How Do You Help A Dog Who Has Canine Epilepsy?
• Consider the age of your pet. Most canine epilepsy develops between the ages of 1 and 6. Onset of seizure disorder between those ages usually results in a diagnosis of canine epilepsy, but bloodwork should be done to rule out other possible causes. • Think about injuries. Canine epilepsy can be caused by head trauma. See your vet if you think your dog has been hurt this way to decide if this may be the cause of your dog’s seizures. • Recognize the symptoms. Not all dogs have typical “grand mal” seizures, which are whole body convulsions. Quite often, seizures may look like this: • The dog gets clingy or paces relentlessly. It may get ill or vomit. This is the “preictal” phase – the dog senses something isn’t right and begins to react. • The dog begins to run around in a very agitated manner, maybe appearing to try to scratch its neck or behind its ear. You begin to get concerned when the behavior continues. And continues. You run to your pet, thinking maybe it’s being bitten or stung
