Dogs are more likely than cats to suffer from a seizure, but either can suffer from a seizure at any time. Basically, an injury or inherited condition can short circuit the electrical activity in a pet’s brain, causing your pet to lose control of his or her body.
A pet who is having a seizure may experience the following symptoms:
* Falling over
* Crying out/vocalizing
* Uncontrollable leg movement or paddling
* Loss of consciousness
* Involuntary loss of bladder and bowel control
Seizures look scary. Keeping calm and acting quickly can help your pet weather the attack.
- Move your pet to a safe place. The biggest danger to a pet having a seizure is falling or hitting himself against objects nearby. Wrap your pet in a towel and carry him to a safe play, away from stairs and furniture.
- Keep your pet cool. Turn on a fan, open a window, or crank up the air conditioner. A seizure burns a lot of calories and can overheat your pet.
- Reduce stimulation. Try not to touch or talk to your pet during the seizure. Turn off music, television, and lights. Extra stimulation can prolong a seizure or kick-start a new one.
- Try to raise blood sugar. Seizures can be caused by low blood sugar; dribbling honey or Karo syrup onto your pet’s gums can help raise their blood sugar and bring them out of the seizure.
- Be ready to get help. A seizure may last anywhere from ten seconds to three minutes. A seizure that lasts longer than five minutes will need a veterinarian’s attention. An animal who has more than one seizure in a 24 hour period will need to see a veterinarian. A pet who is having seizures as a result of a head injury will need to see a vet.
- Watch for the warning signs. A pet may have an “aura” stage before the actual seizure where he becomes agitated, vocalizes, or stares off into space. If you catch him in the aura stage, you can move him to a safe space for his seizure.