Canine Seizures

INITIAL OVERVIEW

There may be a variety of reasons for a canine
(dog) being affected by seizures. Very minor
canine seizure issues could be involved if you
notice the dog 'shaking' very strangely at
random times - expecially during sleep. Dogs
have nightmares too, which can create stress
(one of the onset factors for seizures). Also,
proving that an actual case of epilepsy is the
root of your dog's problems may never be
possible; but, that may not be important. The
more important question is - how to help a
canine in the realm of reducing the frequency or
the severity of seizure episodes. Though finding
an exact root cause may be unlikely, within the
Tabs of this article, you can gain a strong
understanding about possible or probable causes,
as well as highly suspect contributors to the
seizure problems, as there may be multiple
contributing factors.

This discussion will focus mainly on two
important factors that have been found to be
highly involved in seizure incident onset -
Stress, and Toxin levels of the body; then, we
will touch on many other factors and
considerations (below). It is our position that
reducing either or both, toxin buildup and
stress, will likely decrease incidence or
severity of seizure activity. And, in the
'highly suspect' arena, there is much to
indicate that typical lower-quality
big-name-brand pet foods can be contributors to
the growing numbers of pet seizure cases in
recent years; you can gain understanding about
this here - What's Really in Pet Foods?. These
factors contribute to why it is recommended that
you feed your dogs quality pet foods along with
all-natural pet supplements.

WHAT CAUSES SEIZURES?

As eluded to above, this question has no single
answer, since the causes may be many and varied.
What is known, is that every pet has a
"threshold", beyond which seizures can occur.
The actual malfunction is about the
'uncoordinated firing of neurons' within the
cerebrum portion of the brain. Though it is not
known why the 'neurons' fire in erratic patterns
(causing erratic bodily function), it is surmised
that certain substances, known as
neurotransmitters, are not within proper
chemical balance. This adds much credibility to
the argument related to 'chemicals' that enter
the body (especially from poorer quality foods)
and possibly build up over time.

We've mentioned TOXINS as a well-known and
obvious contributor to building the 'threshold'
level. But many other factors must be considered
- such as Genetic weaknesses. There may be cases
where an unidentified tumor is involved, or in
other cases seizure activity can be directly
related to Diabetes or Thyroid trouble (more on
that below). From our experience, we believe
that the vast majority of seizure activity
experienced by pets stems from an accumulation
of a variety of different factors within the
body. Logically, when these factors accumulate
beyond the particular pet's limitations of the
threshold, an episode is likely to be triggered.

FACTORS AND CONTRIBUTORS

As stated, your pet's problems may involve the
accumulation of many factors - leading up to a
critical point. You may be familiar with an old
saying, "The straw that broke the Camel's back";
well, these words provide a good clue as to how
all this works. Different factors keep pushing
at that delicate threshold until finally that
'critical point' is reached and an episode is
then triggered (neurons firing out of control),
leaving you feeling helpless and worried. So,
let's examine some likely factors that can push
at the critical threshold:

-Toxin Buildup in the Body: As already
indicated, toxin accumulation is a really
important factor; and, more are being added to
the body constantly. They come from a vast array
of sources, such as chemicals in foods,
medications, chlorine in tap water, as well as
each of the subsequent items in this list. -Flea
Treatments: Flea medications, applied topically
and absorbed via the skin, are toxic (how they
kill the fleas). These toxins can accumulate in
the system, contributing to neurological
troubles. -Heartworm Medication: If you have a
Collie breed or herding dog, please check this
info (MDR-1 Gene). Heartworm is a terrible
condition, and can be life threatening.
Medicating the dog is simple and effective, but
carries risks. -Anesthesia: Pets who have been
'put under' for various procedures, like teeth
cleaning, often have after-effects as a result
of the Anesthetic. -Ingredients in Poor Quality
Pet Foods or Treats: This is likely a big
factor, so we have devoted an entire TAB to this
subject; please visit that tab when you feel like
learn about the 'food factor'. -Various Stress
Situations: Many situations can affect your pet
and push that threshold. The next paragraph
delves deeper into this subject. -Genetic or
Hereditary: Yes, it may be in the 'genes' that a
pet will be predisposed in this manner. Or, there
is the probability of hereditary factors, as some
breeds seem to show higher incidence of problems
- like Dachshund or German Shepherd. -Other
Possible Causes or Contributors: A blow to the
head, or mild concussion; Heartworm disease, at
a late stage; toxic plants in the yard or home;
accessible chemicals, poisons, or fertilizers
(decorative BARK has recently been found to
contain chemicals or colorings that could be
dangerous).

MANAGING STRESS FACTORS

For instance, if the mailman showing up gets the
dog all excited - jumping, barking, etc.- this is
one form of stress. Such excitement can lead to
chemical imbalances in the body that would help
promote an episode. Any situation that may arise
which creates a level of excitement, anger, or
protective reaction in dogs, can create enough
stress to trigger an episode. So, learning how
to control and manage your pet's responses at
times like this could help prevent the incident.
For training we recommend studying videos of the
Dog Whisperer - Cesar Millan - to become the
alpha leader in your home. It should be noted
that, even while sleeping, dogs (especially) may
be prone to seizures. This is because they are
prone, just like humans, to scary or frightening
dreams; and, these kinds of dreams can present a
serious form of stress.

ABERRANT BEHAVIOUR AND THYROID DYSFUNCTION

As one final item of interest, on the present
subject, here is some information on how the
thyroid can be involved in these issues. Dr.
Jean Dodds, the leading authority on
'Hypothyroidism in dogs' in the US writes, "An
association has recently been established
between aberrant behavior and thyroid
dysfunction in the dog, and has been noticed in
cats with hyperthyroidism. Typical clinical
signs include unprovoked aggression towards
other animals and/or people, sudden onset of
seizure disorder in adulthood, disorientation,
moodiness, erratic temperament, periods of
hyperactivity, hypo attentiveness, depression,
fearfulness and phobias, anxiety,
submissiveness, passivity, compulsiveness, and
irritability. After episodes, most of the
animals appeared to come out of a trance like
state, and were unaware of their bizarre
behavior."

WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS?

Mostly, it's about changing the way things have
been, and paying attention to what's going on in
the pet's life - such as from the list above
(does the animal chew at plants?). The most
obvious area where you can make a solid
difference, from our vast experience, is to
address the issue of TOXIN buildup, while also
blessing your pet with a proper premium quality
pet food - to provide better nutrition and get
away from negative chemical additives that can
add up in the body. Addressing the Toxin problem
is as simple as adding the powerful antioxidant
capability of all-natural Antioxidant Treats or
Sprouted Granules to the diet.


----------------------------------------------------
Article submitted by Tim Delaney. Tim is a
multiple dog owner who has had experiences using
all natural pet supplements for his dogs.
References include Nzymes at
http://www.nzymes.com and Nzymes EU, which can
be found at http://www.nzymes.eu.com


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