Assess nature of seizures
Naturally, it can be very distressing for an owner to witness their dog having a seizure. Remind the owner not to handle their dog during a seizure because the dog isn’t aware of what they are doing, and to move furniture and other obstacles away so the dog doesn’t injure themselves, plus turn off lights/TV/radio etc.
Ask the owner to obtain a video of the dog during a future seizure, if it’s possible for them to do so. This can be really useful for differentiating type and severity of seizure, in addition to the owner’s description.
Also ask the owner to time the seizure, as this also provides useful information, and to note what happened before and after the seizure.
Severity of seizures
A dog with idiopathic epilepsy is neurologically normal in between the seizure episodes. The severity of seizures may worsen over time. Sometimes the seizures may last for more than five minutes (status) or occur one after another within a short time period (cluster). Both situations require immediate management by a primary care veterinarian. Careful monitoring should be instigated in this case and expert advice sought.
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