Seizures in dogs are a serious issue

Witnessing a seizure in a pet, especially for the first time, can be quite dramatic. With no way to assist while the dog convulses, one feels truly helpless.

This scenario was thrust upon Melissa as she watched Sadie, her 3-year-old Shih-tzu, convulsing on the floor.

Melissa could point to nothing that might have set off this episode, which seemed to go on for much longer than its actual few minutes. After the seizure, and after Sadie had a chance to rest, she appeared to return entirely to normal.

Everything was fine until the next seizure. This time, it lasted longer and Sadie lost control of her bowel and bladder. Melissa has made an appointment for Sadie with her veterinarian. In the meantime, she is looking for possible causes for Sadie's seizures.

Seizures can be scary to witness. They are not painful, but can be exhausting. Trauma can occur if, during a seizure, a dog falls or otherwise injures its body while convulsing. It is important to try to prevent this if your dog is having a seizure. However, do not get near the dog's mouth, because it might inadvertently clamp down with its jaws.

In simple terms, think of a seizure as an uncontrolled discharge of signals from a particular focus in the brain. The body then sets about convulsing in response and, depending on how severe the discharge becomes, the seizure can be anywhere from subtle tremors (petite mal) to massive convulsions, including loss of bowel and urine control (grand mal). Sadie is now showing grand mal seizures.

The top cause for seizures in dogs is epilepsy. Other possible causes include certain metabolic diseases, especially ones that affect the liver or kidneys. If either of these organ systems is compromised, certain chemicals can build up in the bloodstream and affect the brain, causing seizures. Blood work can help rule out these possibilities.

The key in dealing with seizures is prevention. Once seizures begin, it can become easier for them to occur. But there are cases where a dog will have a seizure once and never again. Still, have your dog examined after a seizure, get blood work done to rule out a metabolic cause and then wait to see if another seizure occurs within a certain time period. This period is arbitrary; I use a month. If a seizure recurs, then it is time to treat.

Treatment for epilepsy -- because I am assuming Sadie has epilepsy -- would include anti-seizure medication. There are several, Phenobarbital being the most common. Sometimes we have to use a combination therapy with more than one drug to suppress the seizure focus. Dogs with brain masses need a far more involved course of therapy.

Each seizure case has its own nuances. I hope Sadie can be treated as an epileptic and, as a result, live a perfectly normal, seizure-free life.