WHAT TO DO IF A SEIZURE HAPPENS TO YOUR DOG(S)????

Dogs and Seizures - More Common Than You Think

Seeing your dog have a seizure for the first time is truly frightening.

It comes on with no warning ...

One minute your dog is happily enjoying an afternoon nap. Then, in an instant, his entire body begins shaking with wild muscle spasms. He has an empty "faraway" look in his eyes ... and you can't help but wonder if he knows what's happening.

It's a tough thing to talk about, but it happens. And it happens more often than you might think.

Seizures are relatively common in dogs. And if it happens to your dog, you need to be prepared. You should:
Keep your dog safe. If he's not on the ground, make sure he doesn't fall. If his thrashing might knock something over that could hurt him, move it.
Keep yourself safe. Your dog will not swallow his tongue. NEVER put your hands in his mouth - you could get seriously bitten.
Be aware. The more you can tell your vet, the better. What happened? How long did it last? How sever was it?
Get treatment. Once the seizure has passed, take your dog to the vet.
Finding out why your dog had a seizure is like solving a puzzle. It's tough to put all the pieces together. A seizure is difficult to diagnose because it's not a disease. It's a symptom (with any number of causes).

It could be epilepsy. This common diagnosis is made when no other causes can be found. Epilepsy could even be genetic since it is more common in certain breeds, like German Shepherds, Irish Setters, Retrievers, Poodles and Dachshunds.

There is no diagnostic test for epilepsy. The only way to find out if your dog has it is through the process of elimination. All other possible causes must be ruled out through a series of testing.

Diagnosing your dog's seizures could require a lot of testing - and money. So why bother? Does the cause really matter as long as he comes through the seizure OK?

If the cause is medical, environmental, metabolic or traumatic, it could be serious or life threatening - so you need to identify it and treat it.

If diagnosed, many of these conditions can be successfully treated - and that could save your dog's life.

To find out more information:
www.sciencedaily.com/search/?keyword= Dogs+with+seizures. There is a list on here that you can click on.

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