Seizures

Witnessing your pet have a seizure is one of the most frightening experiences a pet owner can face. While seizures are a sign of abnormal electrical activity in the brain, they are often manageable with the right diagnostic plan and medication. Our team is dedicated to finding the cause and restoring your pet’s quality of life.
What Does a Seizure Look Like?
Seizures can manifest in several ways, and not all involve “convulsions.”
Grand Mal (Generalized): The pet falls over, loses consciousness, paddles their legs, and may salivate or lose bladder control.
Focal Seizures: Localized twitching in the face, a single limb, or “fly biting” at the air.
Post-Ictal Phase: The period immediately after a seizure where the pet may appear blind, disoriented, wobbly, or unusually hungry.

Our Approach

Managing Epilepsy & Seizure Disorders

If no underlying cause is found (Idiopathic Epilepsy), or if the cause is chronic, we focus on Seizure Frequency Management:

Customized Medication: Using modern anticonvulsants (like Phenobarbital, Keppra, or Zonisamide) tailored to your pet's metabolism.
Maintenance Monitoring: Regular blood work to ensure therapeutic levels and organ health.
Emergency "Rescue" Plans: Providing you with at-home medications to stop a "cluster" of seizures before they become a crisis.

The Diagnostic Journey

Because a seizure is a symptom and not a specific disease, we use a tiered approach to find the underlying trigger:

Tier	Diagnostics Involved	Goal
Step 1: Metabolic	Comprehensive Blood Panels & Urinalysis	To rule out "extra-cranial" causes like low blood sugar, liver disease, or toxins.
Step 2: Structural	Advanced Imaging (MRI or CT Scan)	To look for physical changes in the brain, such as inflammation (GME) or tumors.
Step 3: Functional	Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Tap	To check for infectious diseases or autoimmune triggers within the nervous system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do while my pet is having a seizure?

Stay calm. Keep your hands away from their mouth (they won't swallow their tongue, but they might bite involuntarily). Move furniture away to prevent injury and time the seizure. If it lasts more than 5 minutes, it is an emergency.

Does a seizure cause my pet pain?

No. During a generalized seizure, the pet is unconscious and does not feel pain. They may feel confused or exhausted afterward, but the event itself is not a painful experience.

What are "Cluster Seizures" and why are they dangerous?

Cluster seizures are two or more seizures within a 24-hour period. These are dangerous because they can lead to Status Epilepticus (a continuous seizure), which causes the body temperature to rise to dangerous levels and can lead to permanent brain damage.

Will my pet have to stay on medication forever?

In many cases, yes. The goal of medication is not always to eliminate seizures entirely, but to reduce their frequency and severity. Stopping medication abruptly can trigger a severe "rebound" seizure, so always consult us before making changes.