For any pet owner, seeing their pet dog have a seizure can be a traumatic experience. Unfortunately, our pets can experience seizures the same way that humans do. If this is the first time that your pet dog has had a seizure, you should visit your local veterinary clinic as soon as possible for a checkup.
In this article, you will find out how to meet the challenge of caring for a pet dog that experiences seizures. First of all, let’s look at what is are pet seizures.
Type of Seizures
There are two types of seizures that your pet can have. A partial (focal) seizure or a generalized (grand mal) seizure.
Generalized seizures affect both sides of the dog’s brain and show symptoms of body jerking, twitching, and loss of consciousness.
Partial seizures in dogs affect just one side of the brain and will, therefore, only show symptoms on one side of the body.
Both types of seizures usually result in the dog falling over, becoming stiff, salivating, with a possible loss of bowel and bladder control. This usually lasts for 30 to 90 seconds.
After the seizure, your dog may be disorientated, seem agitated, and have increased thirst and appetite. This can last for a short time and be as long as 24 hours.
Warning Signs of Dog Epilepsy
If your dog experiences his or her first seizure, you may not have been able to notice the signs of a seizure. However, once a vet has diagnosed epilepsy, you may be in a better position to recognize signs of an impending seizure. Some of these are:
- Your dog appears worried, stressed, or dazed.
- Your pet might hide from your or seek attention for seemingly no reason at all.
- You may notice sight contractions in your dog’s limbs.
How to Treat a Dog that Has Seizures
When you bring your dog to a vet because of a seizure, your vet will carry out a thorough examination and then recommend the best type of treatment. Most of the time, antiepileptic medication is given, and you should monitor your pet’s weight closely.
The type of medication will depend on the frequency of seizures and severity of them.
Meeting the Challenge of Caring for a Pet with Seizures
Looking after your pet dog’s health and wellbeing is essential to lowering the risk of repeated seizures. In the initial stages of treatment, it may be necessary to have blood work done after the second and fourth week.
In some cases, it’s not possible to prevent epileptic seizures. However, you should avoid giving your dog salty treats as they can bring on seizures. Also, you should not abruptly stop the anti-epilepsy medication as that can cause more severe seizures.