In England they often call them “fits” – what happens when the brain loses control of the body. In America, they are more commonly called seizures. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief summary as to some of the many causes of dog seizures.
EPILEPSY. Epilepsy is a main cause of seizures in dogs, but it is not the only reason and not all seizures mean a dog has epilepsy. The definition of epilepsy was discovered by some people who were on a walk in the woods and happened upon a wolf that was throwing fits, looking as if he were doing some odd dance on a path in the woods. They reported this unusual sighting to the forest rangers and the term “idiopathic epilepsy” was coined. Well, that’s not exactly true, but the scientific reason is a bit more boring and doesn’t make any more sense. In short, the term “idiopathic epilepsy” is a catch-all for when the experts just don’t know what is causing a dog to have seizures.
TOXINS. Unfortunately for dogs, there are all kinds of toxins in their environment, many of which can cause seizures. Some of these toxins include poisons that are used for insect or rodent control, flea or slug powders – even the chemicals that are typically used on collars for dogs to get rid of ticks or other pests. Antifreeze, insecticides and paint products are also known toxins which can not only induce seizures, but can kill the unwitting animal that ingests them. If a dog is exposed to such toxins, early and fast treatment is important because in many cases the dog can be saved and make a recovery if the poisoning is caught early.
BRAIN TUMORS. Obviously, one of the easiest things to rule out, as a cause of dog seizures, is whether there is an abnormal growth in the dog’s brain. A tumor can put pressure on the brain which can lead to seizures and other symptoms that the brain is not working properly. Fortunately, there are diagnostic tests (MRI or CAT scans) that can determine if that is the problem; however, only a very small percentage of dog seizures are caused by tumors or head injuries. In the case of either a brain tumor or other type of head injury, if a dog is suffering from a seizure that was caused by one of these conditions, anti-epileptic medications will not help.
TICK INDUCED DISEASES. A tick, a bloodsucking arachnid, can cause Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in dogs, both of which can cause seizures. The chance of infection or disease is reduced greatly if the tick is discovered and effectively removed within the first 24 hours that it has come into contact with the dog. There are antibiotics that can kill Lyme Disease, and most dogs respond quite well in general to antibiotics.
DISTEMPER. This condition is generally marked by symptoms such as a fever, diarrhea and dehydration, all of which can lead to seizures in dogs, and is seen most commonly in puppies once they reach the age of 3 months and lose the antibodies they received from their mother. Distemper is a serious disease, but it can usually be avoided by getting a dog the proper vaccinations, but if a dog does get the disease then it can be a very serious and life threatening situation.
Sandra DeMers is the author of “Cory’s Story,” the story of a yellow Labrador retriever suffering from dog seizures that will absolutely AMAZE you. Cory is alive, happy and healthy at the age of 13 and hasn’t had a seizure in over 5 years. Visit www.corysstory.com to learn Sandra’s secret to good canine health–you’ll be surprised when you learn the truth.
