Epilepsy can also occur in dogs. Although such seizures are usually not as bad as they look, possible causes should be investigated.
The typical seizure is preceded by a phase of restlessness or clinginess. Suddenly, convulsions set in, the dog falls over and starts twitching or kicking its legs. It is no longer responsive, urinates or defecates and foams at the mouth. The epileptic seizure rarely lasts longer than a few minutes, after which consciousness returns and the dog behaves completely normally again.
Although this usually looks quite dramatic for the owners, the dog suffers very little from the epileptic seizure as it hardly notices anything. During the seizure , owners should therefore exercise restraint, not touch the animal or carry it around and simply make sure that it does not injure itself, for example by falling objects.
After a seizure or if it lasts longer than five minutes, a vet should be consulted. The vet can administer sedatives, investigate the organic causes of the condition and treat them if necessary. In most cases, however, the cause will remain hidden in the brain. Treatment then usually depends on the severity of the illness. Seizures that only occur occasionally and last for a short time may well remain untreated.
However, if there is a tendency towards increasingly shorter intervals between seizures and/or increasingly severe episodes, the vet will suggest lifelong treatment with epilepsy medication. These often have some undesirable side effects such as tiredness and apathy during the acclimatization phase. However, owners should not lose confidence too soon: After a few months, these symptoms subside and the dogs usually become as lively as before.