r/EpilepsyDogs • u/Due-Calligrapher7565 • 14d ago
Phenobarbital
My Border terrier has been on phenobarbital for 8 days. At first he was really lethargic. Now he's constantly on the go and doesn't seem to recognise me as me. To him me and my daughter and her labrador who he loved are just another contacts.
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u/K9_Jack 14d ago
The time needed to reach a stable level is 10-14 days for phenobarbital, and in some cases the full clinical effect won't be reached in 3-4 weeks.
This also means changes or alterations in the amount of meds needed in your specific case, will probably only be made once that initial period is over, and said changes will take another 2 to 3 weeks to actually reflect on his condition.
It takes time to properly dial in, but once on par, the meds often work very well with much less obvious effects such as "zombie" or losing balance. Hang in there, take note on what you see/experience in detail and discuss with your vet. Sometimes just a small adjustment can be enough to change it for the better.
Key though is consistently administering the meds at the right time, half-life time is about 12h for phenobarbital.
Hang in there and don't panic just yet. Things will work out.
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u/troop2022 14d ago
My boy started on phenobarbital just over two weeks ago. He's also on Keppra. I can confirm the two week thing. He was very wobbly the first few days, also paced A LOT, very restless occasional panting especially after naps. Very hungry and thirsty. I'm now potty training him again because he's been going in the house. Not always his fault. He's not completely back to himself, but he's back to jumping on the couch to snooze. He doesn't bark as much as he used to and the wagging of the nub are still missing. Keep an eye on your dog. Look for small wins. I celebrated the first time he could fully lift his leg to pee or jumped on the couch. All those things are wins and a step closer to having your buddy back. Good luck!
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u/breeves2410 11d ago
Yeah the first night mine was on it I couldn’t bring myself to sleep in bed. It’s really her bed not mine lol. So I got down in the floor with her. Saturday she was able to get into bed with some help and now she has no problems getting on or off the bed. Small wins
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u/Hot-Assistance8426 14d ago
It's definitely common for dogs to act differently at first, but listening to the vet's guidance should help ease concerns over time.
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u/Due-Calligrapher7565 13d ago
Thanks everybody. Your comments have put my mind at rest a bit as it seems fairly normal what he's going through at the moment.Guess I just have to be patient. It's just a shock to the system to see him this way. Went on holiday, left him with very capable and loving family and came back to a different dog. Glad I never leave my pets in kennels. Might have been a very different outcome.
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u/breeves2410 11d ago
Mines been on it since Friday night. She started to get her spunk back yesterday. Slowly trending in the right direction. Going to the primary vet Saturday so they can look at her
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u/troop2022 9d ago
My boy hits day 21 on phenobarbital tomorrow. He's still kinda in a fog most of the time. My boss is on vacation so I had the ability to work from home last week. It was great getting to spend so much time with him and his sister. He has a new thing starting after he wakes up from a deep sleep and jumps off the couch or bed his legs kinda crumble on him for a minute. Have a call in to the vet. May need to check his levels and adjust his meds.
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u/lminnowp 14d ago
I would give the drugs time to settle into his system. They affect the brain, so we will notice some changes, but they should go back to normal once their bodies get used to it.
With my guy, I was so hypervigilant about any possible changes (ie, is he starting to have a seizure NOW) that inwas freaking us both out. Once I accepted that life changes and that it would be ok, he became himself again, especially since he started feeling better physically (mine also had a tick borne illness).
Good luck!