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Jan
If imaging reveals a tumor as the cause of the seizure in your senior dog your veterinarian may recommend surgery. What to Do During Your Dogs Seizure.
Leave your dog alone during a seizure unless its in a location where it could be injured.
What to do when your old dog has a seizure. Always call your veterinarian or emergency veterinarian after your dog has a seizure even if your dog seems to be acting normally. If your dog has had seizures before and you think one is coming on try to move the dog to a safe soft area where there are no sharp objects or hard floors. The best thing you can do is to remain calm and try to keep your dog and yourself out of danger.
Never put your hands near or in your dogs mouth during a seizure. What to Do During Your Dogs Seizure. Once your dogs seizure begins theres not much you can do.
If you notice that your dog is having a seizure give him space and make sure that he has a clear area to let the seizure run its course. Your dog will experience involuntary muscle contractions and may start foaming at the mouth. The seizure should end within a few minutes so just hold tight and be prepared to care for your dog afterward.
And remember stay calm. If your dog has a seizure near stairs or the edge of the bed carefully push him to a safer location or place something in front of him that will prevent him from falling without hurting him. Dogs may become panicked before or after a seizure and may run around without thinking or.
Leave your dog alone during a seizure unless its in a location where it could be injured. If you end up having to move the dog gently pull it by the hind legs to a safe location. Its OK to pet or comfort your dog during a seizure but keep your hands away from its mouththe seizure could cause the dogs jaws to clamp down on your hand.
The best thing you can do is after a seizure is protect your pet. Block access to stairs and water such as swimming pools ponds and lakes. Because your dog is unsteady on his feet he can easily fall down stairs.
Allow access only to a room with no sharp objects. But its important to know what a seizure is and why your dog reacts the way it does. A seizure is caused by abnormal electric activity in the brain.
Neurons misfire and send signals to the body that result in seizures. During a seizure your dog may look like he is suffering but he is unaware of what is happening to his body. Thats why he may seem confused after the seizure has concluded.
However since dogs develop a tolerance rather quickly diazepam is not typically selected for the continued management of seizures. Gabapentin A drug I know is used by so many senior dog parents to help manage pain it can also be helpful. When an old dog has a seizure it looks very frightening and painful.
The problem with seizures is not its cause at the moment of the episode but rather the effects that they can have on your dog. Do not confuse old dog seizures with convulsions. According to the US National Library of Medicine a seizure is the physical findings or changes in behaviour that occur after an episode.
If imaging reveals a tumor as the cause of the seizure in your senior dog your veterinarian may recommend surgery. Medical treatment of old dog seizures is aimed at reducing the frequency of the seizures and keeping your dog comfortable. Sometimes anti-seizure medications will be recommended but medication may not be used in every situation.
If your dog has more than two seizures within the first week of onset your veterinarian will probably consider a diagnosis other than idiopathic epilepsy. If the seizures occur when the dog is younger than six months or older than five years it may be metabolic or intracranial within the skull in origin. This will rule out hypoglycemia in older dogs.
Focal seizures or the presence of neurologic. Take your dog to the vet after his first seizure. Your vet will likely do a number of tests to find out the cause and help you determine the best course of treatment.
If your dog has multiples seizures without waking up between them or has one that last longer the five minutes find emergency medical help. For more information and courses go to. 11 September 2019.
When an older dog has a seizure its scary especially if they dont have a history of them. I know from experience with my own senior dogsHowever it may give you peace of mind to know that dog seizures arent painful for your pooch. Of course your dog might feel a sense of panic and confusion but during the actual seizure they wont be in pain.