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Key takeaways
- Seizures in dogs are caused by abnormal brain activity and can range from dramatic (collapsing, jerking) to subtle signs like staring, confusion, or drooling.
- Common causes include epilepsy (especially in dogs under 6), illness, injury, toxins, or low blood sugar, so identifying the underlying cause is essential.
- During a seizure, keep your dog safe but don’t restrain them – reduce stimulation, time the episode, and contact your vet if it lasts more than 2 minutes or is a first occurrence.
- Most single seizures aren’t life-threatening, but repeated or prolonged seizures are an emergency and require immediate veterinary attention.
What are seizures in dogs
A seizure is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain that can affect your dog’s movement, behaviour, or awareness. Some seizures are obvious, with your dog collapsing, paddling their legs, or becoming stiff and unresponsive. Others can be more subtle, such as staring into space, appearing confused, drooling, snapping at the air, etc. Seizures often come on suddenly and most dogs are unaware of what is happening during the episode. Afterward, your dog may appear disoriented, restless, or unusually tired while they recover.
How to tell if your dog is having a seizure
No two seizures look the same, but symptoms of dog seizures can include:
- trembling
- eyes glazing over
- falling or lying down, then jerking violently
- focal twitching
- champing of the jaw
- drooling
Your dog may also lose control of their bowels or bladder.
After the seizure, your dog may be disoriented and even appear blind. This is called the “post-ictal” period; it shouldn’t last longer than two hours.
In recurring cases, you may spot subtle changes in your dog’s behaviour before a seizure – called the “pre-ictal” period.
What causes seizures in dogs?
Seizures are usually the result of abnormal activity in the brain and can lead to your dog losing control of their body. They are relatively common, with up to one in 20 dogs suffering from fits at some point in their lives, but seizures can be distressing and cause anxiety for you and your pet.
Multiple factors can cause seizures, fits and convulsions. If your dog is six years old or younger, epilepsy is the most common cause.
Further causes can include:
- low blood sugar levels
- calcium deficiency
- anaemia
- heatstroke
- infectious diseases
- head trauma
- liver disease
- kidney disease
- some poisons
- high or low blood pressure
- poor circulation of the brain
- brain tumours
What to do if your dog has a seizure
You should only touch your dog or give them attention after they’ve stopped fitting or when it’s safe to do so. However, it may be appropriate to touch the dog if there is immediate risk of injury (i.e. they may fall down the stairs). You may instinctively want to comfort or hold your pet during a seizure, but this is not recommended. Just remember, during a seizure, they’re not in pain and don’t know you’re there.
- Keep calm. We understand that it can be upsetting.
- If necessary, move your pet into an open space, away from objects or off high places like sofas or beds, so that they can’t hurt themselves.
- Dim the lights, turn off TVs and reduce any stimulation.
- If your pet has been prescribed medication for you to administer during a seizure, then administer this according to the instructions on the label.
- If possible, start a timer and video the seizure so that you know how long the seizure lasts and the video may provide your vet with additional information.
- Avoid environments that may increase your pet’s temperature and do not cover with blankets. Seizure activity will increase body temperature, so we want to avoid further increases.
- Call your vet once the seizure has stopped, or after 2 minutes.
- Following a seizure your pet’s behaviour may be abnormal and this may last for several hours. They can be disorientated, have a loss of vision, be unsteady on their feet and they may display aggression. Take care when handling your pet after a seizure and be aware of the environment, for example, ensure they are unable to escape through open doors and windows.
If this is the first seizure your dog has suffered, or if they don’t come out of it quickly, phone your vet immediately or, if out-of-hours, your nearest Vets Now clinic.
For more information on what to do if your dog is having a seizure, click here to read our helpful infographic
How to reduce the risk of further seizures
Reducing stress and limiting changes to your dog’s environment can help to prevent seizures, as stress is known to ‘trigger’ seizures.
Feeding your dog a healthy diet, keeping an eye on their blood sugar and getting them checked regularly by your daytime vet will also come in handy.
Seizures can cause a rise in temperature as a result of increased muscle activity. You can mitigate this by wrapping them in cold towels or placing a fan in front of them; just be careful not to cool them so much that you cause hypothermia.
Are seizures life-threatening to dogs?
Prolonged seizures can be fatal, but an occasional or one-off seizure is not life-threatening in most cases.
Always seek urgent advice from your vet if your dog has a seizure of any kind, whether it’s a one-off or several.
If your dog has multiple fits in a short space of time, they are at risk of brain damage and in extreme circumstances may end up in a coma. Emergency treatment may be needed, so please contact your vet or your nearest emergency vet care provider as soon as possible.
What are the treatments for dog seizures?
Treatment will depend on several factors, including how many seizures your dog has had, the severity of the fits, and whether they’ve previously been diagnosed with epilepsy. Where possible, treatment will also address any underlying cause.
Although treatment may not completely prevent seizures, it can often significantly reduce how often they happen and help your dog live a comfortable, happy life.
In most scenarios, your vet will perform a thorough physical examination and a number of diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the seizures. If your vet feels your dog needs a brain scan, they may be referred to a specialist hospital or clinic.
If your dog is rushed to the vet after a cluster of seizures (more than two seizures in 24 hours), they may be prescribed drugs to control their condition.
What is a cluster of seizures?
A cluster of seizures is when a dog has two or more seizures within a 24-hour period, with the dog regaining consciousness in between episodes.
It’s relatively common for a dog to suffer clusters of serious seizures, especially if they have an underlying seizure disorder.
Single seizures that last more than five minutes, or clusters of short seizures, are a medical emergency. Every second counts in these situations, so don’t delay in contacting your vet as soon as possible.
Read more about how to look after my dog after they’ve had a seizure here