subject: Types Of Seizures In Dogs [print this page] There are few things more frightening than watching your dog have a seizure. Once you realize that your dog has seizures, you may be concerned for their health. However, there are many treatment options available and seizures in dogs do not indicate a life of poor health or a shortened life. Most dogs prone to seizure have a long, healthy life.
No one really knows what causes seizures in dogs, although there are some factors that have been identified that help. There are some dogs that have brain tumors and these tumors cause them to have seizures. There are also some breeds that have a tendency to have more seizures than other breeds, although all breeds have some dogs that will have seizures.
Seizures fall into one of two broad categories. These categories are focalized seizures and generalized seizures. Generalized seizures affect the entire brain. These seizures tend to be more intense and in some cases the dog can take several days to fully recover from a generalized seizure.
The focalized seizures, by contrast, affect only a small portion of the brain, which makes their affect on the dog less severe and easier to recover from. However, focalized seizures are still serious and should be treated by a qualified vet. They can also be harder to identify at first.
In some situations, your vet may refer you to a veterinary neurologist for further evaluation and treatment if your dog's situation warrants it. This is especially common in cases where the dog has a brain tumor.
Generalized seizures can be either major motor seizures or absence seizures. In absence seizures, the dog becomes still and unresponsive, with a fixed stare. It is incredibly disconcerting to experience, but not as overtly traumatic as a major motor seizure which consists of twitching, muscle rigidness and involuntary motor reactions.
On the other end, there are dogs that suffer from focalized seizures, of which there are also two types. The dog can suffer from simple focalized seizures, which are motor seizures that are localized to a specific part of the dog's body. The other focalized seizure is a complex focalized seizure with affects the behavioral centers of the brain causing personality and psychological changes in the dog, which can be alarming and occasionally dangerous to experience.
Seizures in dogs are hard to accept but with care and patience, your dog can live a happy and fulfilled life. With medication and attentive care, seizures can be minimized.
by: buckminster
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