There are ongoing studies being done to locate the genes that cause hereditary epilepsy in many dog breeds, with the end goal of breeding these genes out of the bloodlines.   Progress has been made, but is so very slow.   If you do have a dog who's breed is prone to epilepsy, please check to see if a study is in progress (do a Google search or ask your vet).  You may be able to help by requesting a free DNA sample kit (generally a simple cheek swab, though some are beginning to request blood samples too) and then sending this back with your dog's pedigree information.  Perhaps someday, this heart breaking illness will be eliminated. 

Above and below are photos of Golly (short for Goliath) with two of  my boys.  These are a couple of years old, before Golly became ill, and are some of my favorites.  He loved to 'sit' on the couch with us......but always kept one hind foot and both fronts on the floor though, so technically he wasn't completely on the furniture!:o)  For those curious, Golly was a huge dog, a true 'gentle giant'........he was big even for Mastiff standards.  He measured about eight feet long from nose to tip of tail and weighed 240 pounds before he died...........that's a sofa sized dog!  Surprisingly,  he really didn't seem to take up all that much room.  He was just part of the family, and happiest when close to us. 

Below are photos of Golly with his cat friend, Abner.  The two of them were inseparable, with Abner always seeming to know when Golly didn't feel well and needed some extra cuddling.   Abner missed Golly so much after he was gone.

Just after Thanksgiving 2007, we lost our beloved English Mastiff, Golly.  Golly had suffered from Grand-Mal seizures caused by genetic epilepsy for more than a year prior.  Regardless of medication, eventually Golly worsened to the extent that we had to let our dear boy go.......this was the most difficult decision I have ever had to make.  Golly was my friend, daily companion, and though I didn't need it, my protector too.  He was loved so very much by all of us.....his absence in our home is still sorely felt.  We all miss him so much.  This page is dedicated to Golly........and to all the other dogs/familys who have been stricken with this horrible canine disease.  For the giant breed dogs, it is a death sentence.......we were lucky that Golly didn't present with symptoms until he was four.  Most often it is much earlier than that.  As it was, we lost him years before his life expectancy........and yes, I feel robbed of that time with him.  The comfort I have is knowing that he is now free of pain and illness, and playing happily beyond the Rainbow Bridge, waiting to see us again.