I have a staffie who is 4.5years old he has been epileptic since jan 07 he has fits every 28 days and they are multiple the most being 12 in one day.he always cluster fits. He is being medicated with phenabarbatone(240mg/day) and potassium bromide(650mg/day) however he still has the seizures.when he has the fits I have to give him diazipam to try to stop any further fits occurring however I am not convinced this makes any difference and last month he had 40mgs although for his weight the dose should only be 4.8mgs and the seizures seem to only stop when he's good and ready!he's had blood tests and nothing has been found although for some reason the theraputic level of the phenabarbatone in his system was very low at 17(the range is between 15 and 45) even though he is taking such a huge dose of medication.I mentioned to my vet that all the dog does is drink and pee constantly and had mixed reasons given for this such as damage to the brain from the seizures making the dog psyco and that the medication may make him thirsty.the dog has been getting larger and swells through the day as his water consumption grows and on somebody else's advice(not a vet) I had him tested for diabetes insipidus which he has now been shown to have although no treatment has started yet I would like to know if there could be any link between the epilepsy and the diabetes insipidus as my vet is saying no but I think his medication is getting diluted as he pees about 30 times every night and he always has his fits in the middle of the night whilst asleep with nothing to stimulate him it doesn't make any sense to me

I am afraid your question is best answered by a vet. Certainly large doses of powerful drugs can cause side effects. It is part of the reason many drugs aren't available over the counter. Although somebody eager to help may do a net search, I don't think we will be much help here.

The trouble is some of the stuff the vet has said has been wrong in the past and I also see an emergency vet as the seizures always happen in the middle of the night and they tend to contradict each other so I never know who's right although my usual vet said there isn't medication available for dogs with diabetes insipidus I have found multiple web sites that say otherwise I think he's getting bored of me asking to have tests done as I am trying to find a reason for the epilepsy and he just says it might be best to put rhino down but until I'm convinced that there is no medicle reason for the fits I won't consider this and as I've already proved he did have the diabetes insipidus which I was told was just a fat dog

Half of the vets graduated in the bottom 50% of their class. Back when my Aster was still working as a dog guide, the vet her partner was using at the time practically let her waste away from colititus. The vets at the dog guide school clinic, found and fixed the problem. Perhaps it is time for you try a different vet. Seizures are a tough, hard to diagnose problem, and sometimes little can be done.

Rinky, I am so sorry to hear about Rhino's problem. I cannot imagine the stress this is causing both you and your dog. Frankly, it doesn't sound like your vet is doing his utmost to try to resolve the problem. DI is not a common disease found in dogs so, although I am not surprised that your vet is dismissing this, I am disheartened that he doesn't appear to be the least bit curious in doing research on it and seeing what he can turn up. There is treatment for dogs with DI. But, it is also important to rule out other illnesses such as Cushings Disease which is common in dogs. I am the kind of person who would leave no stone unturned and I would probably give your vet a piece of my mind if I were in your shoes. After reading your post, I was also struck with the thought that the epilepsy might be a resulting reaction due to the DI being left untreated. In thinking about the whole scenario, the vet is giving you drugs that help control epilepsy, yet there is no sign of the epilepsy ceasing or even slowing down. So my train of thought is, if the drugs are doing nothing to help him, as it appears to be the case, then there is a very good chance that your vet is wrong in continuing to keep your dog on those drugs. But, I am not a vet and I cannot tell you this with any complete certainty. However, if I were in your position, I wouldn't hesitate to switch to the vet(s) at the Emergency clinic and follow their advice. If they only do emergency work and do not take on clients as part of a regular practice, ask them who they would recommend in your area who is willing to help you further with this issue and work in conjunction with them. You need a team of people who care and will do their best to find out exactly what is going on. Your dog deserves to be given a chance at as normal a life as possible, and so far, your regular vet is striking out. If it turns out that nothing can be done and you need to put him down, at least you can find some comfort in knowing that you did everything that you could.

I don't know what links you found online, but these might be of help to you. There are people whose dogs have DI, that have formed a support group on Yahoo. It might be very beneficial for you to join it if that is what your dog is suffering from. diabetes_insipidus_dogs : Diabetes Insipidus_dogs (http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes_insipidus_dogs/)

There is a foundation for Diabetes Insipidus for Humans, but they have a page for pets. You might find some useful info in the links within that page. DI in Pets (http://www.diabetesinsipidus.org/di_in_pets.htm)

I truly hope you find some answers, and in doing so, find relief for your dog.

Ruby has come through with some great links. Work with what she has given you.

I should have mentioned this earlier, if your dog is suffering from DI, it isn't the drugs that are making him thirsty, it is the disease. You need to ensure that he gets all the water he requires. Never let his water bowl get empty. It is vital that a dog with DI has unlimited access to water. He could quickly become dehydrated. I am left wondering if the epileptic episodes show up when his water dish is left empty too long.

No He Has Water Constantly,drinking Around 4litres A Day! The Epilepsy Happens Every 28 Days Not Sure Why But Its Not When There's A Full Moon So Hes Not A Werewolf. I Spoke To A Different Vet Today Who Said One Of The Epilepsy Medications Rhino Is On Is Salt Based Which Would Encourage Drinking Along With The Salt In His Dried Food So I Am Going To Prepare All His Food Myself So I Know That It Doesn't Contain High Levels Of Salt They Are Also Going To Do More Tests And Hopefully Find Out What's Going On

I am glad that someone is doing more tests on him. This is very good news. Continuing to work with the vet who is encouraging you and willing to put in the extra effort to help your dog, is a smart move. Hopefully you will find him some relief for his problem. Good luck!

I would strongly urge you not to try to prepare your dog's own diet. He has enough problems without a poorly balanced diet. Although dog's nutritional need are well known, digging up all the ingredients needed is difficult. Much of the negative disinformation about commercial dog chows comes from those selling recipes and ingredients for your own diet. Many less sophisticated people are taken in by the marketing hype. I have challenged these people to show me some proof any home made diet can be better than a commercial chow. I get nothing but links to discussions of ingredients and unproved claims. I just don't trust any of them. People can post anything they want to the net.

If fixing his food was the idea of the second vet, I would find a third one more in tune with his mainstream colleagues. I am sure there are low salt chows out there.

I am feeding a mixture of meat,carbs (potato,pasta or rice) and veg he also has cereal and some bonios I am led to believe this would be near to a natural diet most commercial dog foods contain salt and additives even the more expensive ones he was being fed iams

Lead to believe by who?

Suppose you knew a breeder that bred hundreds of dogs a year, mostly Labs, Shepherds, and Goldens. They provided all the medical care for most of them the first year. At the end of it, they did a complete physical including hip X-rays on all of them. They then spent $35,000 training them before giving them away. They have a large data base of breeding records. Dogs with any physical or temperamental problems are unfit for the program and are a waste. Their well equipped clinic and vet staff are available for serious problems as long as the dog is working. When the dog is no longer able to work, it is replaced at again the $35,000 plus a large emotional upheaval for the person depending on the dog. They have experimented with different diets and exchanged data with other such breeders. Don't you think that what ever they are feeding is healthy and safe? What kinds of controlled studies do you have backing your choice of diet? How objective are the sources of your information? Is your dog's health, their top priority?

I have been raising puppies since 1991 for a large dog guide school that does exactly that. What do they feed? They instruct us to feed Pro Plan chicken and rice puppy chow until 4 months and then switch to adult Pro Plan chicken and rice. I know enough of the people with the trained dogs to know they continue the Pro Plan. The group I meet with monthly for training includes people that have raised puppies for 6 different service dog schools. Some of them are feeding other premium commercial chows including Iams and Eukanuba. Any dog owner wanting a healthy, long lived dog can make this regimen work, leaving more time to spend on the dog. It is also relatively economical.

Canine epilepsy and diseases that cause seizures in dogs (http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/) look over their info. It may be helpful for you.

Here is a link go down to commercial and there is a section called pet diet evaluation.American College of Veterinary Nutrition / Links (http://www.acvn.org/site/view/58669_Links.pml) I know you are desperately looking for an answer for your dogs health... if I were in your shoes I guess I would be willing to try anything.
Also try to find a book or vet that will guide you in doing this, you want to make sure your dog receives all the nutrients he needs.
There are many diets on the market that may be beneficial to your dog, I will name a few , Bil Jac, Flint River, Eagles pro pac, blue buffalo, Merrick you may be able to call these companys and find out how much salt is in their foods. A lot of people in my area swear by Bil Jac. Good luck to your dog. Btw there is a list of foods that you should not feed your dog this is not the complete list but it gives you an idea.
Do not feed your dog the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Grapes & raisins
- Moldy or spoiled food
- Onions, garlic & chives
- Poultry bones
- Salt & salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems & unripe fruit
- Yeast dough

I do think it would be wise at this time for Rinky to discuss in detail, any dietary changes and what is best for his dog with the vet that is now treating him, if he hasn't already done so. I understand Rinky's frustration and desperation trying anything that might offer his dog some relief. Of course, it is very important that Rinky avoid doing anything that may undermine his dog's health any further. I am sure he is concerned about that too. I don't know if that means switching his diet completely or sticking with a kibble, or a combination of the two. Rinky, I hope your choice in cooking the meals were discussed thoroughly with the vet now treating your dog. As has been pointed out here by both labman & bushg, and you do want to ensure your dog is getting all the vitamins, minerals, (basically) all the general nutritional requirements he needs to promote optimal health.