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Dog had a seizure.

Species: Dog
Breed: Whippet/Jack Russell
Age: Less than 3 mon
My dog had a seizure this morning. She is a 3 ½ year old spayed Whippet/Jack Russell mix. It was the second – the first was probably three months ago. It started with her trembling while lying down. I carried her onto the carpet, and she stood leaning against me with her legs stiff as she continued to shake and apparently unable to move. After about three minutes or so she regained muscle control and heaved several times before vomiting up some frothy yellow mucus. She vomited once more within five minutes. I immediately scrambled an egg for her, and by the time it was cool enough for her to eat she was eating it and wagging her tail. I took her outside shortly afterwards and she peeped – she didn’t loose control in the house. She has been lethargic today, but appears normal. I took her out to peep again about six hours later and she took care of her business again. We will take her to the vet next week – our vet is not open on the weekend. Do you have any suggestions?



Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I am sorry to hear that Sophie had a seizure. What you are describing definitely sounds like seizures.

It is often difficult to know what the cause of seizures is. Your vet will likely want to do some blood tests to determine if there is a problem with toxicity to her liver or kidneys. However, most of the time we simply don't find a cause.

When there is no known cause for seizures, then this is what we call epilepsy.

When dogs have epilepsy, we do have medications that help to cut down on how often she is having seizures. However, if she is having seizures every 3 months then your vet may advise to do nothing.

Personally, I usually put a dog on anti-seizure medication if they are having 3-4 seizures per month.

The good news is that seizures are not painful to a dog. They may have some confusion for up to a couple of hours afterwards, but the actual seizure is not painful. They are not aware of what is happening.

There really isn't much that you can do for her right now. If she has more seizures this weekend then you may want to see an emergency vet. However, my guess is that it will likely be a few more months before she has one. And again, if she is having them close together then your vet will discuss putting her on medication.

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.