Not too much new on the home front- which can actually be a good thing!  We had a lazy day yesterday. Well we did.  After we played outside and became suitably tired, my human went to cut some trees down.  OK.  Not trees – but branches on the trails to the lake.  We sat on the deck and Einstein barked out instructions. Unfortunately- still pretty squeaky. When he realized she wasn’t going to follow his plans, he went back in the house.

September 15. And according to the crazy calendar, today is Responsible Dog Ownership day.  It’s a day to remind the zombie humans that they need to be mindful and responsible if they own a dog. Most people ARE responsible – they understand that to own a dog you must give us the best food you can afford (steak every night would be nice, but kibble is ok too…), you must be sure we have fresh water ( and clean water as we don’t appreciate drinking slobber), you must take us to the vet when we need medical attention (even though we may not want to go), you must not keep us tethered outdoors at all hours of the day and night – in all kinds of weather conditions ( you live with a roof over your head – and so should we!), you must provide us with a safe place to sleep (preferably on your bed), you must train us to be obedient (whether we choose to do so or not is another story), you must pick our poop (and keep mental notes about quantity and quality), and you must not allow us to run free (besides being a nuisance, we could be hurt or lost or worse). Now most humans understand that these things are necessary to owning a dog.  But there are zombies out there, who just don’t THINK about these things. I know it’s hard to believe – but they do walk among us. 

Thank you for all the good wishes.  I read so many wonderful, supportive comments – some from people who I didn’t even know read my crazy blog!  They are clogettes- closet blogettes. It’s kind of weird to know that there are people around the world who read about our adventures.  And I hope we provide information from time to time that help people. 

Like his whole epilepsy topic…

I have what is called idiopathic epilepsy – which basically means I have seizures for some unknown reason.  For example, when someone has a brain injury – or even a stroke, they may sadly have seizures after the event.  So they know the cause.  But in my case, we don’t know why I have seizures. Mind you, it may have been from running into a tree at some point – I can be a bit reckless when chasing rabbits!   But that’s probably not it.

One of the first and most common drugs used to treat epilepsy in dogs is phenobarbital.  It is a “go to” drug.  Unfortunately,  in my case, it didn’t control my seizures.  So a second drug was added.  Potassium Bromide.  Which is kind of like salt. I’m not sure why I just can’t eat potato chips. They are salty.  But no – I needed the drug.   The problem with phenobarbital and Potassium Bromide is that they can have side effects.  Phenobarb can affect your liver.  And both of them can cause a condition called ataxia.  Ataxia is, in simple terms, incoordination of muscles.  In my case, my rear legs do their own thing at times.  So I appear weak.  I run to fetch a toy – which as you ALL know, I LOVE to do – and when I get to the toy, I often go rolling.  I also have trouble jumping up on things – like into the car.  I used to be able to leap onto the grooming table.  Not now.  (Truth be told – I still can, but I pretend I can’t).

Now before you start feeling badly – please note that my rear end is NOT so weak that I cannot stand and countersurf.  VERY easily.  In that particular situation, my back legs work JUST great.

Anyway, even with the combination of both of those drugs – I was still having seizures.  So we added a THIRD drug called Zonisamide.  When my human went to pick up the prescription (only available
through the vet) they didn’t have the pricing.  So she picked up the 3 month bottle.  After three months, she ordered three more.  Imagine her surprise when the bill came to $500 for the two prescriptions.  I think that’s when we added ads to my blog…

Also at that time, my human added CBD oil.  And as you all know, that cocktail worked like a CHARM for 112 days.  But while I wasn’t having  seizures, my ataxia was evident.  So, my human and our vet decided to wean me off the Potassium Bromide.  And I was ALMOST off it….and we know what happened next.

So now we need to go back on the Potassium Bromide.  Only problem – it can take 21 days before it stabilizes.  So we could be in for a rocky road.

Epilepsy is a very tricky condition.  What works for one, may not work for another.  And it is a balancing act – between seizures and side effects.

While epilepsy can affect any breed – including multi-breed dogs, there are some breeds more prone to it including the following:

• Beagle
• Keeshond
• Belgian Tervuren
• Golden Retriever
• Labrador Retriever
• Vizsla
• Shetland Sheepdog
• German Shepherd
• Dachshund

There has been some research helping to identify a cause.  For example,  in the  Lagotto romagnolo, there has been a gene mutation identified which detects a juvenile form of epilepsy. Scientists have also found a gene for progressive myoclonic epilepsy in Wirehaired Dachshunds.  So research IS happening…

My human has been encouraged by people who have related stories of dogs with epilepsy who go on to live long lives.  To be honest – I don’t feel badly when I have a seizure – but afterwards I am FAMISHED.  I mean FAMISHED – like normal PON starvation mode times ten.  Imagine THAT.  So I HAVE to eat.  Or I can’t settle down.  I race around (rather wobbily) searching for food.  So I have to be fed.  I go CRAZY.  That’s almost the worst part from my human’s point of view!

Anyway, that’s long – but really just a short snippet about epilepsy.  Well – about my experience with epilepsy.

We hope we can help others who may be sharing our journey by talking about it from time to time and we also hope to learn from others who are experiencing the same thing.  In the meantime – keep watching the counter – and we hope it continues to go up and up and UP!

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 1

Back to square one.  I had two seizures yesterday.  The first one happened while my human was in the bathroom getting ready to shower and go to work.  She heard a clunk sound and then Einstein started barking like crazy.  She ran out – and sure enough…

Well we still smell good.  So good that my human didn’t want us to go for a run on the golf course before she went to work yesterady – for fear we would get “dirty.”  Seriously.  So we just got to walk up and down the road. B.O.R.I.N.G.

I was scrolling through some articles on the net and came across a story posted by Good Housekeeping. They are the magazine/group that post a “seal of approval” .  Their seal is basically an approval rating on products that allows you two years to return any defective product that has their seal. They seem like a pretty reliable source.  So when I saw that they had an article about the 13 Best Guard Dogs to protect home and family, of course I HAD to check it out.  And here is their list:

1. Akita  – no surprise with these large imposing Japanese dogs.
2. Appenzeller Sennenhund – this one was a surprise. They are one of the four tri-colored Swiss breeds (which include the Bernese).  Who knew these small dogs were good guard dogs?  But I guess they did protect flocks.
3. Bullmastiff – kind of a surprise.   I mean they were bred as gameskeeper’s dogs and they guarded estates.  I guess the big, affable guys we see at shows don’t get a chance to show us their protective side.
4. Catahoula Leopard Dog – never met one.  Apparently they mature and act like adults by 10 months.  They are an American breed, and they are used for hunting.  Not leopards.  They hunt wild boar and have a crazy prey drive.  They are named for the leopard-like spots.
5.  Caucasian Shepherd dog.  Again – never met one.  They look pretty big and imposing – but are supposed to be great with families.
6. Doberman Pinscher – again – no suprise.  I expected them on the list.
7. Estrella Mountain dog – another one I’ve never met. They come from Portugal.
8. German Shepherd  – expected this one on the list.
9.  Giant Schnauzer – I know they were used during war time – so no surprise here.
10. Puli – who knew that the dustmops could be guard dogs.  The intruder might not know which end has the teeth…
11. Romanian Miortic Shepherd dog – Google these guys.  They look like PONs on steriods.  I want one.
12. Rottweiler – as expected
13. Staffordshire Bull Terrier – these guys can actually be pretty friendly – but they did make the list…

Note – no PONs on the list.  Or Picards.  Einstein is an EXCELLENT guard dog.  Hence the squeaky voice.  The FG…not so much.  Although….when he does hear something that concerns him, and he barks….ooooooeeeeeee – he sounds ferocious!  But he still didn’t make the list.

I actually think ANY dog COULD make the list.  Becasue we like to protect our humans.  And our food bowls.  Except maybe the Italian Greyhound.  Sorry. I like them – but I juuuuuuuust don’t see them as guard dogs.  Chihuahuas yes.  If one of those guys grabs onto your ankle it sure would hurt!  But sorry – Italian Greyhounds…no…..If anyone has a super protective Italian Greyhound- I’d love to know about it!

Well back to guard duty. 

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 112

Well if it wasn’t bad enough that Einstein had to go to the vet yesterday, the poor guy also was groomed -AND had a bath.  Actually, the FG also had a bath.  Somehow I escaped the bath – but not grooming.  My human really appreciates me on grooming days.  She can actually forget that I ate more dryer lint – and she didn’t think about the hole in the sheets.  Why?  Because I am a PLEASURE to groom.  She even SAID that. Mind you, she started with the FG and then did Mr. Drama King – so in comparison to those two, I am a SAINT.  Saint Viktor. Hard to believe, isn’t it?

Trouble in paradise.  Einstein is going to the vet today…

September 9. And on this day in 1791, the capitol of the United States was named after President George Washington.  Wonder why they didn’t just call it George?

So we have been behaving pretty well lately.  No running away.  No countersurfing.  Things were starting to get down right boring.  So SOMETHING had to happen.

It wasn’t a HUGE deal.  In my opinion anyway.  And the criminal has not yet been determined – although yours truly is the prime suspect.  But to know for SURE who carried out the crime, my human would have to do forensic bite testing.  If there is such a thing.

The reason I am the prime suspect is based on past behavior.  We all know how I LOVE to chew pillowcases.  It got to the point where my human had to go out and buy new sheet sets.  She didn’t have a single set of sheets that had matching pillowcases.

The first crime was noticed after she returned from her little trip with Marvin, early in August.  When we had the dog sitter.  She saw that SOMEONE had chewed one of the brand new pillow shams (that match the brand new coverlet.)  The damaged wasn’t too bad.  If you don’t happen to move the pillow sham.  My human had left a 43 page list for the sitter about all of our….hmmmm….quirks? – but she never mentioned the pillow case fetish.

My human is careful to ALWAYS the remove all the pillows – except those she is using – when she goes to bed at night.  And when she gets up, she takes the pillows off the bed and puts them on the dresser while she gets dressed to take us out.  So the opportunity to chew on pillow cases or shams has not presented itself lately.  So what does a fabric chewing canine do?  Turn to other fabric.  The flat sheet.  My human came out of the bathroom after she got dressed and went to make the bed.  And uh-oh….someone put a 6 inch HOLE in the sheet.   The new sheets.  The ones that match the new coverlet and shams.

We don’t know who did it – because no one was caught in the act.  As I said, I am the prime suspect – but really, it COULD have been any one of us.   It COULD have….

I suppose I had better watch out because that blog treat money may be used to buy new sheets.  Now THAT would be a shame….

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 108

So I’ve been thinking more about this whole name game with us dogs.  We know the drill – you pick a name you love from a HUGE variety of categories.   According to one resource, 44% of all dog names are human names.  Like Elroy.  Mind you, I don’t personally know any REAL humans named Elroy.  But I DO know a Viktor!

A source said that 53% of owners name their dog after a movie or TV character, or a book character or celebrity.  So we have Oprah, Buffy, Ivanka (too many syllables for MY liking), Yoda, and Sansa. 
So the OTHER 3% of names must come from some other category.   Like, for example,  some people name their dogs after internet terms like Fluffer and Clouds.  Then we have those dogs named after locations like Dallas, and Montana and Phoenix and Maine.  Really.  Somebody called their dog Maine.  Better than Connecticut I guess.

Then there are dogs named after “things” like Peanut, Oreo, Cricket, Tank, Cash, Biscuit and Tuppence.  I like Tuppence.  And Biscuit.  They have a cute sound.  That’s kind of interesting, isn’t it?  The name has to sound cute or cool.  I mean you can almost picture dog named Bullmastiff named Tank.   Or a cute Sheltie named Tuppence. 

I found a site that listed “unique” names like Blade, Won Ton and Wifi.  OK.  Won Ton and Wifi are just weird.

Here are some unique names that didn’t appear in any lists.   Somebody has probably already used them – but I don’t personally know any dogs by these names…  Pencil.  OK.  It’s weird – but it could be a Dachshund.  Never mind.  It’s just weird.  Lumber.  Easy.  Hammer.  Shocker.  Those aren’t bad.  Not REALLY bad.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about Oz a lot.  Wonder if he sleeps on a queen or king-sized bed?  Does he get along with Guy, the Beagle.  (Note:  another ONE syllable name…)  And how does he like the Corgis?   Does he get pheasant and quail for supper?  Is his food dish stainless steel – or sterling silver?  Does he have a BLOG?  I could help him get started…

Well it’s FRIDAY.  Let the weekend begin.  We missed my human this week.  But we WILL make up for it!

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days:  107