5 Ways to Help Your Dog During a Seizure
Today’s blog is all about five ways you can help your dog during a seizure. My name is Mandy and I want to support the epi dog owner because I have a dog with epilepsy. So let’s jump right in.
My first recommendation of how to help your dog during a seizure is to remain calm and create a calm environment. If you are new to canine epilepsy and your dog was just diagnosed, seizures can be very scary at first. I have a lot of empathy for what you are going through because I remember when Ruby had her first seizure. I felt totally helpless not knowing what was happening. After almost four years now, I feel like a pro when she starts seizing and you will too. By knowing what is happening and by having a plan you can take action rather than feel helpless. Ways that I create a calm environment for Ruby while she is seizing is I go quiet (no talking unless I need to ask someone to get something for me). I don't talk to my dog while she's having a seizure. I turn television or music off. I don’t just mute the television, I actually turn it off, because I also don’t want the flashing lights of the TV screen either. Lights get dimmed. The main overhead lights get turned off and I turn on a lamp in the corner to have just enough light to see.
The second tip is to keep your hands/arms away from your seizing dog’s mouth. A seizing dog’s jaw can clamp down on a hand or arm without knowing it. It’s not uncommon for an owner to get bit during a seizure because their very friendly dog might bite in the midst of a seizure or as they are coming out of one. Your dog needs you to stay safe during a seizure so you can assist them. You won’t be able to assist them if you get injured and need to tend to a dog bite that was preventable. Ruby snapped and growled at me one time coming out of a seizure when I was softly petting her. That was the only lesson I needed. I now stay close monitoring her but I don’t touch her until she gets up and begins looking for me. Then I know it’s safe to touch her again.
The third way to help your dog during a seizure is to look to see if anything around them could hurt them. I move any furniture that might be around Ruby such as stools or floor lamps. I move anything that she could potentially bump into that could fall over on her. I create a perimeter of a safe area that she can move around and do what she needs to do during and after her seizure. Other things to look for that could hurt your dog during a seizure are sharp corners, hardwood floors, and stairs. I keep folded up towels, blankets, pillows, and rugs around so there is always something soft I can grab to put between her head and a surface she could potentially get hurt as her head will jerk back and forth aggressively during the seizure. Make sure to block stairs. When your dog comes out of the seizure they may be very wobbly and bumping into things as they begin walking around. Many dogs lose their vision during a seizure and it could take a little while for it to come back. They may not see if there is something in front of them that could hurt them. Make sure to monitor your dog during the seizure and for a while after the seizure until you trust they won’t injure themselves.
The fourth way to help your seizing dog is to remove other dogs. Put any other dogs in the garage or outside if possible. What a lot of owners don't realize is even dogs that live within the same home that get along very well, and even dogs that grew up together, can attack another dog that is having a seizure. It could be the energy of the seizing dog, the aggressive motion of a seizure, or the dog that attacks could just be scared by what is happening. This is preventable and should be a part of your plan to always remove any other dog from the situation to not risk a dog attack. Removing other dogs also allows you to put all of your focus on your seizing dog, especially as your dog comes out of the seizure and begins moving around the house.
The fifth way to help your dog is to keep a seizure journal. This allows you to keep track of information like the date, time, length of seizure, if you administer medication for that seizure, and any other pieces of information that would be helpful to document. A seizure journal can help you identify possible patterns and triggers for your dog’s seizures. Identifying possible triggers allows you to make changes that could potentially reduce seizure activity. A seizure journal is also great information to share with your veterinarian to help inform them as they create the best possible seizure treatment plan for your dog. Click here to download a free seizure journal template.
I hope this information is helpful. There is so much to know when it comes to taking care of a dog with epilepsy. Come back again and continue to learn with me as I learn with Ruby.