What You Need To Know

The first thing pet owners usually ask themselves when they see their pet experience a seizure for the first time is, “What just happened, did my pet just have a seizure?” This is a natural response to seeing your pet go from their normal state to becoming unsteady, confused and falling to the floor. Seizures can look like a twitch or uncontrollable shaking and can last from less than a minute to several minutes. They can appear unconscious but seem to be paddling water and begin to drool. The sad news is pets can experience seizures just like humans.

I understand that watching your dog have a seizure is more than upsetting. I have written these short articles to help you navigate understanding this disease and assist you in helping your pet lead a happy and healthy life.

What is a Seizure?

A seizure is literally an abnormal burst of electrical activity in your pet’s  brain that the brain is unable to handle or compute. I discuss the causes of seizures In the section called What Causes Seizures?

Frequency and being committed to treatment:

The more frequent your pet has seizures the more predisposed they are to having more, so it is important to control seizures with proper medication and a regimen that will nurture a healthy nervous system. If your pet has seizures on a frequent basis they may be diagnosed with epilepsy. You will need to be committed to providing your pet with their medication on a routine schedule and in going to the Veterinarian for regular drug monitoring.

The Goal of Seizure Treatment:

The goal of seizure treatment is to typically have less than one seizure every 6-9months.

Keeping yourself and pet safe during a Seizure:

When your dog has a seizure especially if it's a violent one stay away from the pet's mouth, your pet will be in chomping their mouth since they're completely uninhibited during a seizure. In this state they may unknowingly hurt you. Remember your dog is not conscious of what it is doing. If you can move them to an area where they will be safe from hitting their head or if they are on a hard surface like concrete, place something under their head. This might mean dragging them onto a carpeted area.

Keep a Calendar:

I often recommend that my clients keep a calendar to keep track of their pet’s seizures. This will allow your veterinarian to determine the frequency of the seizures over a certain period of time.