Learning To Cope With Seizures In Dogs

Seizures in dogs can be a concerning occurrence for the owner or carer. Finding out about what they are and the different types can help you to understand why they are happening and what to look for before another one occurs. You should learn what you can do and what you shouldn't do if you witness one. There are things which you could do to help your pet through their recovery and a diagnosis and treatment plan can be discussed with your vet.

These episodes are due to a malfunction in the brain, this might be seen as a sudden burst of activity or other unusual activity. This will result in a loss or reduced consciousness and this may be quite disturbing for those who witness it, particularly for the first time. The length of time can vary and in most cases will be no more than a few seconds, if it lasts for more than five minutes you should contact your vet. In some severe incidents the seizure can last for up to an hour.

What may appear as an amusing leg twitch or an unusual mouth movement that the animals appears to have no control over may be a focal seizure. The more obvious and well known type of occurrence is the full body stiffness with some involuntary movement of part of the body, and perhaps uncontrolled barking or whining. These are called Generalized seizures.

It is sometimes possible to see when a seizure is going to occur with the presence of unusual behavior. Your pet may appear worried or frightened by an apparently imagined reason. Once the incident is over you may find that your animal has still not returned to its usual self and there may still be some behavior which seems out of place, they might appear lost and confused.

Remember to keep calm so that you can help your pet, move any dangerous objects which they might crash into if they move. Take care not to touch or try to comfort the animal as this could result in you being hurt involuntarily by the dog. As any responsible animal owner would do you will more than likely need to ring the vet who can advise you on possible causes and treatments.

When your animal comes back around and is responsive they may still appear somewhat out of sorts. Try not to crowd the animal or swoop them up into a reassuring hug, keep calm and talk gently to them. This may help them to re-orientate themselves to their surroundings. They might appear tired or unsure of what to do and they might have urinated during the seizure. Keep an eye on them and make a note of what happened and how long the incident lasted so that your vet can have all the details.

Medication could be the solution to a diagnosis that indicates a repeat of the occurrence, although it can take time to find the medication best for your dog our vet will help you to make the right choices. Other reasons for fits might be tumors which might be removable, sun stroke or injury. Both which might be short term illness and may be controllable by simply changing the environment or dealing with the cause.

Whether it is the first time you have witnessed a seizure or the tenth time you might see that there are differences and what you should look for in an attempt to predict their occurrence. You will learn how to behave both during and after in a way that is most suitable for your pet and your vet can advise you on suitable long term care plans.

By Celine Europa

Posted in: PETS