Reviewed by Dr Katie DavisonBVMS MRCVS - RCVS Recognised Advanced Veterinarian
Watching your pet have a seizure is frightening, and it's hard to know what to do in the moment. The good news is that most single seizures are over within a couple of minutes, and there's a lot we can do to find the cause and manage it.
Here's how to keep your pet safe during a seizure, when it becomes an emergency, and what usually lies behind them.
What to do during a seizure
Your job in the moment is to keep them safe and stay calm:
- Don't touch their mouth or try to hold their tongue - they can't swallow it, and you may be bitten
- Move furniture away, or gently slide them from stairs or hazards using a blanket
- Dim the lights, keep noise down, and avoid crowding or fussing them
- If you can, note the time and film it - it genuinely helps us work out what's going on
- Stay with them and speak softly; most seizures pass within a minute or two
When it's an emergency - call now
Phone us immediately on 07 870 2696 if:
- A seizure lasts more than about 3-5 minutes
- One seizure runs into another without your pet fully recovering in between
- It's their first-ever seizure
- They're struggling to breathe, or don't come right afterwards
- You suspect a poison could be involved
What causes seizures
Seizures have many causes. In dogs aged roughly six months to six years, the most common is epilepsy - where the brain is otherwise healthy but prone to 'electrical storms'. In older pets, and in cats, a seizure is more likely to point to another underlying problem: liver or kidney disease, low blood sugar, a toxin, or occasionally a brain tumour.
That's why the first step is always a proper work-up - an examination and blood tests - to find or rule out an underlying cause before we decide on treatment.
How seizures are managed
A one-off seizure doesn't always need lifelong medication, but recurring seizures usually respond very well to daily anti-seizure medicine, which many pets take for years with a good quality of life. After any seizure, book a check so we can examine your pet and work out the safest next step - call us on 07 870 2696.