A family bought a sweet yellow puppy from us almost 7 yrs ago. 2.5 yrs ago, this family returned their boy to us because they could no longer afford or deal with his grand mal seizures. I wouldn't have known their dog had developed seizures had I not called them up to see how their boy was doing. They just didn't think to call me I guess. This dog started seizuring when he was 1 yr old but he was 2 when the family and I got together with their boy and a few related dogs I owned for blood draws to participate in the epilepsy study in the midwest. While my vet thinks our boy's seizures are not genetic related but more to do with something that went wrong while still in utero..congenital issue. He had 9 other siblings in the litter and none of those dogs to date have seizured. The mother to this dog had several litters and non of those dogs seizured, nor the other girls that I kept out of those lines who went on to have litters.
Non the less, I would like to take this opportunity to express my concern about some breeders who know their dogs produce seizures and continue on their merry way. I don't think it happens a lot but epilepsy is inherited if seizing Labradors are cropping up in the same lines, obviously.
I have to say, our experience since taking our seizure dog back has been a real eye opener. I was warned by his previous family that I will be shocked when he has his first seizure at our house. I was thinking to myself, how bad could it really be. He was put on seizure meds shortly before we got him back. About 8 months later, he woke me up by thrashing against the living room wall, which woke me up. It was the most violent, horrible unreal experience I have ever witnessed in owning dogs. My vet upped his dosage, more liver panels, more changes of meds, more liver panels, seizures now every 3 to 4 months for awhile until his meds no longer work as he started having grand mal seizures every 10 hours so he is back on Phenobarbital all over again. It really is a viscous cycle. To keep him from going into 3 and 4 grand mal seizures in a row, I have to put liquid Valium up his anal.
It's hard to take vacations because of his seizures as I would worry about him even if we did leave him with someone else. We love him so much and his previous family loved him but I could tell, the situation of taking care of a seizuring grand mal dog was over whelming them.
Please breeders, participate in sending in blood samples for their research program so they can finalize their work and allow for a simple genetic test for this horrible disease.

This is very scary stuff to read. Thanks for sending in samples. A test would be great. I do wish more stud owners would do the right thing. The boys are out there producing so many more pups than the girls. Yes, might take both. But studs are out that we all know about. Just like the heart problems. This is so sad.

JOan, how is this study coming along? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? I am all for any tools we as breeders have at our fingertips to allow for healthy puppies. Thanks for doing this.

Anne,

Can you say very sloooooowly? The initial forum post, looking for blood from sibling pairs, was published 4 years ago this April. The last update published was in January, 2012 when there were 29 pairs and 200 dogs, counting the pairs and their relatives. That is a start.

Research techniques have evolved and the researchers have found the families are providing the most useful information. 25 pairs was what they were looking for for the initial mapping study. We have that. But, the more they get, the sooner they will have an answer.

I spoke with Jessie and she said they are talking to several labrador people who will be bringing in some sought after family groups. She asked that I wait for them to come in and then she will provide new numbers.

If we want this solved, it is going to require cooperation from the lab community as a whole. Please remember the PRA research. Several teams were looking for a test for PRA. Optigen came up with a marker test that did not provide accurate results. But it did bring in blood from a huge number of dogs. The blood for the marker test is what gave Optigen the blood they needed to come up with an accurate test.

There will be a test one day. The more help we labrador folks give them, the sooner that day will come.

How do I find the original seizure study thread?

put epilepsy in the search box found in the grey area at the top of each thread

Thank you! I also reached Joan today. We will be submitting a mother and most of the litter for the study.

Your tenacity in this research is admirable Joan.

What is sad is how many breeders don't retire Labradors that have produced epilepsy. The same is happening with TVD.

The only way to stop diseases that we don't have testing for is to stop breeding those dogs that have produced it.

I admire those that have donated blood from siblings with and without epilepsy and who have stopped breeding them also. Those that continue breeding producers or those with epilepsy or other diseases should be ashamed of themselves.

I've seen seizing dogs and it can be quite disturbing.

Remember, not all dogs that seize have idiopathic epilepsy. There are other diseases that can cause seizures. For example, low thyroid levels, kidney or liver disease and other medical problems. If your Lab seizes, get to the vet to try to find out the cause if possible. Either way, the dog should NOT be bred.

Thanks for all of the updates and hard work Joan.