As a rule, when onset is before age 2, the condition responds positively to medication. Generally, the younger the dog is, the more severe the epilepsy will be. Recovery following the seizure may be immediate, or it can take up to 24 hours.
Behavior following the seizure is known as postictal behavior, and includes periods of confusion and disorientation, aimless wandering, compulsive behavior, blindness, pacing, increased thirst (polydipsia) and increased appetite (polyphagia). These seizure activities generally last between 30 and 90 seconds. Once the seizure(s) begin, the dog will fall on its side, become stiff, chomp its jaw, salivate profusely, urinate, defecate, vocalize, and/or paddle with all four limbs. When a dog is having a partial seizure, only one limb, side of the body, or just the face will be affected. Grand mal seizures can look like involuntary jerking or twitching in all four of the animal’s limbs and include loss of consciousness.Ī partial seizure in dogs affects only a small part of the brain and can manifest a couple different ways, but will typically progress to grand mal seizures throughout the dog’s lifetime. Grand mal seizures in dogs affect both sides of the brain and the entire body. There are three types of dog seizures, generally classified by researchers as focal (partial) seizures, generalized (grand mal) seizures, and focal seizures with secondary generalization. Other times, seizures may sometimes occur for unknown reasons – called idiopathic. What Causes Seizures in Dogsĭog seizures can be caused by trauma, exposure to toxins, brain tumors, genetic abnormalities, issues with the dog’s blood or organs, or a number of other reasons. These physical attacks can come with or without a loss of consciousness. Status epilepticus, or epilepsy, is a neurological disorder that causes dogs to have sudden, uncontrolled and recurring seizures.