Stay calm during a dog's seizure.
There are three distinct phases of canine seizures. The first stage is the "pre-ictal phase," when a dog appears nervous and clingy. Next, the "ictal phase," is when the actual seizure begins, generally lasting less than two minutes. A dog may stare into space, salivate, tremble and become unresponsive. He may stiffen, convulse or fall over and flail. Finally, the "post-ictal," stage is when seizure recovery begins. A dog may appear blind, pant heavily, appear disoriented and sleep for many hours. Most dogs will rebound in an hour but some may need up to two days to recover.
Instructions
Immediately After Your Dog's Seizure
1. Stay calm and do not interfere with recovery. Note the severity and length of the incident. It may help to know your dog did not feel the seizure and will not remember the incident.
2. Move your dog to a quiet area and provide help through calm gentle massage, especially along an area known as "the governing vessel," or GV26 in Chinese acupuncture medicine. The GV26 is located in the slight depression at the top of the head. This promotes resuscitation and consciousness and is often used when there is a loss of consciousness.
3. Compare your dog's behavior using the three seizure stages noted above to rule out other conditions. Some illnesses can be mistaken for seizures. These include damage to the middle ear, vestibular nerve or vestibular nucleus of the brain which can suddenly result in a strange head position and imbalance. Dogs with cardiac issues can suddenly collapse and pant heavily while trying to recover. Finally, many people often mistake seizures for a condition called "reverse sneezing" which can cause dogs to violently sneeze inward several times.
4. Allow at least five minutes before considering your dog recovered. If seizures continue, call your vet. Young puppies and lactating bitches should be seen by a veterinarian immediately, but otherwise healthy adult dogs do not usually require treatment except for a follow-up visit by your vet to diagnose the issue.
Follow Up Seizure Care
5. Work with your veterinarian to find the cause. While many vets believe epilepsy is hereditary, veterinarians Martin Goldstein and Richard Pitcairn believe that vaccines can contribute to seizure occurrences. Your vet can help you rule out environmental or hereditary issues when reaching a diagnosis, but be aware that most often a cause is never found.
6. Understand the side effects of common epilepsy medications. While most dogs will not go on medication after just one seizure, if this condition persists, your vet may prescribe anti-seizure drugs such as phenobarbital, primidone or potassium bromide, all of which can result in liver damage and sedentary behavior.
7. Investigate nutritional supplements such as nurtotrophin and phosphatidyl-serine, which can support normal brain function and enhance food and oxygen absorption by the brain and nervous symptoms.
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