Know What to Do When Your Dog Has a Seizure

 

Seeing your beloved dog having a seizure is frightening, but you can prepare by knowing what to do if it happens. Some breeds of dogs have a tendency toward having seizures caused by epilepsy while other dogs might have a seizure because of a:

• Head trauma
• Illness
• Poisoning
• Brain tumor
• Liver disease
• Kidney failure

If you are going to own a dog, then it is essential to learn the proper first aid techniques to care for the animal when an emergency occurs.

How to Move Your Dog

When your dog has a seizure, seconds will seem like hours, but in most cases, your pet will recover and begin to behave normally quickly. It is better to leave your pet alone during the seizure unless the animal is in a dangerous location such as a street. Do not go near your dog’s mouth to avoid an accidental bite, but use the animal’s hind legs to pull it away from the area.

Talk Calmly to Your Dog

While your dog has a seizure, it does not experience pain but will have dilated pupils and twitching muscles. The seizure may cause a dog to defecate or urinate uncontrollably, so you can place a towel or newspapers underneath its hindquarters to avoid contaminating carpets. During the seizure, talk calmly to your pet and stroke it gently on the part of its body away from the mouth.

At the Veterinarian’s Office

Seizures that last longer than five minutes are the most dangerous and require an emergency visit to a veterinarian. At a veterinarian’s office, the expert will conduct an examination on your dog and collect blood samples. Conditions such as distemper, rabies or low-blood sugar can also cause a dog to have a seizure. If you are considering getting a new puppy, make sure to buy one from a reputable breeder who only breeds healthy dogs that have had genetic testing for epilepsy disorders. Make sure to keep your dog vaccinated to avoid conditions such as rabies and distemper.