Do pets get Epilepsy? Expert shares insights on ways to identify

Our pets are simple beings They enjoy walks naps and eating a variety of foods including those that are not healthy for them On the other hand their bodies like ours are complex Blood nerves kidneys and the stomach all need to work in unison to keep them healthy and happy However even with all of our love and care things can go wrong and our pets become ill Epilepsy is one such illnessEpilepsy is a neurological and genetic disorder characterised by abnormal electrical activity in the brain It is a common abnormality that has been reported in a large number of dogs and cats Seizures fits or convulsions are all terms used to describe epilepsy While a seizure is a single episode of temporary brain disturbance epilepsy refers to multiple or repeated seizuresSeizures can happen at any time It can happen one episode at a time or multiple episodes at once Timing and duration are also unpredictable While a seizure can last anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds in some cases some pets must suffer for much longer The same can be said for different petsThe first signs of seizures or epilepsy are sudden stumbling in your happygolucky pet They appear befuddled and disoriented as if they have no control over their bodies Most of the time this goes unnoticed but if you notice anything like this happening to your pet be aware that it is a sign of a seizureSome other symptoms of a seizure are CollapsingJerkingStiffening and involuntary movement of musclesTwitching uncontrollablyLoss of consciousness or partially consciousExcessive droolingChomping tongue chewingFoaming at the corners of the mouth and vomitingPets may fall to their sides and begin paddlinglike motions with their legs during a seizure In some cases they also end up peeing and pooping involuntarily Because they are unaware of what is happening to them they appear confused dazed unsteady and as if they are staring off into space When the seizures stop they will try to stand but they will be wobbly and disoriented due to the aftereffects They may walk in circles and collide with objects as a result of their confusion When they are no longer in danger they may try to hide out of fear of the incidentCauses of EpilepsyConsuming anything poisonous like medicines animals plants etcLiver diseaseHypoglycemia low blood pressure or hyperglycemia high blood pressureKidney and renal diseaseElectrolyte disturbanceToxins in the bodyAnemiaCardiopulmonary heart and lung diseaseHead injuryEncephalitisStrokeThere are times when there are no obvious reasons or causes for a seizure attack This is known as idiopathic epilepsy This is the most common type of epilepsy in dogs and cats There is no identifiable cause such as an infection toxin or injuryCan dog suffers from seizuresWhile epilepsy can affect any pet of any breed or age certain breeds are unfortunately more susceptible to itBeaglesColliesSaint BernardsGerman ShepherdsGolden RetrieversAmerican Cocker SpanielsHuskiesMalamutesMiniature PoodlesIf your pet is having seizures please take him or her to the vet as soon as possible An early diagnosis tests and medications will restore your pets life to normalcy While the medications are likely to be required for the rest of ones life timely intervention changes in lifestyle diet and regular vet visits will be extremely beneficialIs a seizure attack painful for my petA pet parents greatest fear and source of concern is that their fur baby will suffer from a seizure attack Pets on the other hand are not physically harmed While it appears frightening and can easily cause panic pets have no awareness of pain due to the massive amount of activity occurring in their brain During a seizure attack pets may whine bark or meow incessantly but this is not because they are in painUnfortunately neither pets nor humans have a permanent cure for epilepsy However this does not preclude living a happy and healthy life Our pets can make it through the worst of times with a little extra love and careThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever