Posts tagged Epilepsy

I recently had an email from a former client who has a dog suffering from seizures.

Percy is 4 years old yellow Lab with epilepsy. He was on medication before ant-traditional and not to buy are very good. He suffers from seizures once a month, even at the highest doses of these drugs.

My former client asked me if there was anything she could do at home, in a holistic manner. She wants to avoid conventional drugs, as they can.

mentioned, so I sent him the information in this article. You can not seizuring a pet, but you should be aware of the signs and possible solutions.

Seizures in dogs

The signs of seizures vary but are typically occurring in some of the following symptoms.

The loss or loss of consciousness, contractions of the muscles in the body, changes in mental awareness (non-response to hallucinations), involuntary urination, defecation, or salivation, or behavioral changes, including non-recognition of the owner, viciousness, pacing, and to turn around .

Attacks consist of three parts:

1) The pre-critical (Aura) is a time of change of behavior, in which the dog may appear hidden, nervous, or looking for its owner. It may be anxious, nervous, suits, shaking, or salivating. This can take several seconds to several hours.

2) The critical phase is the seizure itself, this takes a few seconds to about five minutes. During this time, all the muscles of the body contract strongly. The dog usually falls on its side and seems paralyzed while shaking. Her head is pulled back. Urination, defecation and salivation often occur. If it is not within five minutes of the dog as “located in a status epilepticus or prolonged crisis.

3) During the post-ictal phase, there is confusion, disorientation, salivation, pace, movement and / or temporary blindness. There is no direct correlation between the severity of the seizures and the duration of post-ictal phase.

Despite the dramatic signs of a seizure, the dog feels no pain, confusion. Unlike us, dogs make people swallow their tongues. If your fingers in his mouth, you’re not helping! Run a high risk of being bitten – and bitten very badly. Keep your hands in your mouth.
The most important thing is your dog attacked and injured his keep. As long as he on the floor (or outside of the field), there is little chance he gets hurt.

If the seizure lasts more than a few minutes, the body temperature to rise. If hyperthermia (overheating) is developing along a seizure, you have another set of problems.

Prolonged seizures (status epilepticus)

Status epilepticus is very serious. It is characterized by a crisis that lasts longer than five minutes. When this happens, your dog’s life in danger. If intravenous drug quickly, death can occur. If your dog is in this state, you should immediately take him to the emergency veterinary care.

Causes of seizures

There are many, many causes of crises. Epilepsy is the most common cause and a lesser impact on the dog. The other extreme to serious diseases such as brain tumors. Fortunately, most seizures are due to epilepsy.

Possible solutions

When a crisis occurs, we begin with a complete history by concentrating on possible exposure to poisonous or hallucinogenic substances or history of head injury. We also perform a physical examination, blood test battery base, and an electrocardiogram (ECG). These tests rule out disorders of the liver, kidney, heart, electrolytes, and the level of sugar in the blood. A heartworm test performed if your dog is not regularly on the heartworm prevention.

If these tests are normal and there is no exposure to trauma or poison recent years also made other diagnoses depending on the severity and frequency of seizures. occasional attacks of less concern than if the seizures are more severe and more frequent. In this case, a lumbar puncture fluid and fluid analysis be carried out. Depending on availability, specialized imaging of the head with a scanner or an MRI be performed. Fortunately, these additional tests is usually not necessary.

Vet:
We usually need 1-2 weeks of antiepileptic therapy. If no further seizures, during such time, the anticonvulsants withdrawn gradually. The next treatment is the time that determines occur for another attack. It may take days, months or years. At some point, many dogs have seizures frequently enough to warrant continuous anticonvulsant therapy. As this means that the drug should every 12 to 24 hours for the rest of the dog’s life be given, we do not recommend that until seizures occur about every 30 days, or if more than five minutes.

It is important to avoid a sudden interruption of any anticonvulsant. Even normal dogs induced seizure if placed on anticonvulsant medication and then abruptly withdrawn. Your veterinarian can be a timetable for the withdrawal of treatment.

Hypoallergenic diet:
There are reports that a relationship between diet and seizures in dogs shows. All known seizuring should at least try a hypoallergenic diet for 12 trading days. You can also add your own elimination diet.

Melatonin:
This has an antispasmodic used for some dogs. Many dogs are used at night.

Homeopathy:
Cicuta virosa. This can be given to control seizures.

Serenity:
Many animals with epilepsy will seizure in response to certain stimuli such as loud noise or bright light. Do you know what triggers your pet attacks, and avoid such situations.

Try the above to see what your dog. Notice how I mention diet as an opportunity: if you do your pet a high quality natural foods, the changes make NOW. This helps you more than just seizures – this will help in almost all areas of the disease. Do what you can!

Become a member of my Inner Circle and with ways to treat your dog at home prior to stay. See the link on my page theonlinevet down.

To> the next time … Seizure medications