Cory's Story

There are several different types of canine seizures that you may want to know about. A partial only affects a small area or just one side of the body. The most common type is a grand mal. The dog will fall over, go into convulsions, salivate, urinate and defecate involuntarily, and be unaware of surroundings. In a petit mal, the animal looks like it simply passed out, as there is no convulsing.

A seizure has three recognizable phases that you will notice if you observe closely. In the pre-stage, also called the aura, dogs appear restless, whine, salivate, or try to hide. The ictus is the episode itself. Collapsing, convulsing, salivating, and vomiting may occur. The postictal phase is the recovery and can last from minutes to days. They may appear uncoordinated and disoriented. Temporary blindness can sometimes set in.

The exact trigger of episodes such as these is still unknown. However, it has been noticed that a state of excitement tends to set off an attack in many pets. This could be anything from playing to greeting visitors or even yourself when you come home from work at the end of the day. Some dogs also appear to have their seizure while sleeping, but should not be confused with simple dreaming. You cannot awake a seizuring animal.

Many various conditions can be the cause of episodes of this sort. One of these culprits is called diabetes mellitus. Like humans, canines can have this metabolic disease. The pancreas doe not produce enough insulin, causing dangerously elevated glucose levels. Or sometimes they’re too low, which is called hypoglycemia.

The consumption of certain toxic substances may also be to blame. Chocolate is a toxin to dogs and should never be given to them. Something else to watch out for is antifreeze. Animals are attracted to its sweet smell and taste. However, it only takes a small amount to kill a pet, as it slowly shuts down the kidneys through crystallization.

Canine distemper, an extremely dangerous virus, can sometimes also cause seizures. This particular disorder completely ravages nearly every area of the dog’s body. It’s very contagious and also has an incredibly high death rate. The suffering of the animal during the process is great. Avoid contraction of this deadly illness by having your pet vaccinated against it each year without fail.

If your veterinarian cannot find an exact cause, either one that was mentioned or one of several others, he will most likely diagnose the dog as epileptic. Epilepsy simply means recurring seizures not associated with another condition. Caused by random firing of neurons in the cerebrum, they’re most likely due to a chemical imbalance. It most commonly appears from ages of six months to five years.

Should your animal have a seizure, there are things you should be prepared to do. First, try to stay calm. If he’s not on the floor, put him there so he can’t get hurt from a fall. The dog will not swallow his tongue, so don’t put your hand in his mouth; you may be bitten. Clear the room of other pets and children. Carefully observe the dog so you can accurately report it to your vet. If it lasts more than three minutes or immediately repeats, call your vet immediately.

Canine Epilepsy: An Owner's Guide to Understanding & Living with Canine Seizures

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