A first seizure is frightening in a way few things are, partly because it looks far worse than the dog's own experience of it. Knowing what to do makes the difference between a controlled event and a household in panic.
During a seizure
- Note the time immediately. Duration is the single most important piece of information
- Move furniture away rather than moving the dog, unless it is somewhere dangerous such as the top of stairs, in which case slide it gently by the hindquarters
- Do not restrain it, and never put your hands or anything else in its mouth. Dogs do not swallow their tongues, and you will be bitten
- Dim the lights, reduce noise, keep other pets and children out of the room
- Film it if someone else is present. Vets rarely see the event, and the footage helps distinguish a seizure from fainting or a vestibular episode
- Stay quiet afterwards. Many dogs are disoriented, wobbly, blind or ravenous for minutes to hours. Offer water, keep them somewhere safe, and do not crowd them
Call an emergency service if a seizure lasts more than about five minutes, if seizures come one after another without full recovery in between, or if the dog struggles to breathe or overheats.
After a first seizure
Book an appointment even if the dog seems entirely normal. Your vet will want the history: age, what happened immediately before, duration, what the dog did afterwards, any access to toxins, any medication, and whether there have been previous odd episodes that were dismissed.
Investigation depends on the age and the picture. In a young adult dog with a normal examination, idiopathic epilepsy is common. In a very young dog, an older dog, or one with other signs, the vet is looking for another cause, which may include blood tests and, in some cases, referral for imaging.
What is and is not a seizure
Not every collapse is a seizure. Fainting episodes, which can have a cardiac cause, tend to be shorter, with a rapid recovery and without the paddling, chewing or loss of bladder control that often accompanies a seizure. Vestibular episodes in older dogs produce a head tilt, stumbling and eye flicking, and the dog stays conscious. Tremors from toxins look different again.
Partial seizures confuse owners most: a dog that stares, twitches on one side of the face, snaps at the air or freezes for a few seconds, while remaining partly aware. Those count, and they belong in the diary.
The hours around an episode
Many dogs show a pre-ictal phase: restlessness, clinginess, hiding or seeking contact in the minutes or hours beforehand. Households learn to recognise it, which gives you time to move the dog somewhere safe and away from stairs.
The recovery phase afterwards can last from minutes to a day, and a dog that is disoriented, temporarily blind, ravenous or unsteady is not ready for a walk. Keep it quiet, keep it safe, and note how long recovery took: that figure matters as much as the seizure itself when a vet assesses whether treatment is working.
Keeping a seizure diary
This is the owner's most useful contribution. For each event: date, time of day, duration, what the dog was doing beforehand, how long the recovery took, any changes in food, medication or routine. Over months, that diary is what tells you whether treatment is working and whether a dose needs adjusting.
Clusters matter more than single events, so record them as clusters rather than as one long episode.
Living with medication
If treatment is started, the rules are strict and simple. Give it at the same times every day. Never stop abruptly: withdrawal of anti-seizure medication can precipitate serious seizures. Never adjust the dose yourself. Expect regular blood tests to monitor levels and organ function, and budget for them.
Keep a buffer supply so a bank holiday never coincides with an empty bottle, and carry the medication in hand luggage when you travel.
The aim of treatment is usually fewer and shorter seizures rather than none at all. That is worth knowing in advance, because owners who expect a complete cure feel the plan has failed when it has not.
Day-to-day management
Keep the routine predictable, since irregular feeding and sleep are unhelpful. Avoid swimming alone and unsupervised height. Tell everyone who handles the dog what to do, including the sentence they must not follow: nothing in the mouth.
Anyone caring for your dog should have written instructions with the medication times, the emergency threshold, your vet's number and a named second contact. At PAWLY, for a dog with a history of seizures, the visit includes exactly that sheet, and any episode is reported immediately with the time and duration recorded.
General information for dog owners in Luxembourg, not veterinary or legal advice. For your own dog, ask your vet, a qualified behaviourist or your commune. How this journal is written and checked.
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