Did Ivermectin for mange cause epilepsy that killed this dog?

Demodectic mange is an immune system problem.  Puppies can out grow it, but in adult dogs it is managed, but not cured.  Neutering, boosting the immune system, and controlling any underlying health problems are among the best ways to help such a dog. 

Keeping a dog free of demodectic mites is absolutely hopeless.  You and I have them!!   Ivermectin reduced the mites for this dog and good food probably boosted the immune system enough to control the mites most of the time.

Is Ivermectin the best way to treat a demodectic dog?  No, but I will let Callie address that issue.

Did Ivermectin contribute in any way to the seizures?  There is no way to know for sure without determining the underlying cause for the seizures, but do not beat yourself up.  You and the adopted family gave this dog the best care you knew how to give.  It may have been the only time in her life that someone really loved her.

Epilepsy is a disorder of recurring seizures.  See http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2105&aid=433 for a long list of things that can produce seizures.  Many of them really have nothing to do with Ivermectin.

One thing that is not on the list is diet.  Some dogs's seizures can be controlled by eliminating certain foods.  It is speculated that something (a virus?) damaged the blood-brain barrier of such dogs and that too much of some compounds in those foods are getting to the brain.

At the end of the list is "Primary or idiopathic epilepsy" which basically means seizures whose cause has not been identified.  Medical science just doesn't know enough about the nervous system yet!

Please pat yourself on the back for being willing to take in a sick dog and for giving her a good life.  Yes, it would have been nice if it had been a longer life, but "what if's" will do absolutely nothing but drive you crazy.

Ivermectin is a poor way to "treat" mange but it's the accepted, customary way.  The dose given for demodex is enormous, but that's how they do it. 

The problem is that it doesn't really kill the mites because it only stays in the body for 24 hours.  It stays in the bloodstream -- and it never gets to the skin where those mites live (demodex mites don't eat blood -- they eat skin oil). 

There's no telling what "caused" this dog's seizures.  Even a vet likely wouldn't have been able to identify it.  ANY toxin could have contributed to it -- vaccines (which would actually be more likely), pesticides (could have been what was in the lawn or garden of the adopters), or a zillion other things.

*YOU* didn't do this.  So please don't beat yourself up over it.  There are literally hundreds of possiblities of nearly invisible things that could have contributed and even then would have been no one's fault.

janet_rose

Please pat yourself on the back for being willing to take in a sick dog and for giving her a good life.  Yes, it would have been nice if it had been a longer life, but "what if's" will do absolutely nothing but drive you crazy.

I couldn't agree more with the above statement. 

Hello JanetRose,

 Thank you for the reply and web link.  You are right I shouldn't beat myself up about this.  It's settled in more 24 hours later and I've got a better perspective now.  Obviously if I knew what I was giving her was doing more harm than good I wouldn't have done it.  And you are right, she had a great 18 months of life with me and her adopters.  I have lots of photos of her frolicking in a creek on a hike and playing with my dogs. 

 Thank you!

I just wanted to say I agree with all the above posters in saying that this isn't your fault.  I've been down the road of questioning and second guessing and what if's and I know it's not a fun place to be. 

It means a lot to get support from you all out there.  Sounds like some of you have been there.  It's a waste of time and energy that could be better spent on positive things like loving those animals who are currently in our lives.  Now that sounds like a plan!  :-)

 There is, in my thinking, no cause for guilt. Demodectic mange is not only an immune problem, but it's also genetic. My feeling is that this poor girl drew the short straw genetically, much like my heart dog Ben who started out with demodex, was cryptorchid, came down with every tick disease known to vet science, had severe allergies, a genetic eye condition, hypothyroidism, and at last succombed to cancer at a relatively young age for a dog of his breeding. It's seldom that a problem like demodex occurs in a genetic vaccuum.