Tonic seizures in dogs: causes and treatment. Causes of seizures in a dog and what to do about it. Why can a dog have seizures?

Our beloved pets - dogs, like people, are exposed to various diseases and pathological conditions. Among the many ailments, owners are faced with such, in general, a common occurrence, like convulsions in a dog. These manifestations can be quite scary in appearance and scare people away at a time when pets, more than ever, need the active actions of their owners. What can seizures in a pet indicate, and most importantly, how not to get confused and help your pet?

Most people in this situation can become confused and panic. And no wonder, because the animal suddenly falls, shudders convulsively, its paws involuntarily twitch. The sight is not for the faint of heart. In such a situation, even an experienced dog owner may react incorrectly. But in this case, panic is not the best solution, only composure and quick reactions will help in an emergency. What needs to be done and what may be the cause of seizures in a dog?

First of all, it is worth clarifying that convulsions are paroxysmal muscle contractions that occur involuntarily. They are a symptom of a disease. Among the ailments accompanied by a similar condition, the following can be distinguished:

• Epilepsy. This is the most common cause of sudden muscle contraction. Epilepsy is a severe dangerous disease characterized by impaired brain activity. The disease can be congenital (inherited). In addition, it is often a consequence of head injuries, a sign of the development of a tumor in the brain, or signals the presence of an inflammatory process. There are a number of breeds that are most prone to epileptic seizures, most often these are large animals with long hair. Also, statistics indicate that males have convulsive contractions more often than females.
• hypoglycemia- This is another disease that can cause convulsions. The main symptom of hypoglycemia in humans and animals is low blood glucose levels. Often, during the course of the disease, the metabolic processes of the body are disturbed, which leads to disruption of the activity of the kidneys and liver of the dog. Convulsions caused by hypoglycemia are more often manifested in representatives of small breeds, as well as in young animals, whose fragile body is not yet fully formed. Often this disease is hereditary, therefore, when choosing a future parent of offspring or your own four-legged friend, you must definitely look at the certificate, which refers to the state of health, including hereditary ailments that the dog has.
• . With this disease, the level of calcium in the animal is sharply reduced. At risk are pets of dwarf breeds, newborn puppies and females in the period of bearing offspring. Calcium is an important element in the body, it affects the formation of the animal's bone corset, contributes to normal blood clotting and more. But in this case, its deficiency provokes regular uncontrolled contraction of muscle tissue.
• Infectious diseases. Seizures can be a sign of an infection of various origins, including a viral one. Among them, it is especially dangerous, which is transmitted to dogs through mucous membranes through contact. If the pet communicated with an infected animal, then the risk of contracting rabies is very high. Fungal and bacterial infections that enter the dog's body can also cause muscle spasms. Among them, peritonitis of infectious etiology and toxicoplasmosis are especially severe.
• Intoxication organism and the development of inflammatory processes of an infectious nature can also be the cause of muscle spasms.

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The nature of seizures directly depends on what they are caused by. When contacting the veterinary service, it is necessary to describe the nature of muscle contractions as accurately as possible, this will help to quickly find out the cause of their occurrence and prescribe effective therapy. Seizures are divided into several types and there are certain differences between them:

• Convulsions are weak muscle contractions, similar to twitches, repeated periodically. This type of seizure is quite common and there are many reasons for this condition. During a convulsive state, the pet does not lose consciousness, reacts to the voice of the owner and tries to follow commands.
• Tonic convulsions are a less dangerous type of muscle contraction, signaling a malfunction in the activity of the dog's body. The tonic cramp does not last long, but is constant - the muscles shudder slowly after a certain period of time. The pet remains conscious throughout the convulsions, feels muscle pain, as a result of which the dog may be frightened and very nervous.
• Clonic convulsions - this muscle contraction alternates with relaxation, the interval between them can last from 30 to 120 seconds. At this time, the pet gets up, tries to move, but as soon as a seizure occurs, the dog falls on its side, as uncontrolled muscle contraction occurs again.
• An epileptic seizure is the most dangerous type of seizure that has negative consequences. A pet that has undergone a seizure loses consciousness, muscle tissues are constantly in a tense state, relaxation occurs only for a few seconds. Often, during an epileptic seizure, the dog's eyes remain open, which further frightens others and confuses the owners.

Whatever causes muscle contractions, and whatever kind they are, owners should know what to do in such cases, because often the life of their beloved friend depends on it.

How to deal with pet seizures

If the dog is overtaken by a cramp, then the most important thing that is required from the owner is to deliver the pet to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible. Only in a clinical setting can you determine the cause of seizures in a dog as accurately as possible and prescribe treatment.

Before this happens, you can slightly, but still help the pet:

• First of all, you need to try to open the dog's mouth and drip onto the surface of the tongue a remedy that helps to relax and reduce muscle spasm. It can be Corvalol, Valoserdin, Valocardin.

With strong intense contractions, you should not even try to open the animal's mouth in order to give medicine. Most likely, the attempt will not be successful, and strong pressure can lead to injury to the pet.

• If possible, then you can have a pet so that upon arrival you don’t waste precious time on these manipulations, but immediately inform the veterinarians of the result. However, this should be done when the dog is in a calm state, but if the convulsions are constant, then it is better not to risk it, as you can break the thermometer and injure the dog.
• With severe epileptic convulsions, it is necessary to take care of the safety of the sick animal by holding it during convulsions in order to avoid hitting the floor and surrounding objects. You can move your pet away from sharp corners and hard surfaces.
• During transportation of a sick animal that has a cramp, it must be covered with a warm blanket or blanket and pressed firmly.

The pet owner needs to pay attention to his condition, remembering all the details - the nature and duration of muscle contractions, how long the interval between spasms lasts, how the pet behaves during breaks, and so on. All these characteristics will be required by specialists to diagnose the condition of the dog and select the appropriate means.

Upon admission to a medical institution, in most cases, the pet is immediately injected with antiallergic drugs, as well as magnesium sulfate. This action helps to eliminate spasms and alleviates the condition of a sick animal. Then a comprehensive diagnosis is carried out with the collection of all necessary tests.

From this moment on, the pet begins to receive qualified assistance, and after the attack is removed, it largely depends on the owner whether the four-legged friend can fully recover. Often you have to continue to treat your pet at home, and if you do not follow the instructions, the life of the dog may be in jeopardy.

It is necessary to monitor the condition of a sick dog, continue to give the necessary medicines, provide peace and good nutrition - this is what is required of the owner of the dog upon returning home.

Seeing your beloved pet in convulsions is not an experience for the faint of heart. This is very disturbing and scary. Removing stimuli from the dog's environment, using a tranquilizer, and taking care of the dog after a seizure will greatly help the dog survive the seizure. If you can stay calm and focus on keeping your pet safe, you can help your dog recover as soon as possible.

Steps

Part 1

Keep calm. You are having seizures and your dog is very scared and disoriented. It is unlikely that you want to add to his experiences with tantrums, screams, or other ways of reinforcing his behavior when the dog feels that he has the right to be scared. Excitement only increases the dog's arousal and prolongs the spasms. That's what will hurt her speedy recovery.

• During seizures, your dog becomes very sensitive. Noise, light, sometimes even touch can set off a new stream of electrical impulses to the brain that fuel the seizure. By remaining calm, you can assess the situation for outward factors, and take steps to make the environment calm and quiet.
• Write down the time. As soon as your dog has seizures, write down the time. When the attack is over, also write it down. This information is important for the veterinarian to assess how severe (or not) such seizures are.
• In addition, when a pet has convulsions, it always seems that time has stopped. And it is very encouraging to realize that the duration that feels like "the whole life" is really only a minute or two.

1. Remove items that could harm the dog. During a seizure, your dog will thrash around on the floor. Look around for objects that your dog might bump into and injure, such as chair legs or electric lights. Where possible, keep dangerous items away from the dog. It is better to do this than to move the dog - it will excite him even more.

   • You can also remove items that you don't want to break or move, whether they are dangerous to the dog or not.

2. Use pillows to protect your dog. It is easy to remove light objects from the room that can be taken and moved easily, but after all, a table, for example, is not so easy to move. Place pillows in potentially dangerous places to provide cushioning. In case of emergency, blankets and towels are also suitable.

   • If your dog is in danger of crashing into a large object, a duvet is a good alternative if you gently cover your dog with it, leaving the head outside.
   • If your dog hits his head on the floor, it's a good idea to place a pillow under him to soften the blows.

3. Do not put your hand in the dog's mouth and do not hold it near the dog's mouth. That a dog can swallow its own tongue is an old tale. Never put your hand in the mouth of a dog that is having seizures. The dog at this point does not know what he is doing, and he may bite your hand, not letting go until the seizure is over. There is no need to take such risks. Plus, it's not very smart.

   Move your dog only if it is in danger. The only time you should touch your dog (other than giving him a tranquilizer, as described below) is if he is really in danger and his seizure could cause physical injury. For example, if the cramps caught the dog at the top of the flight of stairs, then it is better to take a chance and carefully drag the dog to a safe place.

   • The key point is to slowly drag the dog across the floor. You don't want a dog convulsing in your arms, risking knocking you over with him, which ends up injuring both of you. If possible, push or pull the dog, or move him in some other way that does not require you to lift the dog. That way you'll both be safe.

4. Record a video. Once you've done everything you can to help your dog's recovery, take a short video of the seizure on your smartphone. This entry will be of great help to your veterinarian, because not all seizures that look like seizures are actually. This is an extremely huge help to the veterinarian - to see the cramps with your own eyes.

   • If you're too excited to record, ask someone else to do so. Just make sure that this person is at a sufficient distance from your dog so as not to worsen his condition.

Part 2

1. Turn off the lights and draw the curtains. A semi-dark room will stimulate your dog much less, improving his condition and shortening his spasms. Look around and think about what you can do to keep the room as quiet and dark as possible. At night, on the contrary, leave the nightlight on to watch the dog.

   Make the room quiet. This electrical storm in the dog's brain will only get worse because of outside noise. To help your dog recover, turn off the TV and radio. Moreover, ask everyone to leave the room. Your dog does not need shocked people to stare and talk. So ask everyone to come out to leave the dog in peace and quiet.

   • You will have to watch the dog all the time while he is having seizures. Firstly, to detect their duration, and secondly, to make sure that the dog is safe. During the seizure, remain as quiet and still as you can. This will ease the convulsions in the dog.

2. Get rid of odors. The stimulation of a dog's sense of smell (his sense of smell) can be very strong. Therefore, if you have scented candles burning or something is baking in the oven, get rid of the smells. Blow out and remove the candles, open the door for better ventilation.

   • If you have a large dog, then it will be difficult to move it during convulsions. A small dog will be easier to deal with during an attack, but it's still not a good idea because touch is also a stimulation and can increase the dog's delicate state. Getting rid of odors can be much easier than moving the dog.

3. Don't pet your dog. Some dog owners find this statement debatable, as they feel obligated to pet the dog to reduce its anxiety. The risk is that touch is a form of stimulation, so the best thing to do is to leave the dog alone. His attack will end faster if you don't intervene.

   • During an attack, the dog does not feel that you are near. The worst case scenario is if your presence prolongs the attack. While touching a dog will calm you down, it is unlikely to help a dog.

Part 3

1. If possible, use a tranquilizer that you used in a past seizure. If your pet has already had a seizure, your veterinarian has probably given you tubes of rectal diazepam to use during or after seizures. Diazepam is a tranquilizer that is good for reducing excessive brain activity, which helps to completely bring dogs out of a seizure.

2. Use a rectal suppository. To insert rectal diazepam, remove the cap from the dispenser tube and squeeze some diazepam onto the spout to lubricate the tube. Here's how to safely and gently give medication to your dog:

   • Gently move the dog's tail away from the anus so you can see the rectal opening.
   • Place the tip of the tube against the rectal opening and, using gentle twisting, press the neck of the medicine tube so that it enters the rectum to the depth of the tube's shoulder.
   • When the suppository sits well in the rectal opening, squeeze the tube to squeeze out its contents, and it enters the rectum.
   • Pull out the spout and discard the used candle.

3. Give the tranquilizer as soon as you can. The sooner you give your dog diazepam, the sooner the symptoms will stop. However, do not lose your composure in the race for time. While time is of the essence, it's even more important that you don't make things worse for your dog.

   • You can also give your dog a post-seizure medication to help keep him calm and prevent future seizures, especially if your dog is prone to multiple seizures.

Content:

Excessive activity of neurons that control muscle contraction causes seizures in dogs. Muscle tremors appear, twitching of the paw or facial muscles, then the dog calms down, or a seizure occurs. It lasts for a few seconds or minutes and stops suddenly. The dog gets up, shakes his head, looks around, begins to eat or drink greedily.

The reasons

Causes of seizures in dogs include:

• Epilepsy.
• Perversions of metabolism.
• Infectious diseases.
• Poisoning.
• Cardiac pathologies. Characterized by the dog falling into a fainting state

Epilepsy

This is a state of the brain characterized by fainting and convulsions. Dogs suffer regardless of breed, boys more often than girls. The first seizures are recorded from six months. at 6 ... 18 months. Epilepsy is not an independent disease. This is a pathological sign that causes a perversion of induction, as well as attenuation of nerve impulses.

Perversions of metabolism

There are the following types of metabolic disorders:

• Hypoglycemia. Drop in blood sugar levels. They are observed in diseases of the liver, kidneys, congenital anomalies. Dogs of decorative and small breeds, as well as puppies (such as Chihuahuas) are more likely to suffer.
• Eclampsia. Decreased blood calcium levels (milk fever, postpartum tetany). Animals of small and decorative breeds are susceptible.

contagious diseases

Seizures occur with the following contagious diseases:

• Rabies.
• A plague of carnivores.
• Toxoplasmosis.
• Toxic infections.

Bacterial and mycotic infections.

poisoning

A dog can get poisoned in the following ways:

• Through the mouth. The animal eats spoiled food, carrion, poisoned rodents. As an option - drug toxicosis. Dog hunters use Isoniazid to kill dogs.
• Contact. It occurs mainly in contact with the skin of toxic substances.
• Respiratory. The result of inhaling toxic gases.
• Insect and snake bites.

Cardiac pathologies

Cardiac insufficiency is the loss of the ability to supply the needs of textures and organs with sufficient blood. There are the following causes of pathology:

• Congenital. Puppies suffer.
• Acquired. Occur as symptoms of underlying diseases.
• Age. Develop as a result of senile changes in the myocardium.

Types of seizures

The following options are distinguished:

• Convulsions. Separate weak jerky spasms. The animal does not lose consciousness, it reacts to the commands of the dog breeder.
• Tonic. Long, slow contractions. The dog is conscious, whining in pain.
• Clonic. Recurring spasms. The pet gets up, falls again.
• epileptic seizures. Accompanied by loss of consciousness and constant muscle tension. Status epilepticus is considered a dangerous condition. These are convulsions that last more than half an hour. The threat to life is suffocation due to the loss of contractile functions of the respiratory muscles, heart attack, hyperthermia, acidosis.

Diagnostics

The cause of seizures is identified on the basis of anamnesis, clinic, as well as additional studies. Informative information about the age of the pet. In a dog under one year old, the occurrence of seizures is associated with congenital pathology, poisoning, metabolic disorders, or a contagious disease accompanied by nervous phenomena. If spasms are recorded in an adult, epilepsy is suspected.

Older dogs (>5 years) suffer predominantly from kidney, liver or cancer. The veterinarian may prescribe the following diagnostic procedures:

• Chest radiograph.
• Abdominal ultrasound.

First aid

Initial bouts of danger do not bring. The main thing is not to panic and expect the pet to recover on its own. The following steps are required:

• Provide peace.
• Protect victim from bright light and loud noise.
• Place the dog on the floor, on the right side, spreading a dense soft cloth - a towel or a blanket.
• Ensure the flow of saliva.
• Protect your head from beating on the floor by placing your palm or sofa cushion.
• You can not forcibly press the animal to the floor and try to bring it to life.
• It is impossible to open the jaws by putting a spoon between the teeth.

If the dog has not lost consciousness, convulsive twitches of the hind limbs are observed, the animal must be taken to the clinic. In case of loss of consciousness, it is necessary to wait for the end of the paroxysm, and then deliver it to a medical institution. When the attack lasts more than 10 minutes, the dog is wrapped in a blanket and a specialist is called to the house. To prevent a cardiac attack, cardiac agents are dripped onto the dog's tongue - Corvalol or analogues.

With epileptic status, the animal is taken to the clinic. If the dog owner knows that his pet is prone to seizures, he must have a syringe and anticonvulsant on hand, selected by a veterinarian. The specialist shows the owner of the dog how to give an injection.

The therapeutic strategy is to eliminate the cause of the disease. If the dog has epilepsy, the veterinarian prescribes a course of treatment with anticonvulsants, which is carried out by the dog breeder. It is important to understand that often the life of an animal depends on the timeliness of the administration of the medicine and the pet may not be able to get to the clinic in time. Therefore, the dog handler has to perform the functions of a veterinary paramedic. When poisoning dogs, antidotes are used.

Convulsions and salivation in a dog is a sudden phenomenon that is very frightening for owners of four-legged friends. There are many reasons for the development of muscle spasms, but any owner should know how to properly provide first aid to his pet.

The term "convulsions" means involuntary muscle contraction. Before a seizure, the animal behaves restlessly, trembles, whimpers. There is an increased secretion of saliva.

During an attack, the dog falls to the floor and involuntarily begins to twitch with the whole body, while saliva or foam flows out of the mouth, the pet can defecate. The spasms last for a few seconds or minutes.

Attention! The attack ends as suddenly as it began.

After him, the animal gets up, looks around, for the first minutes the look is lost, the movements are constrained. Then he greedily eats and drinks, does not respond to the voice and touch of family members, stares intently at one point.

Seizures in a dog: causes and treatment

Distinguish four types of seizures in dogs:

What to do if a dog has seizures: the causes and treatment will be discussed in detail below.

Seizures in a dog: causes

Muscle spasms are always a symptom of some disease. Seizures in a dog: the reasons are completely different:

1. Epilepsy. This disease can be either acquired (after severe head injuries, due to swelling, inflammation, etc.) or hereditary. It develops due to a malfunction of the brain.
2. Eclampsia. With this disease, the level of calcium in the blood of the animal drops. It is typical for small individuals, often Lack of calcium leads to the development of muscle spasms.
3. Hypoglycemia. This disease develops due to a lack of glucose in the blood. With hypoglycemia, metabolism is disturbed, the work of the liver and kidneys worsens. This disease can be inherited.
4. Infections. Muscle spasms are characteristic of many infectious diseases. Diseases caused by fungi or bacteria can lead to spasms. Intoxication is also often accompanied by convulsions.
5. Injuries to internal organs, head and spine are also the cause of involuntary muscle contractions.
6. Poisoning bites of some snakes and insects.

Important! Seizures are only a symptom of the disease, so without diagnosis, any treatment is useless.

First aid and treatment

Seizures in a dog: what to do if the dog suddenly trembled in a fit? Do not be afraid and start giving her first aid. Be sure to record the duration of the seizure(note the start and end times of spasms), this information will help the veterinarian make a diagnosis.

Make sure that there are no objects near the pet that it can hit during an attack (sofa, bedside table, etc.). Try to lay the pet on a soft bedding or pillow. Take your pet to the veterinarian immediately if the seizure lasts longer than 10 minutes.

Attention! In no case do not climb into the dog's mouth with your hands or other objects, as during an attack it does not control itself and can bite you.

Isolate the animal from children, but don't leave him alone.

After the attack is over, calm your pet, offer her water. For a few minutes, the dog may look confused, but if he doesn't recover within half an hour, take him to the vet.

To identify the root cause, you will need the following examinations:

• blood and urine tests (general, biochemical);
• Ultrasound, CT, MRI, ECHO;
• X-ray of the spine and skull.

What to do if a dog has seizures should be decided by a veterinarian. He will study the results, make a diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment. To prevent seizures in epilepsy, Pagluferal is prescribed. For other diseases, magnesium sulfate and other drugs are used.

Important! In no case do not start self-treatment of your animal.

How to avoid seizures in dogs?

In order to minimize the development of muscle spasms, observe the following preventive measures:

• make sure that (this will help avoid metabolic disorders);
• exclude any contact of the animal with toxic substances and household chemicals;
• do not leave your pet unattended for walks, walk only on a leash or in a fenced area (after a seizure, the dog may get confused and run away);
• Keep your pet up to date with all the necessary vaccinations.

Seizures are only symptoms of a serious illness. If your pet has muscle spasms, take him to the veterinarian, as if left untreated, new seizures will occur, and eventually the animal may die.

Additionally, check out the video about the manifestation of tonic seizures in a dog:

A seizure is a sudden intense discharge of impulses in the brain, leading to involuntary muscle contraction. In dogs, these seizures last from seconds to minutes. They may manifest as a simple twitching of the limb, but sometimes the animal falls on its side, shakes its whole body convulsively, whines, and may even lose consciousness.

It is almost impossible to help the animal on your own. Seizures are a very dangerous and alarming symptom that requires immediate veterinary attention.

Phases of seizures

It is necessary to be able to correctly recognize the precursors of seizures in a pet. A seizure consists of several phases:

1. 1. Aura. Sometimes the appearance of seizures is predicted by signs such as increased salivation, restless behavior, general weakness, and nausea. The dog may begin to hide from everyone, wander and howl. The duration of this behavior ranges from a couple of minutes to several days.
2. 2. Hit. At the beginning of the attack, there are convulsions that last for a certain time. The animal curls up into a ball or falls on its side. At this point, saliva is released from the mouth, involuntary urination may occur.
3. 3. Post-traumatic period. It starts right after the attack. At this time, the dog does not react to anything, lies motionless, staring at one point. Other signs are disorientation, confusion, increased salivation. This period lasts from a couple of hours to several days. Some dogs begin to drink or eat greedily, approach the owner in search of support.

If this happened to the pet for the first time, the threat to his life is minimal, but the cause of the seizures should be identified and eliminated.

Kinds

It is important to describe the attack to a specialist as accurately as possible so that he can choose the appropriate treatment.. Depending on the cause of seizures, their nature also changes:

If a pet’s attack lasts more than 10 minutes, up to twice a day, it should be taken to the veterinarian immediately.

Reasons for the appearance

The appearance of seizures indicates the presence of a serious illness. There are the following causes of seizures:

Seizures can occur with cerebrovascular disease, injuries of internal organs and congenital pathologies (dropsy and hydrocephalus).

First aid

During the attack, you need to follow the following tips:

• Remember the time of the beginning and end of the attack (usually no more than half a minute) and subsequently tell the specialist about it.
• Protect the dog from dangerous objects that can harm her (chairs with sharp corners, a high sofa).
• Use a soft pillow to prevent head injury.
• Give your dog a few drops of Corvalol to reduce muscle spasms.
• Measure body temperature between seizures.
• Observe the state of the animal: which muscles contract more and how the dog’s inappropriate behavior manifests itself at the time of the attack.
• Do not insert any objects into the oral cavity (fork, hand). Dogs never swallow their tongue.
• Keep your pet calm, keep animals and children away from him.
• Be near your pet so that after an attack he calms down faster.

The doctor will require you to describe in detail the whole picture of the seizure, so it is very important to keep all records.

When the convulsions are over, it is necessary to control the behavior of the animal and keep it away from high objects until its behavior is normal. You can offer him clean water. You should prepare for the fact that the pet will begin to whine and behave inappropriately for a certain time.

You need to be gentle with the dog and try to calm it down. If her condition has not returned to normal within half an hour, you should take her to the veterinarian. At the time of transportation, the animal should be wrapped in a blanket and pressed tightly to itself.

Diagnosis and treatment

Laboratory research is necessary to identify the disease of the dog, which resulted in seizures. The doctor takes a blood test, urine and feces, conducts an examination of the fundus. If the cause of the seizures is not identified even after a complete diagnosis, then they are called idiopathic.

An additional examination is carried out depending on the results of the tests taken and laboratory tests.

After determining the underlying cause of seizures, the veterinarian will prescribe:

• magnesium sulfate and antihistamines to reduce spasms and relieve the condition of the animal;
• specific drugs for the treatment of the underlying pathology;
• symptomatic to stop attacks (phenobarbital, diazepam, hexamidine).

To protect your pet from seizures, you need to provide him with a safe and calm environment for life. Contact of the animal with toxins and poisons should be avoided and should not be left unattended. During the walk, the dog must be in a fenced area or on a leash. To prevent infection, regularly give the dog the necessary vaccinations.