29
Jun
Other symptoms to be on the lookout for. This is especially true if you witness your dog having a seizure which is one of the most frightening experiences you can have as a pet owner.
This is in contrast to younger dogs who are more likely to have idiopathic epilepsy where no cause can be found.
Why does an older dog have seizures. Its rare for epilepsy to be the underlying cause of an old dog having seizures for the first time because its almost always diagnosed in their younger years. What Happens When a Dog is Having a Seizure. When a dog has a seizure depending on the type they could have changes in mental awareness such as looking dazed and having a tremor.
Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in a dogs brain. In aging or older dogs seizures can be due to a variety of reasons. Pressure on the brain from trauma a tumor or abscess.
Chemical irritation from exposure to a toxin. Causes of seizures in dogs Environmental causes. For example if your dog ingests a poisonous toxin Illness.
Such as brain tumors epilepsy kidney disease diabetes or Cushings disease Genetic predisposition. Certain breeds are more likely to experience a seizure than others. Why do old dogs have seizures.
If an otherwise healthy senior dog starts having seizures there is usually an underlying cause. This is in contrast to younger dogs who are more likely to have idiopathic epilepsy where no cause can be found. Whenever I see an older dog with new onset seizures my top differentials are metabolic diseases and tumors.
What Cause Seizures in Older Dogs. I probably should say dogs of all ages but some are more common in old dogs. Things that can cause a dog to have a seizure include.
Low blood sugar levels. Blood or organs issues. Dog seizures can be caused by trauma exposure to toxins brain tumors genetic abnormalities issues with the dogs blood or organs or a number of other reasons.
Other times seizures may sometimes occur for unknown reasons called idiopathic. Dogs older than seven that come up with seizures unfortunately this is often related to something outside of epilepsy scary things like a brain tumor liver disease or some other problem. Depending on how old your dog is and what the seizure was like it actually might be okay for you to wait to put this dog on seizure medication.
There are a variety of reasons why your dog might start having seizures later in life. It is a common symptom of a variety of medical conditions from poisoning to kidney disease. The only way to discover the cause of your dogs seizures is to consult with your vet.
It is true that when a dog of this age starts to have seizures the most likely cause is a brain tumor. Unfortunately this can be really hard to prove because the only way to find a. Some older dogs develop brain tumors which can put pressure on the brain as it grows resulting in a seizure.
Other symptoms to be on the lookout for. There are many causes of seizures. Idiopathic epilepsy the most common cause of seizures in the dog is an inherited disorder but its exact cause is unknown.
Other causes include liver disease kidney failure brain tumors brain trauma or toxins. Idiopathic epilepsy is the most common cause of. Dog seizures are scary not just for the dog thats actually experiencing the seizure but also for you the owner.
This is especially true if you witness your dog having a seizure which is one of the most frightening experiences you can have as a pet owner. If you do have an older pet even if theyre not struggling then I do also have a couple of really comprehensive articles about palliative care in the first place. So that is for your pet if they are unwell if they have a condition especially a chronic long-term condition that maybe theyre struggling or even if theyve just been diagnosed with that.
Toxins might be the cause of canine seizures Finding the cause of sudden seizures in previously healthy dogs may require a neurology or internal medicine work-up but the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center notes that often the problem can be traced to a toxin exposure.