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Dogs Have Seizures For Many Reasons: Know What To Do And Why
Hopefully, your dog will never have a seizure experience. But, this information will help you understand the possible causes of seizures, and what to do and why if your dog has a seizure, and the various treatment options available.
Epilepsy in dogs is one of many causes of seizure. Some dog breeds are more prone to epileptic seizure. However, causes for “hereditary” epilepsy are not known for certain. Included in this group are: Keeshond, Tervueren, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, Collie, German Shepherd, Irish Setter, Golden Retriever, Dachshund, Labrador Retriever, Saint Bernard, Miniature Schnauzer, Siberian Husky, and Wire-haired Terrier. Dogs with allergies to dog foods with chemicals, preservatives and artificial flavors can have seizures. Other causes include liver and kidney disease, tumors, poisoning, and low blood sugar. If your dog is having a seizure, stay calm. Although difficult to do, a calm, quiet, reassuring voice will comfort your dog. Remove objects that could be dangerous to or hurt the dog, or place pillows or wrap blankets between the pet and the object. Slide something soft under your pet’s head, keeping your hands and face away from its head so not to risk a possible bite. Gently stroke the dog’s hip or side, but be positioned on the opposite side of the feet and toenails. Muscle spasms can curl paws into claws that can rake your skin. Dim lights. Keep the environment as quiet as possible. Write down observed details about the dog's seizure to report to your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will want to know the time of day seizure occurred, time length of the seizure, time between each seizure if recurrent, if your dog urinated or defecated, if seizure hit suddenly or progressed from body twitching, when your pet regained consciousness, how long before your dog appeared normal again, and whether anything occurred leading up to the dog’s seizure. Were there possible triggering events such as loud noises like fireworks, unusual items ingested, or excessive activity or exercise? Some veterinarians will want to see if your dog experiences a subsequent seizure. Some will immediately perform blood tests, checking for anemia, liver and heart functions, calcium, glucose, and electrolyte levels. The veterinarian may run screens for toxins, take x-rays, or perform an electroencephalogram, although test results may not reveal reasons for the dog’s seizure. Your veterinarian might wait to see if the dog has another seizure and may suggest medications. If the diagnosis is epilepsy, the dog has an excellent chance for a normal life with proper medical care and follow-up. After seizure, dogs often appear lost or drugged. This state can last a few minutes to several hours depending on the severity of the dog’s seizure. Your dog may respond to you, but react slowly. Seizures are exhausting. Your dog will probably want to sleep afterwards. Check your pet occasionally without disturbing its rest. Eliminate the source of the seizures; you may be able to eliminate future seizures from occurring. If your dog’s seizures are due to chemical toxins, eliminate those toxins as much as possible. In any case, feed a diet of human grade food and treats that are free from chemical preservatives, fillers and by-products. Natural approaches can help some pets, either prior to stronger medications or in addition to them, so you may be able to use lower doses. Varieties of treatment options include a natural diet, nutritional supplements, homeopathy, herbs, conventional medications and acupuncture. Sometimes, placing an ear acupuncture tack in a dog’s ear will stop seizures, and this requires only one acupuncture visit. Or, your pet can be treated with traditional Chinese acupuncture. Minimize stress to your dog. Avoid sudden changes in its environment, loud noises, and stressful situations. There are herbs that act as sedatives such as valerian root (relieves stress, anxiety and nervousness), passionflower (calms an over-stimulated nervous system), kava (not recommended for pets who are depressed), skullcap (calms tension, eases spasms and induces sleep) and oatstraw (for heart and nerves, high in calcium, phosphorus, vitamins B1, B2, A and E). Note that when using herbs and supplements, you may need to lower the dosage of other anticonvulsants. Some products may lower your pet's seizure threshold making seizures more difficult to control. Clean your house with chemical-free products; use more natural flea, tick, and heartworm 
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prevention products. For safer heartworm prevention, use products containing interceptor and filaribits.
