How To Treat A Dog With Seizures

Introduction

A seizure can be a frightening experience, both for you and your dog. Seizures are usually caused by brain or nerve conditions, but they can also be triggered by low blood sugar, poisoning or other things that affect the nervous system. But dont panic: most seizures in dogs last less than two minutes. While it can be upsetting to watch your dog have a seizure and you feel helpless, its important to stay calm and know how to respond safely during this time of physical stress for your furry friend so neither of you gets hurt.

Understand what is normal behavior for your dog.

It is important to understand what is normal behavior for your dog. If you can recognize what abnormal behavior looks like, then you’ll be able to better determine when your dog might be experiencing a seizure.

A seizure is an involuntary contraction of the muscles in the face, neck and body that lasts several seconds to minutes at a time. Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Each type of seizure has its own unique symptoms but they all share some common traits:

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures cause both sides of your dog’s body to twitch uncontrollably as he lies on his side with legs curled under him or sometimes flies into the air/runs around frantically (tail tucked between legs). Eyes may roll back during these seizures which can look frightening but does not indicate any real injury or harm; eyes rolling back means there’s increased pressure on them due to muscle spasms—they’re trying to protect themselves from further damage during this time! Your pooch may urinate or defecate during this episode too because it can take several minutes for him relieve himself after relaxing again…your vet will prescribe medication(s) so that pet owners don’t have clean up those messes after each episode–but still keep diapers around just in case!

Track when your dog has a seizure.

It’s important to keep track of when your dog has a seizure.
Keeping a diary will help you and your veterinarian determine the cause of the seizures and when they occur.
Mark down the time of day and location, as well as what happened before and after the seizure. If possible, write down how long it lasted (in seconds) and whether your dog was conscious during it or had any kind of behavior change like drooling or hiding in fear afterward.
If you’re able to do so safely without frightening them, try to record video footage of their episodes with an app on your phone—this will help provide more information for veterinarians who may not be able to see them firsthand due to distance constraints

Keep your dog safe by preventing injury during the seizure.

Keep your dog from falling down stairs. If a dog is having a seizure, it can be scary for the owner and difficult to control, so try to keep them from falling down stairs or other high places in your home.
Keep your dog from getting into dangerous areas. Do not leave your dog unattended around sharp objects, chemicals or other things that could hurt them if they were to get into them during a seizure episode.
Keep your dog from hurting himself by laying on something soft during seizures. This can help prevent injuries like broken limbs and cuts when he falls over during one of his episodes of seizing activity.
Keep your dog from getting hurt by others while they’re having seizures; some people may think they’re attacking the animal despite being unable to control themselves at this point!

Document the details of the seizure.

The best way to treat your dog is to document their symptoms. This can help you identify patterns, which will help you make a diagnosis and find the right treatment for your dog.

What was happening before the seizure? How long did it last? If there are any warning signs, be sure to note them here. Also include how often these seizures occur, and how long they last during each episode.
Were there any other visible symptoms of illness such as vomiting or diarrhea? How frequently does your dog have these issues? Is there anything new in their diet or routine that could be triggering them? If so, try eliminating this source of stress from their daily routine until after they’ve been diagnosed with something more serious than just stress-induced seizures (they’re completely unrelated).

By paying attention to and understanding seizures, youll know when its time to go to the vet.

A dog having a seizure will exhibit the following symptoms:
Theres no way to tell if your dog is going to have a seizure, but youll know when it happens. Sometimes its obvious that your dog is having a seizure, but other times its more subtle. If you ever see any of these signs, its likely that your dog is experiencing a seizure:
Your dogs eyes may roll back into his head or close. His body will become rigid and tense; he may shake violently or kick his legs out in front of him like he’s running away from something.
The muscles in his face will twitch uncontrollably, sometimes making him look like he’s smiling or frowning at random intervals. He might drool from the corner of his mouth if he cannot swallow properly while experiencing muscle spasms in his jaw muscles (this goes beyond just panting).
His breathing will become shallow and irregular; also known as what we call “frightened” breathing (like how humans breathe right before they pass out). You may notice he keeps trying to swallow but cant quite finish because there are seizures affecting the muscles responsible for chewing food!

Conclusion

While you may be concerned and want to help, the most important thing you can do for your dog is to stay calm. This will help keep your pet from becoming anxious or stressed, which could make his seizures worse.