Epilepsy in Dogs
It’s not always easy to recognise the signs of epilepsy in dogs. It may look like the dog is having an angry nightmare and wakes up panting or barking as though they were chasing something in their sleep.
The owners genuinely don’t realise that their dog has had a seizure. Some of the signs are very subtle.
There are a number of different types of seizure and, although some are rare in animals, we thought that we should include them all since ‘rare’ doesn’t mean the same as ‘will never happen’.
Absence Seizures, also known as petit mal, are rare in animals and will involve a complete loss of consciousness. They occur suddenly and last for only a short time, possibly even moments.
Myoclonic Seizures involve sharp jerking of one or more muscles.
Clonic Seizures are similar to Myoclonic, but the jerking is better described as repeated and rhythmic contractions.
Tonic Seizures are signified by an increase in the definition of muscle across the entire body as all of the muscles contract.
Tonic Clonic Seizures, or grand mal, is the type of seizure a dog is most likely to suffer from.
These seizures are signified by a Tonic element, in which a dog may fall on its side because it has no muscle control and all of the muscles are tense, a loss of consciousness occurs at the same time, followed a Clonic phase of uncontrolled muscular spasms which may be either muscular jerks or a frantic paddling motion. Urination and defecation is not uncommon in more serious seizures.
When the dog’s seizure is finished he may seem dazed and confused and may also bark as a result of his confusion.
It’s important to consult with a vet after you even suspect that a dog may have had a seizure, as they are distressing for both dogs and owners. There are several causes for a dog to have seizures and it’s important that factors other than epilepsy are ruled out before prescribing any medication.
Epilepsy cannot be cured but its effects can to some extent be controlled with medicine. A dog diagnosed with epilepsy will need to be medicated for the rest of his
