Epilepsy in dogs is not something you need to spend sleepless nights about.
After the first seizure it is important that you contact your local vet as there are a lot of medication that he will be able to prescribe for your pet Labrador to keep the occurrences of seizures under control.
With accurate medication, some amount of monitoring your pet's behavior and a lot of love, this problem is very easily taken care of.
Some of the most common drugs that are used to control epilepsy in dogs such as Labradors, German shepherds and poodles are phenobarbital, bromide and diazepam.
Of the three, phenobarbital is the most commonly prescribed drug for canines.
Other forms of research based treatments are underway,but it is not advisable unless the dog is suffering from very serious conditions.
Your pet's veterinary doctor will most probably give you medication for the dog based on its weight.
The general theory being heavier and larger dogs get a higher dosage whereas smaller dogs are prescribed a lower dosage.
For very severe cases the doctor may prescribe more than one medicine, this is however rare and it is a good idea to always check with your doctor as to why a certain medicine is prescribed.
Phenobarbital is sold under the brand name Epiphin.
The important aspect that you need to take into consideration while giving it to your pet is that you need to make them take the drug regularly twice a day.
If your timings are a bit off, the low levels of the drug in the blood will not prevent the onset of a seizure.
On the other hand high levels or overdose of this drug will result in severe conditions of liver and renal problems along with toxicity.
Bromide is not a very commonly used drug these days, and is both effective and harmless.
The biggest complication with this drug is that it causes vomiting and other stomach disorders which can be controlled by giving it along with the meals.
Also, this drug does cause liver damage and cannot be given to pets with preexisting liver disorders.
Older Labradors are especially predisposed to liver disorders, hence this needs to be taken into consideration while administering the drug.
Diazepam is generally administered during seizures.
This drug is only recommended in cases where the dog has prolonged seizures that do not subside.
Most anti epilepsy drugs have short term effects that tend to make the dog dull, nauseous and even dizzy.
These are common and given time the effect of the drug will wear out, however care should be taken that you do not overdose your dog.
Keep testing your dog every once in a while to ensure that there is no long term damage because of these drugs.