Seizures in Dogs

Of course and are little (or big) friend can have a seizure. And like we need specialist medical help so are dogs need it to. If our dogs look unhappy, unsteady and confused there must be something wrong. Best thing to do is go to the Vet so he or she make sure what it is and take good care of our beloved friend.

Before the seizure, it is possible our dog will look scared, worried and stress out. And just as with humans when the seizure occurs dogs may do things like foam at the mouth, twitch, drool, chomp, collapse, and make paddling motions with their legs. If our dog has a seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes, take him to a vet as soon as possible.

If our dog has seizure often. It is serious and he or she probably have seizure disorders. Another name Epilepsy.

What cause it

Some causes of seizures in dogs are preventable, but others are genetic or related to illness.
One of the most common preventable reasons that dogs have seizures is because they ingest something poisonous. Head injuries can also cause seizures in dogs.
Health issues that can lead to dogs suffering seizures include liver disease, kidney disease, anemia, encephalitis, strokes, brain cancer, blood pressure that’s too high (or too low), and electrolyte problems.
Certain breeds and family lines of dogs are more likely to develop epileptic seizures than others. Your dog is most likely to suffer from seizures if he or she is a Belgian Tervuren, Shetland Sheepdog, Beagle, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Keeshond, Finnish Spitz, Bernese Mountain Dog, Irish Wolfhound, and English Springer Spaniel. Genetic epilepsy most often appears between 10 months and 3 years of age but has been known to show up when dogs are as young as six months, or as old as five years.

Type of seizure

The most common kind is the generalized seizure, also called a grand mal seizure. A dog can lose consciousness and convulse. The abnormal electrical activity happens throughout the brain. Generalized seizures usually last from a few seconds to a few minutes.

With a focal seizure, abnormal electrical activity happens in only part of the brain. Focal seizures can cause unusual movements in one limb or one side of the body.Sometimes they last only a couple of seconds. They may start as focal and then become generalized.

A psychomotor seizure involves strange behavior that only lasts a couple of minutes. Your dog may suddenly start attacking an imaginary object or chasing his tail. It can be tricky to tell psychomotor seizures from odd behavior, but a dog that has them will always do the same thing every time he has a seizure.

Seizures from unknown causes are called idiopathic epilepsy.  They usually happen in dogs between 6 months and 6 years old. Although any dog can have a seizure, idiopathic epilepsy is more common in border collies, Australian shepherds, Labrador retrievers, beagles, Belgian Tervurens, collies, and German shepherds.

What to do?

Taking your dog to the vet to receive treatment for their seizures is incredibly important. Without proper medical treatment, dog seizure symptoms almost always get worse. Also, this can raise his risk of brain damage. At the vet, you can expect lab work and an extensive physical exam to determine the cause. Two of the most common ways to treat seizures are with phenobarbital and potassium bromide.
Foods and treats with a lot of salts can actually cause your dog to have a seizure if they are on potassium bromide, so cut them out of the diet.
Dogs suffering from epileptic seizures can drown while swimming if they have an episode, so it’s best to find safer ways to play and exercise.
Dogs can overheat if they have a long seizure, so put cold water on their paws and turn on a fan to lower their temperature. Never put water on a dog’s back to help it cool off.