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There are several different types of canine seizures that you may want to know about. A partial only affects a small area or just one side of the body. The most common type is a grand mal. The dog will fall over, go into convulsions, salivate, urinate and defecate involuntarily, and be unaware of surroundings. In a petit mal, the animal looks like it simply passed out, as there is no convulsing.

Three distinct stages of a seizure can be observed if you watch closely. In the first stage, the aura, the animal will seem restless, pace, salivate heavily, or whine. The fit itself is called the ictus. Look for the dog to collapse, have body spasms, vomit, etc. During the postictal stage, or recovery, he might appear disoriented and uncoordinated. Sometimes there is also temporary blindness. This phase will last anywhere from minutes to several days.

Veterinary science has yet to discover the exact triggers of these types of episodes. It is thought that the majority of pets tend to seizure when in a high state of excitement. General play, greeting people at the door, waiting for food, and chasing cats would be some examples. Occasionally dogs will have an attack while sleeping. However, if your animal is having spasms in his sleep, but you can wake him up, he was simply dreaming.

There is a long list of conditions and diseases that are known to cause fits like these. For instance, the metabolic disorder diabetes mellitus affects the animal world just as it does humans. It is caused when the pancreas produces too little insulin. This leads to higher glucose levels in the system than are normal. They can also be too low, something known as hypoglycemia.

The consumption of certain toxic substances may also be to blame. Chocolate is a toxin to dogs and should never be given to them. Something else to watch out for is antifreeze. Animals are attracted to its sweet smell and taste. However, it only takes a small amount to kill a pet, as it slowly shuts down the kidneys through crystallization.

There is a very deadly virus called canine distemper that also causes fits. Highly contagious and often fatal, it will thoroughly ravage every system in the dog’s body in time. It’s excruciatingly painful for the animal. However, the virus can easily be avoided if your pet is given the proper vaccination each and every year.

Although the above-mentioned conditions are common culprits, there are also several more. Your veterinarian will run tests to rule out each disease. If a direct factor cannot be found, the dog will most likely be diagnosed as an epileptic. This only means that he has recurring seizures not caused by a different condition. Commonly appearing in ages of six months to five years, a chemical imbalance in the cerebrum is suspected to be responsible for spasms.

Should your animal have a seizure, there are things you should be prepared to do. First, try to stay calm. If he’s not on the floor, put him there so he can’t get hurt from a fall. The dog will not swallow his tongue, so don’t put your hand in his mouth; you may be bitten. Clear the room of other pets and children. Carefully observe the dog so you can accurately report it to your vet. If it lasts more than three minutes or immediately repeats, call your vet immediately.

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