In February of 2016, I was presented with Tanner, a 97.6-pound six-year-old M/N German shepherd with a history of seizures. His owner, John, was referred to me by his human chiropractor. Tanner was experiencing full and often severe epileptic-type seizures approximately every three to five weeks since September of 2014. The primary clinic exam found no musculoskeletal or neurological abnormalities. Bloodwork showed a mildly elevated ALP. Tanner had been put on phenobarbital, potassium chloride and Keppa with no relief. Since the current medication regime did not affect the severity or frequency of Tanner’s seizures, John had removed him from all medications by the end of December. The seizures continued every two to four weeks when I met Tanner and John in February.
On exam, Tanner’s lumbar muscles from T10 to L3 were very tight. The nuchal ligament was also tight. He had normal biceps abduction angles, and thin and tight patellar ligaments. Dry needle acupuncture was initiated relative to the initial exam findings. I prescribed a Chinese formula for the seizures. We continued acupuncture and herbal formulas every month. While talking to John, I learned that three or four years prior to our meeting, Tanner had run into and flipped over a retaining wall, but little was thought of it since any obvious soreness was gone within a few days.
The severity of Tanner’s seizures lessened over the next three months, but they continued to occur. A radiograph showed a mild and quiet greenstick fracture line on the axis wing, mild occipital arthritic changes and inflammation. Tanner was anesthetized with a combination of ketamine and diazepam i.v. A solution of 15% dextrose was prepared, using 1cc of 2% lidocaine, 3cc of 50% dextrose, and 6cc of sterile water into solution. A 25ge x 1.5” sterile needle was put out for use. We also collected 3cc of plasma from Tanner. The dextrose solution was used in multiple taps at the nuchal ligament attachments on C2, along the nuchal ligament and its insertion, and the cervical vertebral ligament attachments. The plasma solution was used on the occipital protuberances where the arthritic changes were more evident, most cranial vertebral ligaments, and the C1 wings – especially noting the area of the greenstick fracture line to facilitate stem cell healing. Here I chose to use plasma in areas that not only needed more healing than strengthening, but also where I was working closely to the brain stem and spinal cord. Tanner was sent home with instructions for no collar, no neck pulls and neck ROM exercises using treats several times daily.
Tanner had a very minimal seizure two days post-procedure, but none at the normal three-week mark. Three months later, his owner reported there had been no seizures from May until August – a period of three months! Tanner had another mild seizure the end of August, so another prolotherapy session using the same protocol was set up for September 1. Tanner was again seizure-free until late November 2016 – almost another three months.
John had the carpets cleaned and that night Tanner seized. He was put on 97.2 mg of phenobarbital daily by his primary veterinarian, which has kept the seizures under control. As of July 2017, Tanner was seizure-free on a minimal dose of phenobarbital.
