Content
- Symptoms of an epilepsy attack in dogs
- Canine Epilepsy - Differential Diagnosis
- How to act in the face of a dog's epileptic seizure?
Canine epilepsy is a pathology that manifests itself through recurrent epileptic seizures, therefore, as caregivers, if we live with a dog affected by this disease, we must know how to act to avoid worsening the clinical picture. Furthermore, it is important to distinguish epilepsy from other possible causes of seizures and, if our veterinarian has diagnosed this disease and prescribed treatment, we must strictly comply in order to reduce the number of seizures and thus the damage they can produce.
Next, in this article by the Animal Expert, we will show what to do in the face of a canine epilepsy attack. However, remember to follow your veterinarian's instructions and make any necessary appointments.
Symptoms of an epilepsy attack in dogs
Epilepsy is a very complex disease that affects the brain. Abnormal and sudden activity occurs in the neural network that can trigger epileptic seizures which will be recurrent and characterized by seizures. As we will see, not all seizures in dogs are caused by epilepsy, hence the importance of a correct diagnosis, which will also allow us to know how to challenge an epilepsy attack in dogs.
The real epileptic seizures consist of the following phases:
- Prodrome: is the period prior to epileptic activity. Behavioral changes can occur that help the caregiver to recognize this phase, such as restlessness, anxiety or more attachment than usual. It can last for hours or even days, although it is not always present.
- Aura: this phase may not be easily recognizable. This marks the beginning of the crisis. Vomiting, urination and defecation may be observed.
- ictal period: it is the seizure itself, in which involuntary movements, abnormal behavior, etc. occur. Its duration varies from a few seconds to several minutes and can be partial or generalized.
- post-ictal period: after the epileptic seizure, the animal may exhibit strange behavior and increased disorientation or reduced hunger, insufficient urine and feces, nervousness, thirst, or some neurological deficits such as weakness or blindness. The cerebral cortex is not yet recovered. The length of this period varies enormously, ranging from seconds to days.
Depending on the symptoms, epilepsy crises can be focal, originating in a particular area of a cerebral hemisphere, triggered in both cerebral hemispheres, or focal that evolve into generalized, starting from a region of the brain and ending up involving both hemispheres. The latter are the most common in dogs. Furthermore, epilepsy can be idiopathic or structural.
Canine Epilepsy - Differential Diagnosis
Given the symptoms of an epilepsy attack in dogs, we can know if it really is this disease or, on the contrary, the attacks have another cause. For the differential diagnosis, let's consider:
- the syncope: In this case, the dog suddenly collapses and recovers in the same way. In the previous section, we've already seen how long an epileptic seizure lasts in dogs and at what stages it develops. Most epileptic seizures are brief.
- vestibular alterations: the animal will be conscious and the symptoms will last much longer.
- the narcolepsy: the animal will be asleep, however it can be awakened.
- the pain attack: again the animal will be conscious, it will position itself in different postures and for a considerable time.
- poisonings: in this case, the seizures are usually continuous or repeat every few minutes. In addition, between seizures, other symptoms such as weakness, diarrhea or lack of coordination may be observed, whereas in epilepsy, after the seizure it may be given a period of calm, although the dog appears stunned.
In the next section, we'll look at what to do in the face of an epileptic fit in dogs.
How to act in the face of a dog's epileptic seizure?
The first thing to do when facing an epilepsy attack in dogs is keep calm, which can be difficult since crises are often shocking. During them, we must make sure that we are away from the dog's mouth, as this is not conscious and you can be bitten, especially when trying to take your tongue out of your mouth. You must not put anything between the animal's teeth.
If the dog is in a dangerous place where he could be injured, we must move it to a safe place. Otherwise, we can wait a few minutes, until the crisis stops, and go immediately to the veterinary center and try to provide as much information as possible to make the diagnosis easier, as it is possible that when arriving at the clinic the crisis has subsided and the veterinarian cannot see her.
To make it easier, you can record it. If the crisis does not subside within 5 minutes, we are facing an emergency that should be immediately attended by the veterinarian, as serious brain damage and even dog death can occur.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Canine Epilepsy - What to do in the face of an epileptic seizure?, we recommend that you enter our First Aid section.