Dog Convulsions

Dog convulsions in their most typical form are characterized by champing of the jaws, foaming at the mouth, falling on the side, involuntary passage of urine and stool, violent shaking movements over the whole body, then moaning, barking, and wild running about, and finally complete collapse or depres­sion. They may occur in varying degrees of severity and any or all of the symptoms stated may present themselves in any one attack. Often, in spite of mild or severe attacks, many ani­mals may appear quite normal between attacks. Nonetheless, a convulsion is a very significant and often ultimately fatal symptom, and no effort at any extensive home treat­ment should be attempted. A mild sedative such as an as­pirin will never do any harm, but it is rather unlikely that it will do any good. A convulsion is a veterinary problem.

Dog convulsions can come about for a great variety of reasons. They might be due to injury, poisoning from certain chemi­cals, nervous disorders, brain inflammations due to an in­fectious disease, certain urinary disturbances, eclampsia, dia­betes, foreign bodies in the stomach, or worms.

The treatment of dog convulsions obviously depends on the cause. Whether or not the treatment can be successful de­pends upon how readily the cause can be eliminated. As a general rule, in the ordinary case where convulsions appear with increasing frequency, the likelihood of a cure is rather remote. That is why the animal who has convulsions should be brought to a veterinarian at the earliest possible moment. Often the application of quick emergency measures has been able to save many an animal's life when, on the other hand, even a few moments' delay would have so changed the situa­tion that the animal would have had only a limited chance for survival.

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