Dog Epilepsy & Seizures: A Complete Owner's Guide

Few things are more distressing than watching your dog have a seizure. The convulsions, the loss of consciousness, the uncontrolled movements — it looks catastrophic. Yet most generalised seizures last under two minutes and end without intervention, leaving no lasting damage. Knowing what to do (and what not to do) in those minutes makes an enormous difference.

The Three Phases

1. Pre-ictal (hours before): Many dogs show a prodrome — clinginess, anxiety, restlessness. Some owners learn to predict seizures this way.
2. Ictal phase (the seizure itself, 1–3 min): Muscle spasms, paddling, loss of consciousness, hypersalivation, loss of bladder/bowel control.
3. Post-ictal phase (minutes to hours after): Disorientation, temporary blindness, extreme hunger or thirst, deep sleep. This can last up to 24 hours in severe cases.

What To Do During a Seizure

• ✅ Start the timer immediately
• ✅ Clear the area — move furniture, cushion hard surfaces
• ✅ Keep it dim and quiet
• ✅ Film it (once your dog is safe) — this is gold for the neurologist
• ❌ Don't restrain the dog — you could injure both of you
• ❌ Don't put your hand near the mouth — dogs bite reflexively during seizures
• ❌ Don't give water or food immediately after — they may aspirate

Causes

• Idiopathic epilepsy — most common, genetic, first seizure usually between 1–5 years
• Structural epilepsy — brain tumour, encephalitis, stroke, trauma
• Reactive seizures — hypoglycaemia, toxin ingestion, liver disease (not true epilepsy)

Higher-risk breeds: Border Collies, Belgian Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Beagles, Dachshunds

Diagnosis

Blood panel to rule out metabolic causes, urinalysis, and if structural epilepsy is suspected: MRI and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Idiopathic epilepsy is a diagnosis of exclusion.

Treatment

Not every dog with epilepsy needs medication. The vet weighs frequency, severity, and cluster risk. When medication is warranted, phenobarbital remains the first-line choice; potassium bromide and levetiracetam are common add-ons. Blood monitoring every 6 months is mandatory on phenobarbital.

A seizure diary is one of the most valuable tools you can give your vet — Purzi makes it trivial. Log each episode with date, time, duration, and post-ictal behaviour. Patterns (time of day, correlation with stress, heat, or feeding) emerge over weeks and guide medication adjustments.