What You Need to Know About Dog Seizures

Witnessing a dog or other pet having a seizure can be frightening, especially when it's your pet that loses control, falls over, chomps its teeth, salivates, drools, whines, paddles its paws, and possibly loses bowel and urination control. Eyes can enlarge (dilate) and your pet is unresponsive. Seeing a seizure happen to your dog or pet, you might panic and feel helpless.

Hopefully, your dog will never have a seizure experience. But, this information will help you understand the possible causes of seizures, and what to do and why if your dog has one, and the various treatment options available.

Epilepsy in dogs is one of many causes of seizure.

Some dog breeds are more prone to epileptic seizure. However, causes for "hereditary" epilepsy are not known for certain. Included in this group are: Keeshond, Tervueren, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, Collie, German Shepherd, Irish Setter, Golden Retriever, Dachshund, Labrador Retriever, Saint Bernard, Miniature Schnauzer, Siberian Husky and Wire-haired Terrier.

Dogs with allergies to dog foods with chemicals, preservatives and artificial flavors can have seizures.

Other causes include liver and kidney disease, tumors, poisoning, and low blood sugar.

If your dog is having a seizure, stay calm.

Although difficult to do, a calm, quiet, reassuring voice will comfort your dog. Remove objects that could be dangerous to or hurt the dog, or place pillows or wrap blankets between the pet and the object. Slide something soft under your pet's head, keeping your hands and face away from its head so not to risk a possible bite. Gently stroke the dog's hip or side, but be positioned on the opposite side of the feet and toenails. Muscle spasms can curl paws into claws that can rake your skin. Dim lights. Keep the environment as quiet as possible.

Write down observed details about the dog's seizure to report to your veterinarian.

Your veterinarian will want to know the time of day seizure occurred, time length of the seizure, time between each seizure if recurrent, if your dog urinated or defecated, if seizure hit suddenly or progressed from body twitching, when your pet regained consciousness, how long before your dog appeared normal again, and whether anything occurred leading up to the dog's seizure. Were there possible triggering events such as loud noises like fireworks, unusual items ingested or excessive activity or exercise?

Some veterinarians will want to see if your dog experiences a subsequent seizure.

Some will immediately perform blood tests, checking for anemia, liver and heart functions, calcium, glucose, and electrolyte levels. The veterinarian may run screens for toxins, take x-rays, or perform an electroencephalogram, although test results may not reveal reasons for the dog's seizure. Your veterinarian might wait to see if the dog has another seizure and may suggest medications. If the diagnosis is epilepsy, the dog has an excellent chance for a normal life with proper medical care and follow-up.

After seizure, dogs often appear lost or drugged. This state can last a few minutes to several hours depending on the severity of the dog's seizure. Your dog may respond to you, but react slowly. Seizures are exhausting. Your dog will probably want to sleep afterwards. Check your pet occasionally without disturbing its rest.

Eliminate the source of the seizures; you may be able to eliminate future seizures from occurring.

If your dog's seizures are due to chemical toxins, eliminate those toxins as much as possible. In any case, feed a diet of human grade food and treats that are free from chemical preservatives, fillers and by-products.

Natural approaches can help some pets, either prior to stronger medications or in addition to them, so you may be able to use lower doses.

Varieties of treatment options include a natural diet, nutritional supplements, homeopathy, herbs, conventional medications and acupuncture. Sometimes, placing an ear acupuncture tack in a dog's ear will stop seizures, and this requires only one acupuncture visit. Or, your pet can be treated with traditional Chinese acupuncture.

Rate Article

Related Videos
Play Video How to Treat Seizures in Dogs	Play Video How to Teach Your Dog to Behave Pt. 2	Play Video How to Call Your Dog to You	Play Video How to Get Your Dog to Comply	Play Video How to Teach Your Dog to Behave Pt. 1

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Dogs" article category.

People interested in the above article "What You Need to Know About Dog Seizures" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

 

Should You Get A Female or Male Dog

It's a fact that male dogs are normally more aggressive and destructive, particularly in small spaces are the typical characteristics of male dogs as held by some dog keepers. If you want to have dogs that are easier to train and more loving in nature, then you might as well settle for the female dogs, or 'bitches' as they are perceived to have those traits. You just can't generally say that these stereotypes are true and relevant to all since it will still vary from the breed of the dog. Choosing a female dog means either taking the initiative to neuter, or deal with the issue of the dog being in heat. Failure to take action for doggy birth control means that you're constantly trying to find homes for cute litters of pups.

Dalmation Training Can Help Solve Many Dog Problems

Through a 1956 novel and two Disney films, this spotted breed has gained popularity especially among families with children. Unfortunately, this popularity didn't bring much good but resulted to the breed suffering greatly from the hands of irresponsible breeders and owners who lack experience particularly in terms of dalmation training. If only owners are well aware of proper dalmation training, the number of dalmations abandoned and turned over in rescue shelters could have been lessened.

Where Is Your Chihuahua? Rescue Update

I recently heard a newscaster talking about a glut of Chihuahuas in shelters in California. Practicing what I preach I decided to do a little snooping to see what is up with this loveable little breed. Here's just part of what I found.

Where Golden Retriever Training Can Help A Child-Shy Dog

Some golden retrievers unfortunately grow up and mature not interacting with many kids. The result is that the occasional dog will show visible signs of tension, hesitation or fear (but not aggression) when approached by more than one child. Otherwise, in most cases, these dogs have generally docile and affectionate personalities. But, as has been said, the typical dog with this condition will appear uncomfortable when on a walk or passing by a park.

Golden Retriever Training: Where New Dog Owners Can Start

People have countless different motives when answering what kind of tricks and training they give their golden retrievers. Some keep in mind dog therapy, others a semi-working status in their farm, still others are preparing the dog to be successful at the trials, and still others to make the dog just a plain simple fun household member. Behind it all is the fact that since the golden retriever is so smart, the training process itself promises loads of fun.

Golden Retriever Training to Develop a Responsible Guide Dog

If not all, most golden retrievers are used as guide dogs and mobility assistance dogs because of their sociability towards people, calmness and willingness to learn. Young puppies that are confident, friendly, healthy and responsive are then picked to be placed in volunteer families called puppy raisers. Puppy raisers are responsible for socialization and developing the pup's social behavior in general. Socialization is a requirement to proceed to next step which is the golden retriever training for guide dogs.

The List of 'Dalmation' Things (And Only Where Dalmation Training Figures In)

Dalmations can do lots of things other dogs can't do. Teaching some dalmations to fall asleep in their basket will not amount to much, since a blatant lack of shame will make them stealthily crawl to your bed to snuggle under the covers beside you. It's indeed a mystery how a 30-kilo something dog can manage to claim its share of cotton and linen without being discovered. What's not a mystery is how said linen and cotton will look after so many nights. Learn more about it in this article...