and hopefully they can keep her together with medication. Good Luck though i hope the doggy will be ok xxx
 
Sorry but in your shoes I would be scanning for the diagnosis and if it did come back as a tumour, given the life expectancy quoted, id seriously consider pts.

Sorry, I know its not a nice thing to suggest but you need a diagnosis to medicate and if you cant afford to do that it may be kinder in the long run to allow your dog to go now whilst she is still reasonably happy.
 
SHe is in no way ready to be PTS yet - absolutely fit and healthy apart from the fits and has no other day to day symptoms. She is not 'reasonably' happy - she is 'completely' happy and I would never let her get to a state where she is not coping with life. The fits actually bother me more than they bother her.
 
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SHe is in no way ready to be PTS yet - absolutely fit and healthy apart from the fits and has no other day to day symptoms. She is not 'reasonably' happy - she is 'completely' happy and I would never let her get to a state where she is not coping with life. The fits actually bother me more than they bother her.

[/ QUOTE ]maisie please don't get upset by what Spaniel has said... it is an option - but clearly as you say she is healthy and full of life (after Spaniels post).. and as of yet the fits aren't occuring on a regular basis.

I would have the MRI and see where to go - even if you have to pay the 'extra' ontop of the £1500 you have spare in the insurance money - surely that is the best option as you may have to pay just as much over the years on medication!?

Won't one of the vets do you 'mates rates' LOL!! - or even a payment scheme so you can afford the op if required?! - It's not like your going anywhere - you work there!!!
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As I said - good luck in what you decide. x
 
Like others I would go for the MRI scan, just to get the definite diagnosis - then treat whilst quality of life is still good (which it obviously is ATM
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) and enjoy each others company for as long as you can.

My whippet had a nose tumour which was basically inoperable, so it was much the same decision - then it came to the time when she was sneezing too much and wasn't happy, so had to make the decision. It was foul for me, but know it was the best thing for her. Ooops, sat at my desk crying now just thinking about it
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Sorry maisie, I didnt mean to upset you. However you did state in your post that there may be financial implications in this plus the life expectancy wasnt that long.

If you feel she is still happy then I would definitely have the MRI to confirm the diagnosis and then take it from there.

Surely work would let you have 'at cost' meds for her?
 
Umm... that rang bells... in the 70's my parents had Basset bitch who had fits but she had it since birth and was put to sleep at 6 years old due that she never recovered from her grand mal. As my parents was a breeder (they stopped when said pup was born) they didn't investingate further we thought it was down to the mother having had difficult birth (9 pups 7 still born 2 prematures which parents kept both,the other dog thrived well to 15 years old).

However i remember a friend who had black lab bitch which they intend to breed from, she never had fits until she started her first season at 2 years old she would have "mild fits" every few months until they changed their mind about breeding from her just incase fits passes on to pups, had her spayed and the fits never came back! The vets was baffled but put it down to possible hormone overload.... but we never be sure. She's now happy rickety 12 year old.
There is loads and loads of causes to fits, I certianly hope your dog's fits are manageable type, or have a reason to cause fits which is treatable and contiune many more years with you.
 
i'm sorry too - just a bit sensitive over whole issue at the mo. unfortunately the scan and op can't be done here - she has to go to a specialist referral practice for all that.
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Am waiting for relevant vet here to get in so I can have a chat with him about medicating etc he has a dog of his own on long term phenobarb and has researched the whole thing in a big way. Obviously there's always OH's view - which is that she can't have a tumour cos she hasn't got a brain!! bless
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Well my dog has a brain tumour although she hasnt had a MRI scan as she isnt insured and we couldnt afford £1000 so we are only going on the vets word. She is on medication which increases blood flow to the brain and has a very good quality of life as in eats drinks plays loves her walks and she is 15!
I would dicuss with vet and listen to there advise, my collie has good and bad days but the good far out weigh the bad. Also we get her medication from the web which is allot cheaper.
 
Bassett - thank you - I know they vary from dog to dog, but you have given me a tiny bit of hope - I think I will have the scan and hope if it is a tumour that we can medicate her. Did your dog have fits before they were diagnosed?
 
sorry that youre going through what you are with your dog. Our dog has boxer cardiomyopathy which is treated with medication. However last year he started to have fits. He is treated by Liverpool small animal hospital and they said that as long as each fit is not lasting any length of time that we should just note them down for monotoring. How long is each fit lasting? They said most dogs can live through life having fits and lead a normal life. Like your dog, Malic is fine once the fit is over and just stands there looking at me as if to say "what you looking at!" Its me thats left the wreck at the end of it! i am leaning to the opinion that if your dog is leading a completley happy life and as long as the fits are only bothering her whilst she has them then why not let her carry on as she is? You sound like you love her loads and im sure if it gets to the stage that it is affecting her quality of life you will know what the right thing to do is.
 
My collie had many symtoms from rolling eyes not knowing where she was and body shakes, not eating, sucken eye and loss of feeling on one side due to a stroke.
She has really good days and a few bad ones but at the moment she is really well and you would never know she is ill and has a good quality of life, spoilt rotten she is.
if in your situation i would get the scan if i could afford it and go from there, if she still has a good quality of life but has bad days i personally wouldnt put her down.
 
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