Dog or cat having a seizure? What pet parents should do

Few things are as frightening to a pet parent as seeing their dog or cat have a seizure for the first time. They may suddenly fall over, become stiff, paddle their legs, salivate, and seem unaware of their surroundings. It looks alarming, but knowing what to do can make the situation safer for everyone.

A seizure occurs when there is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The classic seizure involves collapse, stiffening and paddling, but seizures can also be subtle. Some pets stare into space, twitch their face, repeatedly snap at the air or show unusual movements affecting only one part of the body. Cats can have less obvious episodes that are mistaken for strange behaviour.

I’ve seen dogs whose first seizure happens while their families are asleep. They wake to the sound of them thrashing and try to hold them down and open their mouths because they think they might swallow or bite their tongue. By the time they reach the clinic, the seizure has stopped, and the dog paces around, seemingly unable to recognise anyone. A few hours later, they are back to normal.

During a seizure

The most important rule is not to try to stop the seizure yourself. Move furniture and other objects away from your pet and keep them away from stairs or water. Reduce noise and light but do not restrain them unless necessary for safety. Never put your fingers or an object inside their mouth. Pets do not swallow their tongues during seizures and may bite you unintentionally.

Your phone can be extremely useful. Start a timer because a seizure that feels like 10 minutes may actually last 40 seconds. If it is safe, record a video. Your pet may appear completely normal by the time you reach the clinic, and a recording can help your veterinarian.

What happens afterwards can be confusing. During the post-ictal phase, pets may pace, appear disoriented, bump into things, seem blind, become hungry or thirsty or behave differently towards family. This can last for minutes or several hours, so keep them somewhere quiet and safe.

When to seek help

A single short seizure is not always an immediate emergency, but a first seizure should be discussed with your vet. A seizure lasting 5 minutes or longer is an emergency as are repeated seizures without adequate recovery between them. Multiple seizures within 24 hours also warrant prompt veterinary attention.

There is no single reason why seizures occur. Younger dogs may have idiopathic epilepsy, where recurrent seizures occur without an identifiable structural problem in the brain. Seizures can also result from low blood sugar, liver disease, electrolyte abnormalities or certain toxins. In an older pet experiencing a first seizure, we become more concerned about disease within the brain, including inflammation, strokes or brain tumours.

A veterinarian will usually start with a physical and neurological examination and blood tests to look for problems outside the brain. Depending on your pet’s age, examination findings and seizure pattern, further tests such as an MRI may be recommended.

Not every pet that has one seizure needs lifelong medication. Treatment depends on how frequently seizures occur, how long they last, whether they happen in clusters, and what is causing them. If medication is prescribed, give it consistently and don’t stop it without veterinary guidance.

Maintain a seizure diary. Record the date, duration, what the episode looked like, and how long recovery took. Videos are worth saving too.

If your pet has recurrent seizures, have a plan in place. Know which hospital you would contact after hours and keep prescribed emergency medication accessible. Everyone at home should remember four things: time the seizure, make the surroundings safe, keep hands away from the mouth, and seek urgent help if it reaches 5 minutes.

Seizures are frightening to witness, but knowing what to do prevents panic from taking over.

Nameeta Nadkarni is a veterinary soft tissue surgeon and pet blogger from Mumbai.