Epilepsy and Seizures in Dogs: Signs and What to Do

What a seizure looks like

Some dogs act differently before a seizure starts. They may seem restless, clingy, anxious, or withdrawn, or they may hide. This early phase can last for hours or even days, and some owners learn to recognize it.

The best-known type is a generalized seizure, which affects the whole body. The dog usually falls onto its side and goes stiff, then paddles its legs as if running. Many dogs chomp their jaws, drool heavily, or pass urine or stool. The dog is not aware of its surroundings and does not respond to its name or to touch.

Other seizures are focal. They start in one part of the brain and affect one part of the body. A focal seizure may look like twitching on one side of the face, repeated blinking, or jerking of one leg. The dog may stay partly aware. Some focal seizures spread and turn into a generalized seizure.

After the seizure, most dogs go through a recovery phase. They can seem confused, sleepy, unsteady, or restless. Some pace, bump into things, or act very hungry or thirsty. This phase can last from a few minutes to several hours, and sometimes a day or longer. It also helps vets tell a seizure apart from fainting, since dogs that faint usually recover quickly.

Why dogs have seizures

Vets group the causes of seizures into three broad types.

Idiopathic epilepsy means the dog has repeated seizures and no underlying cause is found. It is thought to be inherited in many dogs and is more common in some breeds, including Beagles, Labrador and Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Belgian Tervurens, Siberian Huskies, and English Springer Spaniels. Mixed-breed dogs can have it too. The first seizure usually happens between six months and six years of age.

Structural epilepsy means a problem inside the brain triggers the seizures. Examples include brain inflammation or infection, a head injury, a brain tumor, or a defect the dog was born with. Canine distemper, a virus that mainly affects unvaccinated dogs, can cause seizures that start weeks or months after the dog was infected.

Reactive seizures happen when a healthy brain reacts to a poison or to a problem with the body's chemistry. Poisoning and low blood sugar are among the most frequent triggers. Snail bait, some insecticides, antifreeze, lead, and xylitol, a sweetener in some sugar-free foods, can all cause seizures. Liver disease, kidney failure, and abnormal levels of salts such as calcium or sodium in the blood can also cause them. These seizures usually stop once the cause is treated.

What to do during a seizure

Stay calm and stay close. During a generalized seizure your dog is not aware of you, and calling or touching your dog will not stop it. These steps help keep everyone safe.

• Move furniture and other objects away, and keep your dog away from stairs and water.
• Keep your hands away from the mouth. Dogs cannot swallow their tongue, and a dog having a seizure may bite without meaning to.
• Do not hold your dog down or splash water on it.
• Keep other pets and children out of the way.
• Note the time the seizure starts and ends.
• Take a short video on your phone if you can. It helps your vet a great deal.

When the seizure ends, stay with your dog and speak softly. Let your dog rest in a quiet, safe place. Wait until your dog is steady and fully alert before you offer food or water. If this was the first seizure, call your vet the same day, even if your dog seems back to normal. If your dog already has a diagnosis, write the seizure down and follow the plan your vet gave you.

When it is an emergency

Most seizures end within one to two minutes. If a seizure goes on longer, call your vet or the nearest emergency clinic so they are ready for you. Go right away in these situations.

• A seizure lasts longer than five minutes.
• Seizures follow one another and your dog does not fully wake up in between.
• Your dog has two or more seizures within 24 hours.
• You think your dog may have eaten something poisonous.
• Your dog is injured, is struggling to breathe, or feels very hot after the seizure.

A seizure that lasts more than five minutes, or two or more seizures without full recovery in between, is called status epilepticus. The muscles work so hard that body temperature can climb, and the condition can become life-threatening. It needs treatment without delay. Two or more seizures within 24 hours are usually called cluster seizures, and they need prompt care too. If your dog is known to have clusters, ask your veterinarian for a written emergency plan. It may include a rescue medicine that you can give at home. For other emergencies and what to keep in a first aid kit, see our guide to first aid for dogs and cats.

How vets find the cause

There is no single test for idiopathic epilepsy. Vets reach the diagnosis by ruling out other causes. Your vet will ask about the seizure, your dog's age, diet, and vaccinations, and anything your dog may have eaten. Your video and notes help a lot here.

The first steps usually include a full physical and neurological exam, blood tests, and a urine test, often with a test of liver function. Chest X-rays or an abdominal ultrasound may be added to look for other illness. Your vet may recommend an MRI scan of the brain and a sample of the fluid around the brain and spinal cord in some cases. These include a first seizure before six months or after six years of age, problems found on the exam between seizures, clusters or status epilepticus at the start, and seizures that do not respond to medicine. These tests are done under anesthesia, often at a referral center.

When a dog has had at least two seizures more than 24 hours apart, the first between six months and six years of age, and the exam and tests are normal between seizures, vets usually diagnose idiopathic epilepsy.

Treatment and daily life

If a cause such as poisoning, low blood sugar, or liver disease is found, treating that cause comes first. For idiopathic epilepsy, the usual treatment is daily anti-seizure medicine. Treatment aims to control the seizures and is often lifelong.

Vets do not always start medicine after a single seizure. Long-term treatment is commonly recommended when a dog has two or more seizures within six months, any cluster seizures or status epilepticus, a severe recovery phase or one that lasts longer than a day, or seizures that are becoming more frequent, longer, or stronger. It is also often advised when a known brain disease or injury is behind the seizures.

The aim is fewer, shorter, and milder seizures with as few side effects as possible. Some dogs stop having seizures altogether, and others still have an occasional one. In up to about a third of dogs the seizures stay hard to control, and these dogs may need more than one medicine.

It helps to give the medicine at the same times every day. Stopping it suddenly can bring on seizures, so any change to the medicine or the dose should go through your vet. Regular checkups and blood tests help your vet adjust the treatment and watch for side effects. A seizure diary with the date, time, length, and a short description of each seizure is very useful to bring to every visit.

Many dogs whose seizures are well controlled live a normal, active life. A few simple habits help. You can gate the stairs if seizures are frequent, supervise swimming, and make sure anyone who cares for your dog knows the medicine schedule and what to do during a seizure.

Prevention and spread

There is no known way to prevent idiopathic epilepsy. You can lower the risk of some other causes. Keeping your dog's vaccinations up to date protects against distemper. Snail bait, insecticides, antifreeze, human medicines, and sugar-free foods with xylitol are safest stored out of reach. Call your vet if you think your dog has eaten something harmful.

Epilepsy does not spread from dog to dog or from dogs to people. Some causes of seizures can spread, though. Distemper passes easily between dogs, so your vet may advise keeping a dog with suspected distemper away from other dogs.

Rescued and newly adopted dogs

A rescued or newly adopted dog often comes with little known history. You may not know about past seizures, earlier illnesses, or what the dog ate before it was rescued. If your new dog has a seizure, tell your vet everything you do know and bring the adoption and health records. At Paw Squadron, the first stops after every rescue are the vet and a bath. Every animal gets a checkup, treatment, vaccinations, and a microchip before adoption.

Epilepsy on its own does not rule a dog out of family life. With treatment and a steady routine, many dogs with well-controlled seizures do well at home.

If you are thinking about giving a rescued dog a home, visit our Adoptions page, or find more health guides in PawPedia.