Minnie’s Story: My Cockapoo No Longer Has Seizures After Taking Medication
Minnie developed seizures when she was 2 years old
Meet my dog Minnie (short for Miniature). Minnie turned 11 years old in September and is a cockapoo. When people ask, I tell them she is a cockadoodle (play on all the doodle breeds).
Minnie developed seizures when she was 2 years old. It was heartbreaking to watch her go through them. At first it was a few, but then they got more frequent. She would have multiple, one after another.
My family and I took her to our veterinarian, who put her on potassium bromide once a day. She loves to take them first thing in the morning with a pill pocket. Good news — she is now seizure free!
The Food and Drug Administration conditionally approved potassium bromide chewable tablets for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy in January. Conditional approval means the drug is safe, but studies for effectiveness are still ongoing. Animals including dogs, cats, cattle, horses and rats helped prove the salt is safe.
Thanks to medical research, Minnie lives a very happy life. She walks three miles a day and sleeps on her king size bed (that she generously shares with us, her humans, at night). She loves to go camping to watch squirrels and chipmunks. (READ: Spunky’s Story: Cancer Didn’t Stop My Cat From Living a Fulfilled Life)
Our dog no longer has seizures thanks to animal research helping people and animals!
Linda Tockey is the executive director at Scientists Center for Animal Welfare.
**Photos courtesy of Linda**
Robert (Bob) is pictured above comforting his adopted Florida rescue dog, Max, waiting for his antianxiety medicine to kick in as a storm rolls in. He developed storm anxiety at age 10 after becoming an only dog when Bob’s 13-year-old golden retriever passed. Max takes trazodone daily and alprazolam as needed for anxiety. Both prescriptions are filled at the local Walmart, as they are human drugs too.
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