You just saw a dog seizure (or at least you think you did). Now what? Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby provides practical and easy-to-understand guidance that can help you know what a seizure looks like, what to do during a seizure, when a seizure is an emergency. and how your vet will diagnose and address your dog’s seizures.
Did you know that seizures are the most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in dogs? They affect roughly 1 in 20 dogs at some point in their lifetime. I share this to help you understand that if your dog just had a seizure, you aren’t alone.
Seizures are scary. But having a better idea of how to navigate them with your dog can bring some comfort.
What are dog seizures?
Dog seizures are uncontrolled body movements driven by abnormal electrical activity in the front part of the brain. The movements may be subtle and isolated to one part of the body, or generalized, affecting the entire body and limbs.
Seizures are not painful, but a dog can be injured during an episode in unsafe surroundings. And when seizures last longer than five minutes or happen on top of each other without time to fully regain consciousness, this is an emergency.
How do I know if my dog is having a seizure?
Seizures can look very different depending on the individual dog and the type of seizure the dog is experiencing.
Symptoms of a generalized/grand mal seizure (full body seizure)
Generalized, or grand mal seizures in dogs are the most common type of seizures in dogs. During a grand mal seizure, the body becomes rigid, the legs extend straight or appear to paddle, the neck arches, and the head is drawn backward. Dogs may also salivate profusely, urinate, defecate, or vocalize.
Symptoms of a focal/partial seizure (involves one body part or side)
Focal seizures in dogs (partial seizures) tend to affect one part or one side of the body. This could simply look like a twitching ear or lip, a chewing gum motion of the mouth, or a tremor in one leg or both legs on one side of the body. Focal seizures typically do not cause dogs to lose consciousness, but they can progress to generalized seizures.
Symptoms of a psychomotor seizure (abnormal behavior)
A subset of focal seizures, psychomotor seizures in dogs, present with unusual behaviors such as a sudden, intense fearful, aggressive, or otherwise abnormal behavior in the absence of an obvious trigger. Tail chasing, fly biting (snapping at the air), stargazing (staring at nothing), or seizures triggered by the onset of mealtime are all examples of psychomotor seizure activity.
What looks like a seizure but isn’t?
There are also several conditions that you could easily mistake for a seizure:
- Head tremors: The dog may exhibit a repetitive head nodding (yes or no motion) but is conscious and responsive. In the case of idiopathic head tremors in dogs, the dog may stop tremoring if you distract him or her.
- Fainting (syncope): Dogs who pass out generally experience a loss of consciousness and fall to the floor. They may look stiff, vocalize, or lose bladder control. But they don’t usually paddle or have other neurological signs.
- Narcolepsy/cataplexy: These sleep disorders may cause the dog to suddenly collapse and be unable to move but still remain conscious. Episodes of cataplexy can last for up to 20 minutes before the dog suddenly becomes normal again.
- Neuromuscular disorders: Myasthenia gravis in dogs and other similar conditions may cause the dog to become progressively weaker and then collapse.
- Dyskinesia: This movement disorder may cause a dog to hold up a paw or stand with a curved spine as though he or she is stuck in position and can’t move. Some dogs may also collapse.
- Vestibular disease: Vestibular disease in dogs may cause a head tilt, rapid eye movements, circling, or an inability to stand. The dog is still conscious, and the symptoms may last for days.
Especially if your dog is back to normal by the time of the vet appointment, having a video of the episode can make it easier for the vet to determine if a seizure or something else is responsible for what you saw.
What should I do if my dog is having a seizure?
If you think your dog is having a seizure and it is still going on, the very first thing you should do is get an idea of how long your dog has been seizing. Left unchecked, prolonged seizures can lead to a dangerous elevation in body temperature (hyperthermia) and brain damage.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: More than five minutes of continuous seizure activity or back-to-back seizures without the dog returning to normal consciousness between episodes points to a life-threatening emergency called status epilepticus. If this sounds like your dog, stop reading here and head directly to the veterinary ER. Call on the way so the veterinary team can be prepared to assist you and your dog when you arrive.
If the seizure is just starting, follow these steps to help keep your dog as safe as possible.
1. Glance at the clock so you know when the seizure started.
The minutes can feel like hours when you are helplessly watching your dog have a seizure. Thus, looking at the clock to have a concrete start time is helpful for tracking seizure length.
2. Stay calm and remain near your dog
Your calm presence can help you think clearly and respond safely. Your dog may not recognize your voice or respond to you during the seizure. But speaking in a soft, reassuring tone can help keep the environment calm. It is also good to stay near your dog so you can monitor his or her episode.
3. Make the area around your dog as safe as possible
During a seizure, your dog’s movements are involuntary. This means he or she could accidentally fall or bump into nearby objects. If you can do it safely, gently guide your dog away from potential hazards like stairs, furniture, fireplaces, swimming pools, or elevated decks. Also, clear away any nearby objects that could cause injury.
4. Video the episode
Try to get a video of the seizure to show to your veterinary team. This is especially important if this is not your dog’s first seizure. Seeing what the episodes look like and how they affect your dog can provide important diagnostic information.
5. Don’t try to stick anything in your dog’s mouth
Contrary to popular belief, dogs cannot swallow their tongues during seizure activity. Thus, you should not try to grab the tongue or use anything to hold the mouth open. Attempting to protect your dog’s mouth will likely only result in him or her accidentally biting you.
6. Check the time periodically
As the seizure plays out, keep tabs on how long it has been. If your dog is approaching the three-to-four-minute mark, you may want to start grabbing your keys and shoes or making arrangements in case an emergency vet visit is in order.
Remember, if your dog’s seizure activity lasts longer than five minutes or multiple episodes occur in rapid succession without a full return to consciousness, this is a life-threatening emergency. As soon as you are able to safely do so, load your dog into your vehicle. Then call the vet to let them know you are on the way with a dog in what could be status epilepticus.
7. Once the seizure ends, monitor your dog carefully
Dogs may still be disoriented, confused, or unsteady for minutes or hours after the seizure. This is called the post-ictal phase, and it is a normal part of seizures. During that time, keep your dog in a safe area and watch him or her closely for a second seizure or other concerning symptoms. When in doubt, call your vet for advice.
Why do dogs have seizures?
There are many causes of seizures, ranging from toxins to infections, tumors, or idiopathic epilepsy. A more detailed discussion of the causes of seizures can be found in the articles on generalized seizures, focal seizures, and psychomotor seizures linked above. However, in the heat of the moment, it can be helpful to have a basic idea the most common causes of seizures in puppies, adult dogs, and senior dogs.
Common causes of seizures in young dogs (less than 1 year old)
Overall, when a puppy has a seizure, it is most commonly due to:
- Congenital conditions: Malformation of portions of the brain, like hydrocephalus (water on the brain), portosystemic shunts (liver shunt that causes toxins to build up in the blood), or degenerative brain diseases.
- Infections: Canine distemper or other viral, protozoal, fungal, or parasitic infections.
- Toxins: Antifreeze, rat poison, chocolate toxicity in dogs, alcohol, xylitol (birch sugar) toxicity in dogs, heavy metals, recreational drugs, human medications, salt toxicity, etc.
- Trauma: Head trauma from a fall, a bite wound to the skull, being hit by a car, etc. (Interestingly, seizures can also develop months after the initial trauma due to brain scar tissue formation.)
Common causes of seizures in adult dogs
When the first seizure occurs between 6 months and 6 years of age, idiopathic epilepsy in dogs is by far the most common culprit. In this seizure disorder, the dog has seizures without an identifiable cause. Other potential causes of seizures in adult dogs include infections, granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (GME in dogs), toxins, and trauma.
Common causes of seizures in senior dogs
Finally, in senior dogs, the two big players are:
- Metabolic diseases: Liver disease in dogs, kidney disease in dogs, hypoglycemia in dogs (low blood sugar) due to a diabetic dog receiving an insulin overdose, electrolyte abnormalities like hypercalcemia in dogs (high calcium), etc.
- Tumors: Benign or malignant brain tumors in dogs (tumors of the brain itself, the covering of the brain, or skull that either originate there or spread from another location), also pancreatic tumors called insulinomas that cause hypoglycemia.
However, toxins, trauma, and infections can also impact senior dogs.
What can you expect at the vet visit?
If your dog has experienced a seizure, especially if this is his or her first episode, it is a good idea to schedule a visit with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
First and foremost, the veterinary staff will collect a thorough medical history on your dog. The information you share is vital to the diagnostic process. It should include:
- Complete list of your dog’s current medications and supplements (including flea, tick, and heartworm preventives and the date administered)
- Any known history of previous or recent trauma
- Toxins the dog could have come in contact with
- Other relevant information about your dog’s overall health
This, plus your dog’s breed and age can help the vet exclude certain disorders and/or raise the level of suspicion for others.
Conducting the physical exam
Next, your vet will conduct a thorough physical examination of your dog from nose to tail. This will include an evaluation of his or her mental status and other tests of neurologic function, which are especially important if the seizure episode just happened.
Running diagnostic tests
After gathering that information, it’s very likely your vet will recommend completing some baseline diagnostic tests. This typically includes blood tests for dogs (complete blood count and chemistry panel) and a urinalysis. These tests help identify problems like infection, organ dysfunction, and electrolyte imbalances, which could be seizure triggers.
In some situations, the vet may also refer your dog to a veterinary neurologist for further diagnostics. These tests may include:
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tap: CSF taps can be helpful for detecting signs of infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune conditions, and certain cancers like lymphoma in dogs or histiocytic sarcoma.
- Imaging: Advanced imaging techniques like CT and MRI can help identify structural abnormalities such as tumors or abnormal areas of the brain.
- Miscellaneous condition-specific tests: The vet may also recommend testing your dog for a specific infectious disease, measuring blood lead levels or insulin levels, performing bile acid testing, etc. to track down the cause of the seizures.
What is the treatment for seizures?
The treatment for dogs who are having seizures varies greatly depending on the cause. Dogs who experience head trauma or ingest a toxin will need emergency care not only to stop the seizures but also to address the other effects of the toxin or trauma. Likewise, controlling seizures that are related to an infection or metabolic condition depends heavily on managing the root cause. And dogs with brain tumors may need surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy in addition to medications to control their seizures.
On the other hand, there is no identifiable cause of seizures in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. Thus, treatment focuses on monitoring seizure frequency and severity and starting anticonvulsants when the time is right.
Typically, veterinarians use the International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force criteria for treating epilepsy. They recommend using anti-epileptic medications if the dog has:
- Two or more seizure episodes within six months
- An episode of status epilepticus or cluster seizures (more than two seizures in 24 hours with complete recovery between them)
- An increase in the frequency, duration, and/or severity of subsequent episodes
- Prolonged return to normal after the seizure (more than 24 hours) or severe post-ictal signs, such as aggression
Sometimes, dogs have a seizure out of the blue and never have another one for the rest of their life. Plus, seizure medications can have side effects, are often life-long once started, and require periodic veterinary monitoring. Thus, these guidelines help ensure that the dogs who need anticonvulsants are on them, and those that don’t, aren’t.
Medications for dogs in status epilepticus
When your dog is having a seizure that lasts longer than five minutes or has back-to-back seizures without recovering between them, the first goal of the veterinary team will be to stop the seizure activity. Typically, they start by administering benzodiazepine medications such as diazepam. If that doesn’t work, the vet may move on to using injectable anticonvulsants or general anesthetic agents.
Daily at-home anticonvulsants
If the dog’s condition is likely to cause continued seizures (such as a brain tumor) or he or she meets the criteria to start medications for epilepsy, the veterinarian will prescribe an anticonvulsant.
For many years, phenobarbital was the gold standard anticonvulsant for seizures in dogs. And potassium bromide (KBr) was the other main option. However, several newer medications, such as zonisamide for dogs or levetiracetam (Keppra™), are now available. This gives your veterinary team a better opportunity to tailor their prescription recommendations to your dog’s specific needs.
Most of the time, once a dog starts anti-seizure medications, he or she will be on one or more for life. It will be important to give the medications on time and not miss doses.
Adjunctive therapies for dogs with seizures
In addition to prescription medications, there are alternative therapies you can discuss with your veterinary team. It’s worth noting, though, that these options are not intended to replace prescription anti-seizure drugs in dogs who require medication. Rather, the vet may suggest them as part of your dog’s care plan in addition to medications. Or they may be an option when your dog does not yet need anticonvulsants but could benefit from some additional support.
Some integrative therapies for seizures in dogs include:
- MCT oil: MCT oil for dogs may help decrease the severity and/or frequency of seizures. (It isn’t intended as a sole treatment for seizures, though.) Options include supplements such as Dr. Buzby’s Brain Boost™ organic MCT oil for dogs or dog foods enriched with MCTs like Purina Pro Plan® Bright Mind® and Purina Pro Plan® Veterinary Diets NeuroCare®.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids for dogs provide anti-inflammatory properties. This may help reduce seizure activity by supporting nervous system health.
- Vitamin and mineral supplements: B6, magnesium, and choline are all involved in regulating brain chemistry, neurotransmitter health, and normal nerve function, making them potential options for supporting dogs with seizures.
- Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM): Alternative therapies like acupuncture for dogs, acupressure, and herbal remedies are just a few of the integrative and TCVM treatment modalities that may be beneficial for managing seizures in dogs. However, you should only use these therapies under the direct supervision of a veterinarian who specializes in integrative veterinary care and/or TCVM herbal therapy.
What kind of monitoring do dogs with seizures need?
Dogs who have seizures generally require careful monitoring at home and periodic check-ups with the vet.
More than likely, your vet will recommend keeping a seizure diary for your dog. It should list the date and time of each seizure, how long the episode lasted from start to finish, and your dog’s specific symptoms or behaviors before (pre-ictal phase), during (ictal phase), and after (post-ictal phase) the episode.
All of this information helps your vet determine the best course of action for your dog. This may involve changing the dose of an existing medication, transitioning to a different medication, or adding a new drug into an existing regimen.
Your dog may also need regular follow-up blood work depending on which medications he or she is on. This allows the vet to assess your dog’s liver and kidneys, which may be affected by the anticonvulsant. And it also provides a general picture of your dog’s overall health. For some medications such as phenobarbital, the vet will also measure the blood levels of the medications to see if they are in the therapeutic range.
What is the prognosis for dogs with seizures?
The prognosis for a dog with seizures varies depending on the underlying cause of the seizures and how well they are controlled.
Some toxicities have the potential to be fatal if not treated quickly, or even despite treatment. Other times the dog may recover well from toxin ingestion and not have more seizures. The same goes for infections that cause seizures.
Depending on the metabolic condition, the dog may or may not continue to have seizures. Either way, the other problems that accompany that particular disease may also play a role in the overall prognosis. Sadly, with brain tumors, the long-term prognosis is poor to guarded.
When it comes to idiopathic epilepsy, seizures are usually here to stay. However, with proactive treatment plans tailored the dog’s specific needs, and diligent monitoring by observant pet parents, the majority of these dogs can continue to enjoy a good quality of life for many months to years. There is, however, a small portion of dogs who will have drug-resistant epilepsy and, therefore, a much poorer overall prognosis.
All that said, typically, the best way to understand your particular dog’s prognosis is to talk with the veterinary team.
Partner with your vet
Seizure episodes are scary and can make even the most experienced dog parent feel helpless. However, all hope is not lost. Yes, sometimes seizures do point to a serious problem with a poor outlook. But there are plenty of other situations where it is possible to manage your dog’s seizures with medication, supplements, and alternative therapies.
Remember, too, that keeping the lines of communication open with your veterinary team is key in keeping your sweet dog as healthy, happy, and (hopefully) seizure-free as possible.
Does your dog have seizures?
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