Seeing your furry friend experience a seizure can be scary for both of you. It’s hard to know how to help and what to do, especially the first time you see one happen. However, while you may not be able to stop a seizure, knowing the causes and how to react can help keep your pet safe (and your heart rate down).
What seizures look like in pets
A seizure is a sudden surge of uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain that works like a circuit breaker, disrupting your pet’s normal functioning.
Seizures can affect your pet’s movement, behaviour and consciousness. After a seizure, your pet can appear dazed, confused and disoriented, and they may have trouble walking or seeing. These effects can last for hours after an episode, so pets should be monitored during that time.
Common causes in dogs and cats
There are a few different causes of seizures in pets, including:
- Epilepsy: Idiopathic epilepsy is an inherited condition in dogs and it’s the most common cause of seizures. Typically seen in dogs from six months of age up to six years. Breeds at higher risk are Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Beagles and German Shepherds. Cats can also develop epilepsy, but it’s less breed-specific.
- Toxins and poisoning: Some seizures can be caused by poisoning from foods (such as chocolate and the sugar substitute Xylitol), rodenticides (from rat and mouse baits), human medications and certain plants.
- Metabolic disease: Low blood sugar and electrolyte imbalances can cause seizures in pets, as can kidney failure and liver disease.
- Brain disease: A hard knock to the head can cause a seizure, as well as tumours, which are generally seen in dogs more than seven years old.
- Infections: Various viral, parasitic (common in cats), fungal and bacterial infections can cause inflammation in the brain (encephalitis or meningitis), often resulting in seizures.
Signs of a seizure
There are two main types of seizures – generalised (full body) seizures and focal (partial) seizures. Full body seizures can involve your pet collapsing, kicking legs, stiff muscles, foaming or drooling, urinating and possibly a loss of consciousness. Partial seizures are less noticeable with face twitches, jaw chomping, sudden anger or fearfulness, and zoning out. Often pets remain conscious during these partial seizures, so they can easily be missed.
In the hours (or minutes) before your furry friend’s seizure, you may notice your pet being more restless, clingy, whiny or they may even hide from you. Afterwards, they may be confused (understandably), they may pace a little, be extremely hungry or thirsty, exhausted or even temporarily blind.
What to do during a seizure
The most important (and hardest) thing to do if you suspect your pet is having a seizure is to stay calm. Your furry friend needs you to be the steady rock during this scary time. Once you have taken a deep breath, follow these steps:
- Keep your pet safe: During a seizure, your pet may lose control of their movements. Remove any furniture or objects that may hurt them, but avoid moving actively seizing pets unless safe.
- Don’t hold them: Although it may feel like the natural thing to do, try not to hug your pet during a seizure as they may become unusually aggressive or fearful. Keep your hands and face away from their mouth as well, and don’t offer them any treats or their favourite toy.
- Time the seizure: This information may be useful for your vet to know, so keep a record of how long the seizure lasts, the symptoms and what their recovery looks like. Video footage can be helpful for a diagnosis.
- Stay with your pet afterwards: The effects of a seizure can last for up to 24 hours in your pet so, if possible, monitor them and try not to leave them alone for long periods of time.
When seizures are an emergency
It’s a good idea to speak to your vet if they have experienced a seizure for the first time or they have recurring seizures. See your vet immediately if:
- the seizure lasted for longer than five minutes;
- your pet experiences multiple seizures within 24 hours;
- they were exposed to any toxins; or
- their recovery lasts longer than 24 hours
Diagnosis and treatment
After a seizure, your vet may want to rule out any underlying causes using a combination of blood tests, urine testing, liver function testing, an MRI (or CT scan) or spinal fluid analysis to detect brain disease. Treatment includes emergency medications, anti-seizure medications and specific treatment plans for specific causes, including liver support, toxin decontamination and treatment of tumours.
If your pet is diagnosed with epilepsy – a chronic condition causing recurring seizures – long-term management may include routine blood monitoring, seizure tracking, managing triggers (if your pet has any) and anti-seizure medication.
Most pets with epilepsy can live full lives and enjoy life between their seizures.
Preventing seizures
While medication can help control and lessen the severity of seizures, there are ways you can care for a pet prone to seizures at home. These include:
- A strict routine for meals, walks and sleep time to reduce any extra stress.
- Consistency with administering medications – never skip a dose.
- Pet-proofing your home for toxins.
- Managing any underlying conditions that trigger seizures, like liver disease and kidney failure.
- Identifying any triggers, such as flashing lights, a TV screen flickering, emergency vehicle lights, thunder, fireworks or vacuum cleaners. These can stress our furry housemates and bring on seizures in some cases.
