Help! My dog’s having a fit!
Without doubt, this is the most traumatic phone call that we, as Vets, receive from a dog owner. ‘Fits’, when they occur, arise often without warning, and as an owner we feel totally at a loss as to what to do. It is probably the most frightening condition for anyone to witness in their dog. During a fit there is a disturbance of brain function following excessive nerve activity within a part of the brain. We sometimes describe these events as ‘brain storms’, and in reality that’s not too far off the mark. We use the term ‘fits’ interchangeably with epilepsy, seizures or convulsions. Of surprise to many owners is the fact that our canine companions will commonly have at least one fit during their lifetime. Whether we are around to witness it though is another matter.
What’s happening to my dog?
Typically the fits we commonly encounter in dogs are termed generalised seizures. This has a sudden and unexpected onset and affects the whole of a dog’s body (hence the term generalised). It often occurs when a dog is relaxed and resting quietly. Once a fit starts a dog becomes unaware of his surroundings, although this may be difficult for an owner to appreciate at first - especially with all the commotion that surrounds these events. He cannot hear or respond to you and this fact makes us feel terribly helpless. Most dogs fall on to their side and make running or paddling movements with their legs, sometimes with their head extended backwards. They may also cry out and lose control of their bowel or bladder. Most fits last a matter of minutes only – it is worth making a note of the time the fit starts and ends because it often feels that a fit goes on for a lot longer than it really does. This also becomes important in helping your Vet. to appreciate the severity of the fit. After a fit, dogs behave in different ways. Some dogs just get up and carry on with what they were doing beforehand, whilst others appear dazed and confused for many hours.
Should I take him to the Vets straight away?
When your dog starts a fit make a note of the time. If he comes out of the fit within 5 minutes then allow him time to recover quietly at home but inform the Veterinary Centre. If this is the first fit that your dog has had then you may be asked to bring him along for a routine check in the next day or two, provided that no more fits happen in between. The reason for this is because it is far better for your dog to be allowed to recover quietly at home rather than be bundled in to a car and rushed to the Veterinary Centre during, or immediately after, a fit. Acting in haste like this can lead to repeat fitting episodes as a result of undue stress. However, if your dog does not come out of the fit within 5 minutes, or has repeated fits close together, then contact should be made with the Veterinary Centre for him to be seen straight away.
Doesn’t my dog need some medication to stop this happening again?
This is a difficult one. From a human point of view, recurrent seizures or epilepsy can have implications in terms of our future career choice, they may affect us in terms of driving, and sadly, can lead to us being shunned by others. For these reasons alone medication is often sought where we are concerned. With our pets though, the decision to start medication needs to be taken in the cold light of day, and not during the panic of a fitting episode. As mentioned before, it is believed that most dogs will have at least one seizure in their life, so it’s a lot more common than we would imagine. It also may be the only seizure that your dog has. Medication to control seizures is a long-term commitment, requiring repeat blood tests to check on the level of the medication, and also to ensure that this medication is not causing harm to the body elsewhere. Equally, these medications can’t be started and stopped at will. Doing that may lead to what are called rebound seizures. So the decision to start medication has to be weighed up carefully. Also, a success, in terms of controlling seizure activity, is claimed when the seizures are reduced by 50% or more - not actually abolished, as we all would want. However, where we are faced with a dog (especially a young dog) having more frequent seizures, and certainly where these are increasing in severity, then the medications available are usually very successful at controlling these fits, and they may ultimately fully abolish them, permitting these dogs to lead full and happy lives.
© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.
