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Heartgard and seizures?

This forum is for dog lovers seeking everyday advice and suggestions on health-related issues. Remember, however, that advice on a public forum simply can't be a substitute for proper medical attention. Only your vet can say assuredly what is best for your dog.

  
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Member Since
04/22/2004
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Barked: Mon Aug 8, '05 6:51am PST 
Hi Dogster pals. Last week, I told you guys my mommy had taken me to the vet, and he said I have epilepsy. We're working on me eating a more balanced diet and taking a nutrition supplement, and we thought it was going pretty darn good. But mom gave me & Gizmo our Heartgard this past Saturday and put on our Frontline, and yesterday afternoon I had a really bad seizure, worse than any I have had before. It really scared us! Now, we are noticing what may be a pattern of these happening on the day after Heartgard. H-m-m-m.... Anyone else think that's a possible problem?
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Shadow - 6/27/89 - 1/21/06

Mommy's little- angel girl
 
 
Barked: Mon Aug 8, '05 8:31am PST 
I had seizures but not after using Heartgard. I had them after mom put Frontline, Bio-Spot or any of those types of flea killers on me. She can use the sprays on me but not the drops you put on my back. I don't know if they are more concentrated or what.
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Member Since
12/31/1969
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Barked: Mon Aug 8, '05 9:11am PST 
I would guess it's the frontline, not the heartguard, but with a 'sick' dog already, either or both given can cause this, especially when given so much medication on a single day. I would try not giving the frontline at all, and try homepathic remdies.
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Member Since
04/22/2004
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Barked: Mon Aug 8, '05 9:18am PST 
Yeah, we did the Frontline on Friday morning, though, and things were fine. However, we are definitely going to investigate the homeopathic approach. I'd rather use citrus oils and other essential oils, etc. I lean toward it being the Heartgard because in thinking back, when Pokie first came to us, I halved the Heartgard because it seemed like too much for a little guy, and he'd seized the DAY we got him so was being super careful, but did use the Frontline. Well, the first month was fine, but the 2nd was where we had a seizure after the Heartgard and Frontline. I told my vet that I had halved the Heartgard and was told that he may not have gotten ANY of the med in the first half and ALL in the 2nd because it's not evenly distributed in the beef cube. Since we do live where mosquitoes can be a problem, we will find a good homeopathic blend for spray or learn to make it ourselves. Thanks for the concern. We WILL CONQUER this.
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Member Since
12/31/1969
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Barked: Mon Aug 8, '05 9:44am PST 
You may want to consider changing the type of heartworm 'preventative' as the heartguard isn't suppose to be used by a lot of border collie type dogs due to a blood brain barrier issue, which might be an issue with your pup. Also, the cycle of the heartworm actually allows you to give the pill every 5-6 weeks instead of every 4 weeks.
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Echo

Born to lick!		 
 
Barked: Mon Aug 8, '05 1:34pm PST 
Hi! We use advantage- half the dose for Echo's size. She's extremely sensitive to meds. But she's done just fine on it. She hasn't had to have vaccinations since her last seizures so we can't say for sure whether those caused them or not. But she had been bathed with a Hartz (I hate that company) flea shampoo before her last seizure so we're really careful.

I'd work with your vet and talk with other epileptic dog owners on what they use. If you look up the epilepsy stuff you'll find even some homeopathic things can cause seizures. So it's best to move carefully and research it a lot. I'd say it was the heartguard and the frontline that could cause them. If you have to do one, do it without doing the other. It's the best way to see if it's causing the seizures. But again, we cut out any and all medicines and only used advantage when the flea problem got too tough. I've heard lavender can help with fleas. Some lavender oil dropped on their back between their shoulder blades. We haven't tried it. Just be extra careful what you do. Seizures are definately not fun!
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♥Stit- ch♥

I love my mom.		 
 
Barked: Mon Aug 8, '05 6:15pm PST 
I had to change from heartguard to interceptor. I threw it up within 30-45 minutes after eating it. Heartguard has side effects on some collies & shelties. Maybe it just doesn't agree with you either.
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Member Since
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Barked: Tue Aug 9, '05 1:28pm PST 
Another thing I just found with epilepsy...don't get your dog vaccinated again, at all, ask for a medical waiver from your vet. NO dog should ever be vaccinated if sick in anyway, this includes epilepsy!
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Barked: Tue Aug 9, '05 2:30pm PST 
Thanks Ginger. I was thinking the same thing. He's frisky and doing well now, but I just don't think it's worth the risk. He's not allowed to run loose and only interacts with our other pets who ARE vaccinated, although we're leaning toward every other year or every 3rd year since they are all healthy and don't roam and have limited exposure to other animals.
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Sterling

Yes, I am the- Center of the- Universe		 
 
Barked: Wed Aug 10, '05 1:36am PST 
Wow ... a few issues going here, in this thread.

First, the Heartgard. Heartgard is Ivermectin, which I've never had any problems with, in either dogs or horses, but Ginger's right, I've heard that shelties and collies may have allergic reactions to it.

I would be more likely to think that the Frontline caused your problem. I use Frontline with no problem on Sterling, but this type of flea treatment is absorbed into your dog's fatty tissues, so a reaction might not occur until a day or two later (when enough has accumulated into their fatty tissues).

Either way, I wouldn't administer both medications on the same day (not that you did, but just in case).

Regarding vaccinations ... Sterling is highly sensitive to vaccines too. Your vet can do a titer test (I may have spelled that wrong). Anyway, your vet takes a blood sample, and the lab checks it to see your dog's levels of antibodies for the disease/s in question. If the antibody levels are high enough, your dog doesn't need his/her booster that year. If not, you go ahead and get the shots. Just a thought ... and it works well for us.
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