Learning To Cope With Seizures In Dogs
Most people are aware of seizures occurring in humans but not everyone is aware that there are also seizures in dogs. If you have a pet which suffers from these incidences then you should first find out what one is and how many types there might be. This will help you to understand what to look for and what to do if it occurs to your animal. There might be some things that you can do for your canine afterwards and some things that your vet can do.
Lasting anything from a few seconds to an hour it is important to know what causes it and the Vet should be contacted if they last for more than five minutes. Sudden activity in the brain or a change to the brain that happens rapidly and is unusual can be the trigger to such an occurrence. This is quite a shock to human witnesses and they may find themselves unsure of what to do, particularly as the dog can loose consciousness.
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.
Your vet may recommend a course of treatment or one that is more long term and that will have to be administered regularly at home. If it occurred as a result of injury or tumor there may be a need for an operation. The vet will determine the severity and whether or not medication is needed. It could take some time however to find a medication which suits the animal.
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.
Lasting anything from a few seconds to an hour it is important to know what causes it and the Vet should be contacted if they last for more than five minutes. Sudden activity in the brain or a change to the brain that happens rapidly and is unusual can be the trigger to such an occurrence. This is quite a shock to human witnesses and they may find themselves unsure of what to do, particularly as the dog can loose consciousness.
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.
Your vet may recommend a course of treatment or one that is more long term and that will have to be administered regularly at home. If it occurred as a result of injury or tumor there may be a need for an operation. The vet will determine the severity and whether or not medication is needed. It could take some time however to find a medication which suits the animal.
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.
About the Author:
I have more information about canine seizures at my Website. You may also be interested in reading my article on dog seizure symptoms.
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