Epilepsy in Dogs - Canine Epilepsy. Understanding epilepsy in dogs is important if your dog has a seizure disorder. There are two types of seizures your dog can have. One of them is primary seizures, or idiopathic epilepsy, which are seizures that occur for no known reason. Your pet can also suffer from secondary seizures which are caused by diseases like Lyme. An injury to your dog's head can also cause seizures. However, you need to know that dog seizures caused by other diseases and allergies are not epilepsy. You must know that canine epilepsy, or sometimes called epilepsy in dogs can only be diagnosed by a veterinarian. Otherwise, you should not start treating your pet with epileptic drugs just because it suffers from seizures. There are many health problems which can cause dog seizures. Allow the vet to perform a number of tests to learn the cause of the seizures.
Your veterinarian should test for thyroid diseases and liver ailments when investigating epilepsy in dogs, as well as genetic disorders. The central nervous system should be checked as well. There are infections which can also cause seizures and the vet must also test for these. In most cases, these infections will affect the kidneys and lead to dog seizures. The veterinarian should also carry out some tests to check if the brain is sound. Getting a cerebral spine fluid test may also be necessary. If no cause can be established then the dog will be diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy in dogs.
Understanding epilepsy in dogs means that you should know how to handle your pet in case it has an attack. It is not a pleasant thing to watch your furry friend in a fit. It can be scary and sad but you must be ready to help it recover from the dogs seizure. By understanding canine epilepsy, you get to know what makes your pet jerk and shake so violently. Dog seizures will attack your pet in three phases. In the first phase, your dog will appear nervous and this condition is known as aura. Your pet gets restless and starts moving around the house, whining. This initial phase lasts for a few minutes or even hours. You can know when your pet is about to have an attack of seizures with time.
The second phase is when the dog seizure occurs. It is known as ictus and your pet is unconscious in this second phase. It may make some noises and twitch its face. In most cases, the dog will empty its bladder and at other times you may find that the bowels are loosened as well. The seizures do not last long and can take one or two minutes, regardless these are indeed epilepsy in dogs attacks. Make sure that you remove anything that could hurt the dog as it shakes or lies unconscious. Do not try to stop the dog from jerking because you can hurt it in the process. If you are not sure of what to do when your pet has an attack, talk to your veterinarian. This will help you to understand canine epilepsy and learn how to live with your pet.
