Pet Health Information

Seizures

Seizures are a fairly common disorder in dogs that may occur for a number of reasons. A seizure may be a relatively mild partial seizure (petit mal), characterized by altered mentation, focal involuntary muscle movements, or abnormal behaviors, such as biting at imaginary flies. More serious generalized (grand mal) seizures are characterized by loss of consciousness, paddling of the limbs, and possibly involuntary urination and defecation. Generally, there is a period both before and after a seizure when the animal may act disoriented, depressed, or uncoordinated. This period may last from a few minutes to a day or two after the seizure.

Although it may be frightening, a single, limited seizure is not harmful to your animal. Should one occur, keep your animal quiet and away from any harmful objects. Do not attempt to place anything in the mouth as you may be inadvertently bitten. Having an owner comfort their pet during a seizure may shorten its duration. Seizures that last longer than five minutes seizures or multiple seizures are an emergency requiring medical intervention since they may cause severe dehydration, low blood sugar, or an elevated body temperature. Intra-venous anticonvulsants and supportive care are generally necessary after prolonged seizure activity.

There are many potential causes for seizures. Metabolic diseases, such as liver or kidney diseases, low blood sugar, or electrolyte abnormalities may bring on a seizure. Toxin exposure, include lead poisoning and certain pesticides, has also been known to induce seizures. Epilepsy is an important cause of seizures, but not every dog that has seizures can be said to have epilepsy. With epilepsy, first seizure occurs between six months and five years of age, and no abnormality is found during a diagnostic workup for seizures. Trauma to the brain, inflammation of the central nervous system, and brain tumors are other intra-cranial causes of seizures.

If your dog has a seizure, the first step would be to have a physical and neurologic examination to check for signs of metabolic or neurologic causes of seizures. Routine lab work, including a complete blood count, chemistry profile, fecal examination, and urinalysis, will give an overall view of your animal’s health. X-rays of the chest and abdomen may be warranted to check for signs of disease, especially tumors in an older dog. Further investigation of intra-cranial causes of seizures would entail a spinal tap and imaging of the brain using a MRI or CT scan.

It is very helpful to record in a log when your animal has a seizure, how long they last, and any precipitating events. Should the seizures become more frequent or severe, anticonvulsant medication would be considered. Phenobarbital is a barbiturate commonly used to control seizures. Most dogs tolerate it well, but it may cause sedation, increased thirst or liver damage. To minimize the risk of side effects, the concentration of Phenobarbital in the blood should be measured periodically to allow us to choose the correct dosage for your animal. Potassium bromide (KBr) is another anticonvulsant, which may be used alone or in conjunction with Phenobarbital. Periodic measuring of the blood concentration of KBr is also necessary. Anticonvulsant medications generally decrease the frequency and severity of seizures, but seldom eliminate them.

Most dogs, once they develop seizures, continue to have them for the rest of their lives, requiring monitoring and possibly medication.

If you have any questions concerning seizures in pets, direct them to your veterinarian.