subject: Kinds Of Canine Seizures [print this page] There are few things more frightening for a pet own than to see their dog experience a seizure. Canine seizures are more common than people thing and can occur in any breed of dog. The affects of the seizure can last for days in some cases. Your vet will be able to give you assistance on ways to help your dog. Knowing a little bit about canine seizures can help you be more knowledgeable and better able to help your dog.
There are several causes for canine seizures. Some are solvable problems, like if the dog consumes something toxic, they might have a seizure but afterwards be fine and not prone to ongoing seizures. In other cases, the dog might have canine epilepsy, which will cause ongoing seizures for the duration of the dog's life.
Seizures can be either generalized or focal. Generalized seizures mean that the seizure affects the entire brain at once, while focal seizures only affect a specific area of the brain. When your dog has a seizure, although you may be panicked, try to pay very close attention to what the seizure looks like because your description will help the vet determine which kind of seizure the dog has and how to treat it.
Generalized seizures are further divided into two separate sub categories. The first and most common type of seizure is the major motor seizure. In this seizure, the muscles will become rigid; there will be twitching and other involuntary actions. This is the kind of seizure most people think of when they think about seizures.
The second kind of generalized seizures is called an absence seizure. There is no muscle tension or twitching in an absence seizure; rather, the dog develops a blank and fixed stare and they become unresponsive to outside stimuli. These are just as serious as a major motor seizure, although they are less distressing to watch.
Focal seizures also have two types. The simple focal seizure is a motor seizure. What happens in this case is that a single localized area of the brain is affected, causing the part of the dog's physical body that area controls to freeze and twitch, as in a major motor seizure. If this is the case, a single side of the dog's face or body will be affected.
In contrast, the complex focal seizure is a psychological seizure. The dog will suddenly undergo a serious change in behavior. This change can vary from situation to situation but can include things like frenzied running or in some cases, violent aggressive behavior towards loved ones. The more violent reactions are, thankfully, less common.
Canine seizures have many types and determining what kind of seizure your dog suffers from is based decided with your vet, who can then administer appropriate treatment to allow the dog a long and happy life. Seizures are not a death sentence and most dogs with seizures live normally.
