Understanding Pet Seizures: Emergency Steps to Take and Treatment Options
Almost all pet emergencies are pretty scary. Seizures in particular can be pretty overwhelming, though, especially if you have never experienced seeing one before. Do you know what to do for seizures in pets? Beverly Hills Veterinary Associates wants to be sure that you are prepared.
Recognizing Seizures in Pets
It may be difficult to know what is happening when a pet has a seizure, especially initially. While not all seizures in pets look the same, when a pet seizes, one or more of the following occur:
- A period prior to the seizure in which the pet acts oddly (an aura)
- Lying on the side
- Salivation
- Chomping of the jaw
- Vocalization
- Involuntary urination or defecation
- Paddling
- Twitching of a certain body part(s)
- Staring into space
- A postictal period characterized by confusion or disorientation
Seizure activity can occur when the pet is resting or sleeping, and may last anywhere from a few seconds up to a few minutes.
In rare cases, pets may enter status epilepticus, in which active seizure activity lasts longer than five minutes, or the pet is not able to fully recover between repeat seizures. This is always an emergency.
Causes of Seizure Activity
A seizure is caused by the misfiring of cells in the brain. There are many potential causes for a seizure. Some of the more common culprits in veterinary patients include:
- Ingestion of a toxic substance
- A metabolic disturbance like low blood sugar, liver disease, or kidney disease
- Idiopathic epilepsy
- A tumor of the nervous system
- Infectious diseases
- Head trauma
- Genetic causes
- Stroke
- Parasitic infection
- Reaction to a medication
- Congenital problems
- Heat stroke
Understanding the cause of a seizure can better help us to treat and potentially prevent them from continuing to occur.
What to Do for Seizures in Pets
If you think that your pet is having a seizure, try not to panic. The most important thing to do initially is to be sure that your pet is in a safe place where they cannot fall or injure themselves.
Remember that during a seizure, your pet is not in control of their body, and afterwards they may be scared or confused. Be sure to keep your hands and face away from your pet’s mouth in case of biting.
It can also be helpful to time the seizure. It can seem like an eternity when it is happening, but having an accurate assessment of how long the active phase of a seizure lasts can help you know when to take further action. Video of the episode can help aid in diagnosis as well.
If this is the first time your pet has had a seizure, the next thing you want to do is to contact us. We will want to assess to see if there is a treatable cause for the seizure and make sure that your pet is okay.
Your pet should also be seen right away if there are more than two seizures in a 24-hour period, or if the seizure is lasting five or more minutes (status epilepticus).
Seizures in pets can be very scary, but we are here to help. If you think your pet may have had a seizure, please let us know so that we can help guide you in their care.