Seizures in Dogs. What’s An Owner To Do? –by Luellen Hoffman
Seizures are a mystery, surface unexpectedly and come without warning. When my sweet 16-year-old Shih Tzu, Zoey had her first seizure last fall, it caught me off guard, and it was very difficult to witness. Reluctantly, I shared my story with a friend who had a Jack Russell Terrier that was in his senior years. She said her dog experienced them often, and he was on medication to help control them. Her vet was at a loss as to what triggered them, but he put her dog on heart medication, which did curb the seizures. While dog owners gen- erally don’t like to talk about this sub- ject, after sharing my own dog’s sad experience, I was surprised to learn how many other dog owners were having the same problem. Watching your dog having a
seizure is both a sad and frightening experience. Many questions rush through your mind, from what is going on, or why is this happening, to what should I do? There is little time to prepare yourself emotionally for seeing a seizure, but with some prior knowledge and under- standing, you can support your dog and help get them through it by not resorting to fear or panic. There are many causes for seizures including brain tumors, epilepsy and even diabetes when a dog has low blood sugar. The average length of a seizure for most dogs is around
We asked Dr. Michael Wong, DVM,* a top veterinary
neurologist in Miami, Florida, about seizures in dogs. TNB: What is the most common cause of canine seizures? Dr. Wong: “Seizures are the most common neurological con- dition we see in dogs. There are basi- cally three main causes. The first broad category is known as ‘extracra- nial’ causes (outside of the brain). Examples include poisons, low blood sugar, severe liver or kidney prob- lems, electrolyte abnormalities and others. Blood and urine tests usually reveal these causes. The second broad category is
Zoey Hoffman, after one of her seizures.
‘intracranial’ causes (something phys- ically wrong inside the brain). Examples include brain tumors, strokes, meningitis, encephalitis and congenital malformations. Detecting these requires advanced testing such as MRI and spinal fluid analysis (spinal taps). The third broad category is idio- pathic epilepsy, the most common
three minutes or less, though it may seem like a lifetime. There are several things you can do during the seizure to help your pet. • First, do not panic or start freaking out. You need to stay
calm in order to help your dog safely through the ordeal. Dogs sense fear, so stay calm and focus on your pet. • Move your dog to a safe place, away from any stairs, or
sharp objects that could injure. • Unlike in human seizures, dogs are not likely to swallow
their tongue, so do not try to hold your pet’s tongue. Keep your hands away from their mouth, so that you do not get bitten accidentally. • It is okay to calm your do by talking, petting and quieting
them while they are having a seizure. While any dog that has experienced their first seizure
should be seen by a veterinarian, in many cases it may not be necessary to rush your dog to an emergency hospital. If your dog was acting normally prior to the seizure and your dog resumes normal behavior afterward, schedule a veterinary appointment as soon as you can.
78 THE NEW BARKER
cause of seizures in dogs. It is due to an inherent hyperexcitabil- ity of the cells that make up the brain. Generally, most dogs with idiopathic epilepsy are between one and five years of age when they have their first seizure. They test normal during physical and neurological examinations and they exhibit normal behavior between seizure episodes. Many dogs with idiopathic epilepsy have a regular pattern to their seizures (e.g. every month, or every six weeks, etc).” TNB: What should you do while your dog is having a seizure? Dr. Wong: “As difficult as it may be, the most important
thing to do is to remain calm. Most seizures are self-limiting. While it may seem like your dog has stopped breathing, do not attempt to put your hands near their mouth, as they are not cognizant and could bite you without knowing it. Try to keep them away from any hazards such as pools or stairs. If it is your pet’s first seizure, going to an emergency clinic is warranted. If the seizure lasts longer than three-four minutes, or if there are multiple seizures within a 24-hour period, you should take them to your veterinarian as well. There are other diseases that can be mistaken for a seizure,
including heart problems, balance problems and other move- ment disorders. Since most pets are back to normal by the time they are evaluated by a veterinarian, a short video of the episode (if possible) is often very helpful for when your dog is evaluated by your veterinarian.”
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