How to detect, react to, and treat your dog’s seizure

Disclaimer: This article, its content, and its related references do not constitute veterinary advice and should not be considered a substitute for veterinary care. If your pet is showing any symptoms that could indicate a medical emergency, please seek immediate emergency care.

Seizures are common in dogs and are a result of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It’s important to stay calm and take steps to keep yourself and your dog safe if they have a seizure. Knowing what a seizure looks like and what to do is important and can help you stay calm and safe. If you have a dog, read on to learn:

• What seizures in dogs look like
• What to do in the event of a seizure
• Why your dog may have had a seizure
• When your dog’s seizure is an emergency

If your dog is having a seizure, take steps to keep the area clear of hazards, mark the time, avoid petting them, and connect with a veterinarian. The appearance of the seizure can vary depending on what type it is. Generalized seizures are the most common and result in a loss of consciousness, full-body stiffness, and convulsions. Focal seizures and psychomotor seizures may only result in abnormal behavior or abnormal movements of one part of the body. Common causes for seizures include idiopathic epilepsy, metabolic conditions (such as liver disease and Addison’s disease), low blood sugar, toxin exposure, and other health conditions. Treatment for seizures varies depending on the underlying cause, which is why it's important to consult with a veterinarian.

A seizure is abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Seizures vary in severity and can manifest in several ways depending on what part of the brain is affected and the amount of abnormal electrical activity. “Canine seizures can manifest in several ways, such as involuntary movements, changes in behavior, and an altered state of consciousness,” explains Dr. Jamie Lecky. “A seizure can be as subtle as simply staring or mild twitching, or as severe as collapsing with full body convulsions.”

There are different ways seizures can physically manifest in dogs:

• Generalized seizure (grand mal seizure)
• Focal seizure (partial seizure)
• Psychomotor seizure

Generalized seizures are the most common type of seizure in dogs.

Different seizure types can have different underlying causes and can be:

• Reactive: Resulting from a metabolic disorder or toxicity
• Secondary: Resulting from an unidentifiable brain abnormality
• Primary: No known cause for the seizure is found

What does seizure activity look like in dogs?

There are often three phases that occur during a seizure episode:

• Pre-ictal phase: Altered or strange behavior before the seizure
• Ictal phase: The seizure itself
• Postictal phase: Abnormal behavior after the seizure

In the pre-ictal phase before a seizure, a dog may hide, appear nervous or restless, seek out their owner, whine, shake, or salivate excessively. These behavioral changes can occur seconds to days before the seizure and may not be obvious or observed by the owner.

Active seizures can have different appearances depending on what type of seizure it is.

Generalized seizures are the most common type of seizures, and signs include:

• Loss of consciousness
• Stiffness of entire body with possible cycles of stiffness (tonic/clonic cycles)
• Possible loss of bowel and bladder control

Focal seizures only affect one part of the body, and signs can include:

• Involuntary movement of one part of the body
• Altered state of consciousness
• Involuntary twitching of the lip, eyelid, or ear

Psychomotor seizures appear as odd behavior rather than unusual movements of the body or convulsions. Signs can include:

• Confusion
• Staring into space
• Unexplained aggressive behavior

Seizures are typically followed by a state of confusion (postictal phase) as the brain recovers. This phase can last a few minutes to several hours after the seizure and can include:

• Restlessness
• Disorientation
• Excessive panting
• Hyperactivity
• Fatigue
• Altered behavior
• Aggression

If your dog is having a seizure, it’s important to stay calm and help your dog in a safe way. Things you can do include:

• Gathering important information about the seizure
• Moving items away from the seizing dog that may injure them
• Avoiding touching or petting your dog
• Being cautious during the postictal period after the seizure

Knowing what to do during an active seizure can help keep both you and your dog safe.

Note the time and duration of the seizure

It can be difficult to accurately estimate the length of time a seizure lasts, so checking the time at the start of a seizure will help keep track of how long it lasts.

Most seizures end within a couple of minutes, but seizures lasting longer than three minutes can be life-threatening. During a seizure, a dog can’t regulate their body temperature normally, and their temperature can elevate to dangerous levels if the seizure is prolonged.

If your dog’s been diagnosed with epilepsy, noting the time and duration of the seizure in a seizure diary or log may be recommended by your veterinarian.

Clear space and check for hazards

A dog having a seizure is unconscious or in an altered state of consciousness, making them unaware of their surroundings. As a result, they may hurt themselves on items nearby. Move any items that can fall on your dog or hurt them during seizure spasms. If they’re on the stairs, stand below them to catch them if they fall. If a seizure occurs near a body of water, safely move your dog. If you need to move your dog while they’re having a seizure, make sure to avoid their head area.

Once your dog is in a safe location, check the surrounding area for potential causes of the seizure, such as toxins or open bottles of human or animal medication, including parasite-prevention products. After the seizure ends and your dog regains consciousness, if it’s safe to do so, keep them away from stairs, water, and other hazards until the postictal phase is over.

It’s important to be cautious after a seizure, as a dog may become aggressive due to the confusion caused by the seizure.

Avoid touching or petting your dog

Dogs having a seizure often chew at the air, gnash their teeth, paddle their feet, or display aggression. As a result, accidental bites and scratches can occur. Avoid touching your dog unless it’s absolutely necessary, such as moving them away from water or stairs.

If you need to move your dog, avoid their face and head to prevent getting bitten. Dogs having a generalized seizure aren’t conscious and won’t be aware of their owners or being petted. Attempting to pet and comfort your dog during a seizure can result in an accidental injury.

In addition, dogs in the postictal period are often disoriented and can act out of character. Even dogs that aren’t generally aggressive may try to bite. This period can last minutes to hours, so it’s important to take precautions to avoid accidental bites.

Contact a veterinarian

It’s crucial to contact a veterinarian immediately if:

• It’s your dog’s first seizure
• The seizure lasts longer than a few minutes or doesn’t stop
• Your dog has multiple seizures back-to-back (cluster seizures)
• Your dog has more than one seizure within a 24-hour period
• There is a possible toxin exposure
• Your dog has a history of head trauma
• There are other clinical signs

If your dog has epilepsy, a vet may give you special instructions in the event of a seizure, such as:

• Logging seizure activity
• Administering prescribed anticonvulsant medication

Unless your epileptic dog’s seizure lasted longer than usual or was particularly violent, your vet may or may not require they be seen after seizure activity. If your dog has a diagnosis of epilepsy, talk to your veterinarian for instructions on what to do during a seizure.

Treatment options for canine seizures vary depending on the underlying cause of the seizure activity. Seizure treatment may involve:

• Anticonvulsant medication to stop an active seizure or suppress seizure activity
• Managing other underlying medical conditions
• Special diet
• Surgery (in rare cases)

Some dogs may only experience a single seizure and may never have another seizure in their life. A veterinarian may not recommend medical treatment immediately unless there’s recurrent seizure activity or an underlying health condition is diagnosed.

There are many potential causes for seizures in dogs, including:

• Primary or idiopathic epilepsy
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Infectious diseases, such as canine distemper or toxoplasmosis
• Toxin exposure, such as to rat poison, antifreeze, flea treatment, and chocolate
• Heatstroke
• Metabolic disorders, such as Addison’s disease, liver disease, or kidney disease
• Head trauma
• Brain tumors

A dog’s age can make an underlying cause more or less likely:

• Under six months: Infection or a congenital disease
• Six months to six years: Epilepsy
• Over six years: Tumor or metabolic disorder

Many seizures in dogs are caused by idiopathic epilepsy, meaning there’s no identifiable cause for the repeated seizure activity. Online virtual care appointments are a great way to keep in touch with a veterinarian about your dog’s epileptic seizures and to get help adjusting management methods.

When a seizure is an emergency

Seek emergency veterinary care if:

• Your dog’s first seizure
• A single seizure lasts longer than three minutes
• There are repeated seizures within 24 hours
• There was a possible toxin exposure
• Your dog experienced physical trauma
• Your dog has an underlying condition

Should I take my dog to the vet after a seizure?

Seek veterinary care if the seizure was your dog’s first seizure, the seizure lasted longer than three minutes, your dog has an underlying health condition, there was a possible toxin exposure, or your dog experienced head trauma. Dogs with epilepsy may not need a veterinary visit after a seizure unless the seizure lasted longer than usual, was more violent than usual, or may have been caused by trauma or exposure to a toxin. If your dog has epilepsy, talk to your veterinarian about what to do in the event of a seizure.

What do I do if my dog is having a seizure?

If your dog is having a seizure, check the time to keep track of how long the seizure lasts. Move hazards away that may fall on your dog during the event. Avoid touching your dog to prevent accidental bites unless it’s absolutely necessary to move them away from hazards, such as bodies of water or stairs. Check the area for seizure triggers, such as medications, chocolate, household cleaners, and other possible toxins. Contact a veterinarian if it was your dog’s first seizure, the seizure lasted longer than or did not stop after three minutes, or there was a possible toxin exposure or head trauma.

How do you treat a dog after a seizure?

Be cautious around your dog after seizure activity as they may be disoriented and can bite. Do not give your dog medication or other forms of treatment without consulting a veterinarian. Contact a veterinarian after your dog has had a seizure.