Pets can be Affected by Seizures Just Like Their Owners.

A seizure, or convulsion, is a spontaneous discharge of electrical activity in the brain. Depending on where the seizure originates and how strong the discharge, the episode may be very mild or could cause the pet to lose consciousness.

Simplistically, convulsions can be due to problems inside or outside of the brain. Problems outside of the brain can be toxins, heart, liver or kidney disease. Problems inside of the brain can be infections such as meningitis, or encephalitis, tumors, structural abnormalities such as hydrocephalous (water on the brain) or the most common reason - idiopathic. Idiopathic is an undetermined cause despite testing.

Epilepsy, another term for seizures is categorized as either generalized or partial. A generalized seizure may be convulsive, falling over, paddling with their feet, or nonconvulsive. The terminology of gran mal or petit mal is no longer used. When an owner observes their pet in the midst of a seizure, they are often tempted to pull the pets' tongue out for fear of it being swallowed. This will not occur, but you may get yourself accidentally bitten. If you observe a seizure, take steps to insure your pet's immediate safety. Look for items that may fall on your pet and keep the animal from tumbling off elevated sites. Time the length of the seizure, what may seem like an hour may only be minutes.

Convulsions can be very frightening to observe. Once your pet has recovered from the incident, especially if it is the first one you have ever seen, take your pet to a veterinarian for a thorough examination. Medications can be prescribed that can greatly assist in controlling these episodes and that is important because it is "Your Pet…Health Matters."