The Basics You Need To Know About Seizures in Dogs
For dog parents, there are a few things as alarming as witnessing your furry buddy having a seizure attack. These situations can make dog parents feel helpless and out of control at times. Seizures can occur anytime, and dog parents should be well aware of this condition. Thus, for that, we have come up with a blog about the basics of dog seizures that every dog parent should know about.
Symptoms of Dog Seizures
Seizure symptoms in dogs include:
- Chomping
- Collapsing
- Drooling
- Foaming at the mouth
- Jerking
- Loss of consciousness
- Muscle twitching
- Stiffening of body
- Tongue chewing
Types of Dog Seizures
There are several types of seizures that can affect dogs. They have been listed below.
- Generalised Seizures
- Tonic-Clonic Seizures
- Tonic Seizures
- Atonic Seizures
- Clonic Seizures
- Petit Mal Seizures
- Myoclonic Seizures
- Partial or Focal Seizures
- Simple Partial Seizures
- Complex Partial Seizures
- Cluster Seizures
- Status Epilepticus
Causes of Dog Seizures
The causes for seizures in dogs are innumerable, and hence, are classified into extracranial causes and intracranial causes.
Extracranial Causes
- Elevated body temperatures (hyperthermia)
- Liver disease
- Low blood calcium levels
- Low blood sugar levels
- Kidney disease
- Parasites, such as fleas
- Thyroid gland disease that causes low thyroid hormone production
Intracranial causes
- Brain tumours and trauma
- Cerebral infarction
- Congenital diseases
- Degenerative brain conditions
- Infectious diseases like bacterial, fungal, rabies, etc
- Nutritional imbalances
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Tips For Dealing With Dogs That Suffer From Seizures
A dog having a seizure is not that easy to handle, and thus, pet parents should know how to deal with such dogs. For that, here are some useful tips that need to be kept in mind when dealing with dogs that have seizures.
- You need to focus, and for that, you first need to stay calm.
- Make a note of the time your dog had a seizure and also the duration of it. This information can be very useful to the vet.
- See to it that your furry pal is not conscious or in pain, even if he may sound like it.
- Dogs do not swallow their tongues when they have a seizure, so do not grab his tongue as they could possibly bite you.
- Keep your dog away from stairs during a seizure attack to avoid him from getting hurt, and instead, stay next to him and comfort him.
- Dogs may urinate during a seizure attack. While many think this is a sign that the seizure is decreasing, but in fact, it is not true.
- Seizures that last for more than 180 seconds can put your pal at risk of overheating. Try cooling him down by applying wet towels and cold water near the groin, paws, neck, and head.
- Make a journal and list down the time and date your pal has seizures. It will help your vet figure out the pattern of your buddy’s seizures.
Seizures in dogs are a sign and not a disease, but they can be fatal if you do not act upon it as soon as possible. Furthermore, in case of an emergency, call up your vet immediately!