Seizures are the most common neurological problems in pets. In this blog I am going to explain common causes, what to do when your pet has seizures and a little about treatments. 

A seizure is an episode where there are too many signals in the brain at the same time, it is as if the brain had an electrical short circuit. Pets have seizures in many ways, usually collapsing, trembling, pedaling their limbs, becoming rigid, and salivating. Some seizures are not so apparent as the pet may just appear disoriented. One thing that distinguishes seizures from other problems is that pets remain disoriented for a short time after the seizure. 

There are other conditions that look like seizures. Fainting, heart problems, and other neurological problems are commonly mistaken by families for seizures when they are not. 

There are many reasons why dogs and cats have seizures. These are some of the most common: epilepsy, toxins, infections (viruses, parasites, or bacteria), birth problems such as brain malformations, brain tumors, trauma such as strokes or accidents, and liver problems. The causes are ruled out using laboratory tests, and advanced imaging (MRI). The medical history also gives information about the possible causes. For example, when a pet seizes due to toxicity, it does so a short time after being in contact with the toxin and then does not get it again. When a pet begins to convulse when it is already an adult, one worries about possible tumors and cancer. 

If your dog has seizures, it is important to keep track of when they occur and the duration of each episode. When your pet is having a seizure, keep calm, make sure it is in a place where it cannot fall and that it is not under direct sunlight, keep other pets away, and do not try to wake it up or shake it. Take a video of your dog having a seizure so you can show it to your vet to confirm it is a seizure. 

The pet should be taken to a veterinarian when:

• It is his first seizure. 
• You have more than 2 seizures in a day. 
• The seizure lasts more than 5 minutes.

Depending on where you live, there are a wide variety of safe medications available to treat seizures. If your pet is having seizures and it's becoming more frequent, I don't recommend trying to control the seizures with homeopathic medications alone. Proven medications that work and are commonly used are diazepam, phenobarbital, levetiracetam, zonisamide, gabapentin, among others. Treatments ideally reduce the frequency with which the pet has seizures. These treatments are long-term, lifelong, and should not be discontinued without first consulting with your veterinarian as seizures tend to worsen when medications are discontinued. The more seizures a pet has, the more likely it is to have another one, and it can be more difficult to control. That is, one seizure attracts more seizures. Usually seizures are not cured, they can only be controlled. On medications the pet will continue to have seizures but less frequently. Ask your veterinarian if they recommend that your pet be evaluated by a neurologist.