The Tribune

By Dr Basil Sands

Epilepsy is a sudden, excessive discharge of electrical energy in groups of brain cells, causing a seizure or convulsion. Epilepsy is relatively common in dogs, but much less common in cats. Why this spontaneous discharge occurs we do not know, but in many cases the condition is hereditary in dogs.

A seizure is the same thing as a convulsion. Dogs most often have what are known in people as grand mal seizures. The dog loses consciousness, falls to his side, and holds his legs out stiffly, sometimes paddling them back and forth.

He may make sounds, urinate or defecate during the seizure which lasts from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. Most seizures occur in three distinct phases.

The first phase is the aura and is the period before a seizure during which the dog may seem overly anxious and may show a change in his behavior, acting restless, seeking attention or hiding for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

The second phase is the actual seizure. Each attack may be different and can range from a mild muscle spasm to a severe convulsion, with defecation and urination. Loss of consciousness may or may not occur.

The third phase occurs immediately after the seizure and is characterized by confusion, weakness and rapid breathing. They may be temporarily blind, disoriented, anxious, weak and uncoordinated for anywhere from a few minutes to a day. Less commonly a dog may become temporarily irritable or aggressive after a seizure.

Causes of seizures

A head injury, exposure to a toxin and low blood sugar are three factors that could cause a seizure on an otherwise healthy young dog. Your Vet can determine if your dog has a hidden head injury, by looking for cuts, bruises, broken teeth or bleeding from the nose, ears, or mouth.

Toxins that can trigger seizures include insecticides, tetanus, lead, strychnine and antifreeze. If he was exposed to these toxins, he would almost certainly have other clinical signs such as vomiting, diarrhea or lethargy.

A serum glucose test can be done to test the level of glucose in the blood. Low glucose is seen in puppies or dogs with pancreatic problems.

Treatment

Many vets do not recommend anti-seizure medication unless a dog is having seizure more than once a month; the seizure lasts longer than five minutes; or the seizure comes in clusters of three or more, one right after the other.

It is important that you keep a seizure diary and let your Vet know when your dog's seizure pattern change significantly. If the number or duration of your dog seizures increases, your Vet will prescribe phenobarbital or potassium bromide, the two most common anti seizure medication. There are side effects such as increased hunger, increased thirst and increased urination. Dogs will seem sedated or out of it when they first start taking phenobarbital.