Understanding Epilepsy in Pets: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options

Epilepsy is a condition that consists of recurrent seizures due to abnormal brain activity. With different types of seizures in animals, and their varying symptoms, it is vital to identify the signs of these seizures, and seek veterinary support to get your pet some relief. Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital + Urgent Care can help you understand this condition and what you need to do to manage it. 

What Are Seizures?

Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures. Increased electrical activity in the brain leads to uncontrolled twitching, convulsing, and shaking. 

There are different types of epileptic seizures in pets, which can cause different symptoms. These include: 

• Focal seizures: Focal seizures occur when unusual electrical activity affects one side of the brain. They might cause twitching or paddling motions in pets. Pets having a focal seizure might moan, whine, or growl. They will also often have dilation of the pupils, vomiting, or drooling. Some animals have trouble with balance, or might experience changes in vision or hearing.
• Generalized seizures: Sometimes focal seizures spread to both sides of the brain and turn into generalized seizures. These can cause a loss of consciousness, or involuntary urination or defecation.
• Status epilepticus: If a generalized seizure lasts more than five minutes, it turns into a status epilepticus. This is a serious condition that requires immediate veterinary attention.
• Myoclonic seizures: These seizures cause the body to jerk randomly. They usually affect both sides of the body.
• Atonic seizures: This type of seizure affects an animal’s muscle tone, which can cause him to collapse. It also often leads to loss of consciousness. 
• Idiopathic epilepsy: This is one of the most common types of seizures in pets, but the exact cause is unknown. Pets experiencing idiopathic epilepsy might stare into space, twitch involuntarily, drool, bark, or lose consciousness. Animals are typically woozy and disoriented after the event.

What to Look For

Before a seizure starts, a pet may appear lost, anxious, withdrawn, or frightened. This may be because they can feel a seizure coming on. When the seizure occurs, a pet might not appear to have any awareness of what’s happening to, or around, them. Owners may see any of the following:

• Drooling
• Shaking
• Muscle spasms or stiffening
• Uncontrollable chewing
• Loss of bladder control

Seizures in dogs last an average of 30-90 seconds, but they can be just a few seconds or a few minutes. If you notice any kind of seizure event in your pet, you should schedule a visit with the veterinarian to talk about treatment options.

Epileptic Pets

While there is some evidence to suggest possible environmental factors, epilepsy in pets is typically inherited. The breeds known to have a predisposition for this condition include:

• Beagles
• Border collies
• Boxers
• Golden retrievers
• Corgis
• Shepherds
• Bernese mountain dogs
• Cocker spaniels
• Poodles

While not every dog of these breeds will suffer from epilepsy, you should talk to your veterinarian if you have any concerns about your pet’s risk factors.

What We Can Do to Help

If we determine your pet is suffering from epilepsy, we can develop a treatment plan to decrease the effect of the condition on your pet’s health and daily life. Anti-seizure medication is the most common form of treatment for epilepsy in dogs, and if we decide it’s right for your pet, we will perform regular blood tests to ensure an animal is receiving the correct dosage.

Please call us at (916) 624-7387 or (916) 624-3322 for our Pacific Street location if you’d like to schedule a consultation for your pet.