Why Is My Dog Having Seizures?

Epilepsy

Idiopathic epilepsy is the most common cause of repeated seizures in dogs. It usually starts between about six months and six years old.

The cause is not fully understood. It is genetic in many breeds and it is not contagious. It can affect any breed, although PDSA lists Beagles, Labradors and Golden Retrievers among the most common.

Seizures in epilepsy are most common during rest and sleep. Stress, excitement, hot weather and changes in routine can also be triggers. No single test shows epilepsy, so vets diagnose it by ruling out other causes.

One seizure does not necessarily mean epilepsy, because many dogs have an unexplained seizure in their lifetime. A vet may suspect epilepsy after at least two unprovoked seizures more than 24 hours apart.

Poisons

Some poisons can trigger seizures. PDSA lists caffeine, chocolate, rat poison and slug bait, and says mouldy food may cause tremors and seizures. PDSA also says slug and snail pellets containing metaldehyde can be fatal within hours.

If you think your dog has been poisoned, contact your vet immediately instead of waiting to see what happens. Do not give any medicine, and never try to make your dog sick.

Heatstroke and head injury

Heatstroke can cause seizures, and PDSA says they are common in severe cases. Severe head injuries can also cause them.

Blood sugar, liver, kidney and calcium problems

Low blood sugar can cause seizures. PDSA says this is rare in healthy dogs and mostly affects diabetic dogs and young puppies that have gone without food for a long time.

Liver disease is another possible cause, most often in older dogs with severe liver disease and in very young puppies with a portosystemic shunt. Vets Now and VCA also list kidney disease.

Low calcium can cause seizures too, most commonly in female dogs after giving birth or while feeding puppies.

Problems in the brain

Bacterial or viral brain infections can cause seizures, and so can lungworm if it enters the brain. Brain tumours are a rare cause and very unlikely in dogs under six. Other structural causes include bleeding, inflammation and injury, and these are confirmed by an MRI scan and/or analysis of spinal fluid.

What helps

• Stay calm.
• Carefully move a pet on a sofa or bed down to the floor, away from high places.
• Clear space and furniture around your dog so they cannot hurt themselves.
• Dim the lights and keep the room quiet.
• Time the seizure and, if you can, film it.
• Note how it began, which side was affected first and what movements you saw.
• Keep the room as cool as possible, because seizures often raise body temperature. Do not wrap or cover your dog in blankets.

What to avoid

• Never put anything in your dog's mouth, including your hands. Dogs cannot swallow their tongues, and you are likely to be bitten.
• Do not restrain or hold your dog. Touch them only if there is an immediate risk of injury, such as falling down stairs.
• Do not shout at, shake or hit your dog to bring them round. PDSA says this will probably make the seizure worse.
• Do not transport your dog during a seizure unless your vet tells you to.

Afterwards

Vets Now says to handle your dog with care afterwards, because behaviour may be abnormal for several hours and can include aggression. Keep your dog away from open doors and windows.

If your vet has prescribed emergency medication for seizures, use it exactly as they and the label instruct. The Royal Kennel Club says to contact your vet for further advice as well.

Finding the cause

After one short seizure with a good recovery and a healthy check-up, a vet will usually suggest monitoring at home. Blood and urine tests, and possibly referral for a brain scan, are likely after a repeat seizure or one lasting over five minutes. They are also likely if there are other signs of illness, or if your dog is under six months or over six years old.

Your vet will ask about poison exposure and head injuries, then examine your dog and run tests.

Treatment and long-term care

PDSA says anti-epileptic medication reduces how often and how severe seizures are, but most dogs do not stop having seizures completely. Vets only recommend it when seizures are severe or frequent enough to affect quality of life, and your vet decides whether it is right for your dog. It is likely to be needed for life. PDSA warns it must never be stopped suddenly, because of the risk of withdrawal seizures, and never reduced without speaking to your vet first.

Most epileptic dogs are well controlled on medication and can have a very good quality of life, although a small number do not respond. A seizure diary helps your vet spot patterns.