When it Looks More Scary Than it Really is

When it Looks More Scary Than it Really is

“I think my dog is having a seizure and I don’t know what to do!”

This is the frantic cry heard by Melody, our receptionist the other night.  She calmly asks the owner “Can you describe what is happening right now?” The owner replies that her dog was lying on her side with her legs straight out but twitching and she peed herself and is lying in a puddle of drool. She is sitting up now but looks wobbly and out of it. Melody asks how long the event has been going on for and the owner replies “at least 5 minutes.” Now although it feels like 5 minutes has passed, it is possible it is less. The truth is most seizures will last anywhere from a few seconds to a minute and a half. Often there is a period of looking dazed and confused right before the event and for several minutes after the event. Pets usually recover uneventfully within half an hour. Melody asks the owner to bring her pet in right away for an examination and by the time they arrived 30 minutes later, this pet was acting her normal self.

A seizure is defined as a “physical finding or change in behaviour that occurs after an episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain.”  The term for the disease is Epilepsy. Epilepsy can onset at any age in a dog or a cat. When the pet starts to have seizures at a young age we generally assume it is idiopathic epilepsy (epilepsy for an unknown reason, usually a genetic abnormality). If it suddenly onsets in a senior pet it can sometimes mean there are other potentially serious medical conditions. Seizures tend to be left untreated if they have an episode less than once per month. Often the progression of epilepsy leads to more frequent seizures over time and treatment then needs to be initiated.  Treatment consists of an oral anti-seizure medication that is given for life once it is started.

So while it looks scary to watch your pet suddenly collapse on the floor and start paddling, it does not mean the end. Calmly call your veterinarian and describe what is happening, if possible take a video.  Your vet will instruct you to go in right away to ensure their safety and instruct you on the next steps.

Brigitte