Surprisingly, animals’ brains can do incredible things on their own, like those of humans. The tremendous electrical impulses and connections (trillions of them) that regulate the entire body are located there. Unanticipated issues sometimes arise due to the interconnected nature of the system’s many elements. One of these is an unusual electrical activity that triggers epileptic seizures.
Ways to Tell Your Dog Is Having a Seizure
It is impossible to miss when your dog suffers a seizure (and exceptionally unpleasant to witness). Typical seizure signs and symptoms include unconsciousness and “paddling” movements of the legs. Nonetheless, that’s just one phase of a seizure; more stages exist.
In some circumstances, your dog presents subtle signs before a seizure or shows a less severe incident. If you feel your pet may be suffering a seizure, look out for these indicators.
Spacing Out
If your dog instantly stops responding to you and appears disoriented, this could be an early sign of a seizure. The first indicators are faint. If you suspect your dog is experiencing a seizure, try calling their name to see if they respond. Offering your dog their favorite treat or toy is a clever method to obtain their attention. This will prompt a more robust response from them.
They might be disoriented if they do not respond, even if their eyes are open. Every pet owner has to have a plan in place for when disaster strikes. So, it is always a great idea to have the number of an emergency vet clinic readily available in case of an emergency.
Hiding
Another typical indication of the preliminary phase of a seizure in your pet is a search for a quiet or isolated area to hide. Finding techniques to relax the brain is critical, as seizures are brought on by their overactivity. It’s possible that dogs will hide right before they experience a seizure to safeguard themselves from the potentially hazardous effects of the seizure-inducing stimulus.
Help your dog find a dark, silent area if you suspect a strike is coming. Seizures in dogs are unusual, but if you want to be sure your pet does not get sick with this, you must see an internal medicine vet. If you want to learn more information about what an internal medicine vet does, it is best to visit their website.
Thrashing
Whole body and brain-involving seizures could result in your dog thrashing and collapsing. This kind of seizure occurs a lot more frequently than any other. Because your dog will likely be thrashing and moving around unwillingly, this can be unpleasant and even dangerous to their heads. If your dog is dealing with an epileptic seizure, you must not try to constrain them.
By attempting to confine your dog, you will likely hurt yourself. If your dog has this issue frequently, you should take them to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory so that a specialist can identify what’s causing the seizures. This will enable them to present your dog with the best opportunity for survival.
The Takeaway
Getting your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible and keeping a close eye on them when they have seizures are essential steps in treating and managing the problem. Always bear in mind to keep calm and focus during an attack. It’s also best to let your pet manage the situation on its own since your dog will have a seizure whether you want it or not. But, underlying issues that can trigger seizures can be identified throughout routine vet appointments.
