Attacks of this dangerous disease can frighten or discourage any inexperienced dog breeder. A terrible sight is an animal that beats in an incomprehensible fit accompanied by twitching of limbs and convulsions. Around this disease there are many superstitions, even legends, many of which should not be taken seriously. It is worthwhile to consider it in more detail, to weed out the grain of truth and understand the true cause of this illness.
Symptoms of epilepsy in dogs
Epilepsy is a violation of the brain, which is associated with an imbalance in the bioelectric system of the animal's body. As if a kind of electrical discharge pierces the animal and leads all its organs to a terrible failure. The defeat covers not only the brain cells themselves, but the entire nervous system of the dog. This disease affects both purebred animals and mestizos. One must be able to distinguish between different types of epilepsy, which can manifest themselves in different ways.
Attacks of genetic epilepsy, also called primary, occur at the age of six months to five years. Especially often it occurs in hounds, dachshunds, boxers, cocker spaniels, Belgian and German shepherds , boxers and a number of other breeds. The exact method of detecting puppies that can develop epilepsy with age does not exist. But the information that in the family of your pet has already met individuals with such a specific disease, should the dog breeder be wary. Responsible breeders should not use epilepsy in breeding dogs.
The cause of secondary epilepsy is not covered in genetics, it is associated with various diseases that can hit almost any puppy or adult animal.
What can cause a secondary epilepsy?
- infectious diseases in dogs - plaque , encephalitis;
- poisoning with poisons based on arsenic, strychnine, lead, other dangerous substances;
- damage to the animal by electric shock;
- birth trauma;
- bites of poisonous creatures (reptiles or insects);
- head trauma;
- poor nutrition, lack of mineral salts in the diet, some components (especially magnesium and manganese), B and D vitamins;
- severe damage to the body by helminths;
- nervous breakdown.
What to do when a dog has epilepsy?
First of all, we describe how the attack itself occurs. A state called "aura" precedes him. The animal is restless, excited, starts whining, the dog has saliva. Sometimes she tries to hide from you. Then comes the ictal stage, when the pet falls from the legs, his head throws back, and the limbs seem to become numb. Epilepsy in dogs is accompanied by jerking, convulsions, strong release of foamy saliva. Often the animal at this time bites its cheeks, which causes bleeding from the mouth.
The postictal stage is characterized by a condition when the animals come to life and begin to move. They first come into confusion and for a long time can not come back to normal. Some dogs suffer from blindness, bumping into familiar objects. But if some animals are excited, others are in a depressed state and fall into a hibernation.
Treatment of epilepsy in dogs
Following the onset of an attack, immediately remove children and animals from the premises. You can not stop cramping yourself, you better place something soft under the animal's head. To thrust at a epilepsy at dogs in a mouth a stick, saving it from a choking, does not follow. Such actions often lead to injuries. If the seizure lasts more than half an hour or a whole series of short seizures occurs, this means the onset of an epileptic status.
When asked how many dogs live with epilepsy, many factors influence. Comfortable conditions and the intake of special drugs can greatly prolong the life of the pet. Genetic disease can not be cured completely, but if the seizures are caused by other causes, then after their elimination the animal usually recovers.