Seizures in Animals.

[searchingforGodlyanswers]

Hello.

I would like to have this here so people can provide feed back on what causes seizures in animals or what has caused seizures in their animals.

This could be good for people who have never even seen this before to look at as well, as the first time it happens it is terrifying for the people and the animals involved. :o

And if we could include treatments or cures that would be great too.

 

[b.a.t]

Hello,

Agood few yrs ago we had a Jack Russel, When she was 17 she started having seizures and has you said it is so distressing. It turned out that she had developed epilepsy, with medication she lived till she was 22.

 

[country woman]

Some times it is a stroke or epilepsy yes animals have this condtion as well. or it can be a brain tumor

 

[searchingforGodlyanswers]

From the website:
http://www.geocities.com/labsr4ulist/pawseizures.htm?200510

Pawsitive Advice

Seizures

The following article was written by Rachel Peeples.
Seizures are the outward manifestations of brain cell hyperactivity. This hyperactivity disrupts the normal balance in the nerves of the body and leads to their overstimulation. Seizures run the gamut from periods of unawareness to stereotypic behavior (like "fly-biting" ie snapping the jaws at nothing repeatedly) to the more commonly recognized generalized muscle contraction and convulsions with associated alterations in consciousness.

There is a myriad of causes of seizures. Especially in the young dog or puppy, alterations in metabolism must be considered. Excessively low blood sugar will cause seizures. Problems with the liver (referred to as a liver shunt) will cause high blood levels of ammonia and seizures are a common result. Especially in older dogs, kidney failure and liver failure can lead to build up of toxic body by-products in the blood causing seizures. In nursing *****es, excessively low calcium can lead to seizures. Endocrine abnormalities like hypothyroidism are also potential causes. Finally, a number of toxins produce neurologic signs including seizures. These are all considered extracranial causes, that is, the primary problem is not in the brain but is the result of the effects of another primary disease on the brain.

Intracranial causes are diseases of the brain itself. Several breeds (German breeds like Dachshunds, short-haired pointers, Rottweilers; Tibetan Spaniel, etc) have congenital problems with abnormal storage of certain metabolic chemicals in brain cells. Over time these build up and cause the brain cell to become dysfunctional and lead to seizures. Any episode of reduced oxygen to the brain (shock, hit by car, reduced blood pressure, etc) can cause permanent damage to brain cells as can episodes of heatstroke, high fever, and anaphylaxis (severe, immediate allergic reaction). These changes can create brain cell hyperactivity and result in seizures. Cancer in or around the brain can directly (via invading them) or indirectly (through changes in blood flow and increase in pressure on the brain tissue) damage brain cells resulting in seizures. Any infection (bacterial, viral, tick-borne like Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, etc) of the brain or the membranes around the brain (called the meninges) can causes alterations in brain cell metabolism, blood flow, and environment resulting in seizures. Trauma from being hit by a car or from being hit or kicked in the head (especially in very young puppies) can lead to seizures.

Epilepsy is probably the most common cause of seizures. It is defined as a brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizures and that has NO abnormal brain cell structure but for some reason unknown at this time has abnormal brain function. Epilepsy is genetic with the following breeds predisposed: Beagle, the Belgain Shepherds (Tervurens, Malinois, etc), Border Collie, Boxer, (American) Cocker Spaniel, Collie, Dachshund, German Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever, Ibizan Hound, Irish Setter, Keeshond, Labrador Retriever, Poodle, Saint Bernard, Shetland Sheepdog, Siberian Husky, (English) Springer Spaniel, Welsh Corgi (Pembroke and Cardigan), and Wire-haired Fox Terrier. Epilepsy typically manifests between 6 months and 2 years and is usually characterized by increasing frequency of seizures. The seizures are usually of the generalized and convulsive type rather than the milder type. Interestingly enough, most seizures happen when the dog is at rest (night and early morning usually). Recovery period (called post-ictal) following a seizure ranges from immediate to 24 hours. When the dog is not having a seizure or in the recovery period it is perfectly normal. If untreated, seizures tend to increase in frequency averaging about one seizure per week.

Treatment depends on the cause of the seizure. Metabolic conditions and toxins are treated appropriately and usually the seizures resolve. Many of the congenital, oxygen deprivation, and excessive heat causes result in progressive, permanent changes and are often refractory to treatment. Infectious causes are treated based on what they are -- ie bacterial with antibiotics, tick-borne with antimicrobials, etc. Cancer is treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy if the cancer is responsive to these protocols. Epilepsy really has no specific treatment other than to control the seizures.

In all of these cases the seizures need to be controlled until the primary disease can be addressed or indefinitely in the case of epilepsy. Phenobarbitol and potassium bromide are the two most common drugs used to control seizures. Valium is not an option for treating seizures in dogs long-term because in the oral form it cannot reach high enough concentrations in the body of the dog to be effective. It can be used intravenously in emergeny cases but not orally for maintenance. Phenobarbitol and potassium bromide take weeks to months to reach a stable level in the dog so that seizures can be effectively controlled. In the interim and periodically afterwards, bloodwork needs to be done to make sure that the level of drug in the dog's body stays at the proper level (high enough to work, low enough not to be toxic). Some dogs become refractory to these medications making it very difficult to control the seizures. As a rule the younger the onset of the seizures the harder it is to control the seizures. There are hundreds of holistic and dietary protocols that have worked to eliminate seizures in dogs. They are as individual as the dog that has the seizures and, thus, the best advice is to seek out a holistic veterinarian in order to develop an individualized protocol. Some dogs respond to these protocols and never need medication. Others have to have some medication to control the seizures.

There is hope that in the near future geneticists will provide breeders with tests for the epilepsy gene thereby reducing the prevalence of epilepsy in the canine population. Until then dogs that have epilepsy should not be bred.

 

[searchingforGodlyanswers]

Rachel Peeple's Homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Farm/3305/?200511

This is part of my email (minus my real nickname) that I got as a reply when I requested permission, so I am including this too:

-- you are more than welcome to link to the article or paste the article there insteadl.

Please also include this w/the article or in the email with the link:

Syncope (fainting) can often be confused with seizure activity. If you animal is displaying sudden loss of consciousness and/or falling over suddenly without any other signs during these episodes (like rapid muscle contraction, urinating/defecating, snapping the jaws, etc) then it is most likely syncope NOT seizure activity that is occuring. Another test is how quickly does the animal return to normal. If within less than 5 minutes they are back to normal after losing consciousness then it was likely syncope not seizure activity. Dogs experiencing severe enough seizures to lose consciousness typically have severe neurological abnormalities like blindness and inability to stand for quite a while after an "episode" -- this is called the "post-ictal" period and does NOT happen with syncope. Syncope suggests a problem with the heart and/or lungs instead of the brain and it is very important to differentiate between them to pursue proper therapy and testing. It is always a good idea to record when the episode(s) happened, how long it (they) lasted, what exactly happened during the episode(s), and how quickly the dog returned to normal. This will be of enormous help to your veterinarian when trying to determine proper therapy and diagnostics.

Rachel



-- Rachel Peeples, DVMrpeeples@planters.net

 

[YC Bearzie]

My friends dog has epilepsi-he has a seizure usually once a month. Some have been brought on by a type of food he has eaten-but many of his are brought on by stress. If too many people have been over in a day he will mostlikely have a seizure that evening.

 

[Anna N. Amos]

A friend of mine changed her dog food from commercial (bad stuff) to holisitc Canidae or Solid Gold. Her dog stopped having seizures.

Also helpful is to add oil (flax oil or EFA's such as Health from the sun in squirt bottle form) to the holistic food. This seems to help them mentally and their skin.

 

[Flopsy Rabbit]

DMG (Dimethyl Glycine) has been helpful in controlling seizures in people and animals, it is also a very good immune system builder. It is a natural substance and is sold in health food stores. Usually very small pills in foil wrappers sold in bottles or boxes. It is safe and easy to give.

 

[lovestrav]

Fevers, allergic reactions to medication and foods, shock, poisons, bee stings, blood sugar levels and diseases such as epilepsy can all be causes of seizures in canines.

It is important to record your dog's seizure activity, even if it is being controlled by medication, to document the frequency, possible cause or activity, and duration, when consulting with your veterinarian for treatment.

Seizures are not normal in any dog and a veterinarian should always be consulted.

 

[searchingforGodlyanswers]

Thank you all for contributing here. =)

Please continue putting any information that pertains to seizures and seizure-like activities.