Seizures in Dogs and Cats

We’ve all seen it on TV – all of a sudden, a person collapses, froths at the mouth, and thrashes uncontrollably on the floor. Seizures are a scary topic to discuss without a doubt, but understanding these intimidating episodes is key to successfully managing them when they occur.

Types of seizures 

There are three seizure types: generalised, focal and psychomotor. 
•    Generalised seizures are the full-body seizures that most people are familiar with. Pets often collapse and lose consciousness. Their legs may be stiff, or they may paddle as though swimming. They may also drool, urinate or defecate. 
•    Focal seizures involve involuntary twitching or jerking of one or a few parts of the body (e.g. leg, lip, eye). If the mouth is involved, it may look as if the pet is chewing gum.
•    Psychomotor seizures are sudden, unprovoked bursts of abnormal behaviour from which the pet cannot be distracted, such as aggression, pacing, tail-chasing, or snapping at the air.

Pets may behave abnormally in the hours to days before a seizure – they may seem more nervous, clingy or aloof. After a seizure, pets may act disorientated or display behaviours such as circling or pacing. This usually resolves within hours but may linger for days in some cases.

My pet is having a seizure! What do I do?

Stay calm and if needed, move your pet to a safe place away from hazards (such as objects that could be knocked over or areas where they could fall). Remove other pets from the area. Record the time of the seizure, how long it lasts, and your pet’s behaviour before and after the seizure.

DO NOT yell at your pet, hit them, or otherwise try to snap them out of the seizure – it will end when it ends. Tempting though it may be to comfort them, DO NOT touch their face as they may bite.

Seek emergency attention if the seizure lasts longer than 3 minutes, as your pet risks overheating and organ damage. If your pet has had a single seizure under 3 minutes and is otherwise fine, it’s not an emergency but they should see a vet within the next 24-48 hours.

What causes seizures?

Seizure causes are classified into three categories: structural, reactive, or primary epilepsy. Examples of each are listed in the table below (N.B. this list is not exhaustive).

How do vets determine the cause of seizures?

Vets start by taking your pet’s history and carrying out a full physical examination, including a neurologic examination to search for abnormalities that may indicate issues with the nervous system. Blood and urine testing are often also performed to check organ function and look for reactive causes of seizures.

Further investigation, if needed, often requires referral to a specialty facility. 
•    Your vet may request advanced imaging such as MRI to look at the brain and skull. 
•    Specialised testing to look for sources of infection or inflammation may be performed.

How are seizures treated?

If your pet presents as an emergency, vets will focus on stabilising them and stopping the seizures before searching for the cause. Depending on what is found, your pet may require hospitalisation before they are stable enough to return home. 

If your pet is anticipated to have more seizures in the near future, one or more anti-seizure medications may be prescribed, such as phenobarbitone, potassium bromide or levetiracetam. Vets may also prescribe intra-rectal diazepam to keep on standby. This medication is squeezed into your pet’s anus to quickly stop an ongoing seizure. 

Pets on long-term medication for seizures require periodic monitoring. If their seizures are not controlled, medication doses may be increased or more medications may be added. It is important to take your vet’s advice and bring your pet for reassessment as needed. 

Thank you for reading and we hope the information in this article has been useful for both you and your pet. Please speak with your trusted veterinarian if you have any specific queries about your pet’s health.