Internet Article: http://www.vth.vt.edu/clientsvisitors/sa-factsheets/sa-factsheets.asp?seizures.txt
Referenced: 11/13/06
Author: Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
.::SMALL ANIMAL FACT SHEETS::.
- Seizures & Epilepsy - January 1998
What is a seizure?
A seizure is an electrical abnormality in the brain. It is also commonly called a convulsion, fit, or ictus.
What does a seizure look like?
Most commonly, a seizure consists of many or all of the following: stiffening of limbs, falling over, loss of consciousness,
urination, salivation, defecation, intermittent jerking of the limbs, chewing motions.
What causes a seizure?
Anything that can change nerve function within the brain can trigger a seizure. Examples include trauma to the brain,
brain infections, low blood sugar (the brain depends on glucose or sugar for energy), liver or kidney disease, electrolyte
disturbances, toxins, congenital brain diseases, or tumors. Some breeds may have a genetic predisposition for a low
seizure threshold.
What can I do if my pet has a seizure?
Once a seizure starts there is very little you can do except remain calm and note duration and description of the seizure.
Make sure that the pet is on the floor so it won’t fall. Ensure that collars or leashes do not get caught on objects. Keep
your hands away from your pet’s mouth; do not attempt to give it any oral medication while it is having a seizure.
How long will a seizure last?
Most last 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
When should I contact a veterinarian?
Your pet should be examined after its first seizure. A thorough history will be taken and physical and neurological
examinations will be performed. Many times we recommend blood work to rule out causes such as liver and kidney
disease, low blood sugar, toxins, or electrolyte disturbances
What happens after a seizure?
The pet usually goes through a recovery period that will last seconds to minutes or occasionally hours in some cases. It
may lay around more or sleep, or act confused, dazed or even blind. Some pets will be hyperactive and pace while others
may want to eat.
What if my pet has had several seizures over the past several weeks or months?
Repeated seizures over time is called epilepsy. Epilepsy can be either primary or secondary. Primary epilepsy is when
repeated seizures occur in animals less than 5 years of age and a cause for the seizure cannot be found, even with CT or
MRI scans. The brain is normal in all aspects except electrically. Secondary epilepsy can occur at any age and has a
triggering cause such as head trauma or infection. Changes in the brain are often found with spinal fluid analysis, CT or
MRI scans, or other tests. Both types of epilepsy will likely require treatment with anticonvulsants.
Should I keep track of the seizures?
Yes! Keeping a record of all seizures can be helpful to your veterinarian. Note the date, time, duration, and description of
all seizures.
Can epilepsy be cured?
Unless an underlying cause for the repeated seizures can be found and corrected, there is no cure. However
anticonvulsants can reduce frequency and severity of future seizures in many patients.
How common is epilepsy?
It is relatively common in the canine population (about 1% of all diseases in dogs). It is less common in the feline
population.
Will epilepsy shorten my pet’s life?
In general, if the seizures are controlled well with anticonvulsants, you can expect a normal life span. In a very small
number of animals, anticonvulsants can have side effects that could affect life span.
If my pet has epilepsy, do I have to take it to a veterinarian after every seizure?
After your veterinarian has made a diagnosis, you shouldn’t have to take your pet to the veterinarian after one or even
two seizures. However, if your pet has numerous seizures with little to no recovery in-between, or if a seizure lasts longer
than 3 to 5 minutes, you should contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic for further advice.
Is epilepsy inherited?
Primary epilepsy likely has a genetic basis in many breeds. This genetic link has been proven, however, only for a small
number of dog breeds. These dogs are normal in-between the seizures and seizures usually develop between 1 and 5
years of age. In general, the larger breeds tend to have more severe seizures than do smaller breeds. Effective control of
seizures is sometimes harder to achieve in larger breeds too. Although there are likely genetic links to epilepsy in cats,
most cases in cats are secondary epilepsy because of acquired disease.
If my pet has epilepsy, should I have it bred?
Breeding is not recommended because of the potential for a low seizure threshold to be passed to the next generations.
Females should be spayed because estrus or “heat” lowers the seizure threshold, often causing an increase in the severity
or number of seizures during “heat”. Although hormonal changes in the male do not seem to have the same effect as in
the female, we do recommend castration to avoid passing a low seizure threshold to offspring.