Help! My dog is having a seizure!
What is epilepsy?
Brain cells communicate with one another by sending electrical signals through connections/nerve fibers. Excessively strong electrical signals are weakened and directed in the right way. With epilepsy, there is abnormal electrical activity in a dog’s brain: the electrical signals are not weakened, or too many signals are sent in a short period of time… As a result, a dog has an epileptic seizure during which the animal no longer has control over its body.
Epilepsy can be hereditary, but the condition can also be caused by a structural ‘defect’ in the brain or by unknown causes.
Epileptic seizures can be divided into different types:
- A generalized seizure involving the entire body.
- A focal seizure involving only part of the brain.
- A cluster in which several seizures occur in rapid succession. A dog is also considered to have a cluster when it has more than one seizure in a day.
- A psychomotor seizure is an epileptic seizure during which a dog behaves differently than usual. For example, the animal may be more vocal than normal, such as whining frequently. The animal may also snap at its own tail or at imaginary insects.
- Status epilepticus is a seizure that lasts longer than 10 minutes. Contact your veterinarian immediately if this happens!
What does epilepsy look like in dogs?
During an epileptic seizure, a dog has no control over its body. The animal often suffers from muscle cramps/muscle contractions; as a result, dogs also frequently lose control of their bowels. A dog may also foam at the mouth during a seizure. In most cases, dogs are (partially) unconscious.
When a dog has an epileptic seizure, it progresses through three phases:
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- The onset, also called the pre-ictal phase or aura: this phase can last several minutes or even hours. During the onset, a dog may be very restless or, conversely, very calm, affectionate and/or frightened.
- The seizure, also called the ictus: during this phase, the animal often loses consciousness and collapses. Uncontrolled muscle contractions then occur. During an epileptic seizure, a dog may also have more difficulty breathing. An epileptic seizure often lasts a few minutes, but if it lasts longer than 10 minutes, it is important to contact your veterinarian!
- The period after the seizure, also known as the post-ictal phase: after the seizure, a dog will regain consciousness. The muscle contractions stop and breathing returns to normal. A dog is often confused after a seizure, so always handle your dog calmly and carefully after a seizure.
During an epileptic seizure, a dog has no control over its body. The animal often suffers from muscle cramps/muscle contractions; as a result, dogs also frequently lose control of their bowels. A dog may also foam at the mouth during a seizure. In most cases, dogs are (partially) unconscious.
What are the causes?
An epileptic seizure can have various causes. It may be primary epilepsy or secondary epilepsy. Primary epilepsy is hereditary and occurs frequently in certain dog breeds; this form of epilepsy is often seen in animals older than 1 year. With this form of epilepsy, the seizures have no identifiable cause. With secondary epilepsy, the seizure is the result of another health problem, such as trauma (an accident), a tumor, infections, congenital abnormalities, severe liver or kidney disease, or poisoning.
The treatment of epilepsy
When there is an underlying problem causing the epileptic seizures, this underlying problem is treated or removed. However, this is not always possible; in these cases, a dog will receive medication.
It is important to know how often a dog has epileptic seizures. An animal is often only given medication for the condition when an epileptic seizure occurs more than once a month.
The treatment of epilepsy consists of the medication phenobarbital or Pexion. Bromide is also a commonly used medication for epilepsy.
With effective treatment for the condition, the intervals between seizures will become longer, the severity of the seizures will decrease, and the duration of the seizures will be shorter.
Dog breeds that are prone to epilepsy
Any dog breed can develop epilepsy. However, certain breeds are more susceptible to the condition. These include poodles, schnauzers, basset hounds, collies, and cocker or springer spaniels.
Important considerations
It is not possible to stop an epileptic seizure in your dog. Keep in mind that your dog has no control over its body, so be careful.
Important points to keep in mind during a seizure include:
- Stay calm, however difficult this may be. The best thing you can do is observe your dog carefully and wait for the seizure to end.
- Try to keep track of how long the seizure lasts.
- Clear space around your dog if there is furniture or other objects nearby. This can help prevent your dog from injuring itself on the furniture or other objects.
- Do not try to restrain your dog during a seizure.
- Does the seizure last longer than 10 minutes? Contact your veterinarian!
If your dog has an epileptic seizure for the first time, it is best to contact your veterinarian after the seizure. You can then schedule an appointment to have your loyal companion examined. This makes it possible to rule out or confirm secondary epilepsy.
