Epilepsy in pets

Epilepsy is a neurological pathology characterized by sudden, short-duration, and clonic-tonic seizures. The disease occurs in all animals, but cats and dogs are most often affected. In most cases, veterinarians experience generalized seizures accompanied by sudden loss of consciousness, tension, and muscle twitching. Sometimes the clinical picture manifests itself differently. The symptoms depend on the localization of the focus of convulsive activity and on the spread of "incorrect" excitation through the nerve cells of the cerebral cortex. Not all seizures in pets are epilepsy. That is why, before making an accurate diagnosis, veterinarians classify all seizures as "epileptiform". In our clinic, specialists diagnose "true epilepsy" only after a thorough examination of the animal. There are two categories of the disease characterized by epileptiform seizures, which are determined by the causes of seizures. pathologies of the brain, disorders of the general metabolism or intoxication of the body. The clinical picture Is impossible to predict the occurrence of a seizure. Frequency, speed, and intensity have no specific conventions. The intervals between seizures can be from a few minutes or up to several months. The duration of the seizure varies from a few seconds to 4-5 minutes. It can be both rapid twitching and continuous cramps. When watching a pet, you may notice that sometimes, before an attack, it behaves restlessly, timidly, and makes circular movements for no reason. Such symptoms manifest themselves in each animal individually, in some they are repeated, so the owners have the opportunity to prepare for a seizure. During a seizure, the pet's limbs may twitch slightly or, conversely, the muscles may contract intensively and convulsively. During the pathology, the animal may fall to the ground, involuntarily move its paws, emit urine, etc. Chewing movements are sometimes accompanied by copious and foamy saliva discharge. After a seizure, the pet becomes exhausted, depressed, and in some cases it is unable to get up on its own. The animal can tolerate mild seizures standing up. If epilepsy is the result of intoxication of the body, then additional symptoms may occur in the form of vomiting or characteristic urges.

Diagnosis of epilepsy is made by a veterinarian based on the individual clinical picture. First of all, it is necessary to differentiate the disease from heat and sunstroke, pathologies of the central nervous system, and congenital malformations. Preventive measures It is extremely important to prevent injury to the pet. Attention should also be paid to the feeding diet, it should be balanced in basic nutrients, including calcium and B vitamins. It is recommended to carry out regular medical examinations of the pet in order to detect pathology in a timely manner, especially when it comes to infectious diseases. This will allow you to provide timely therapeutic assistance to the animal.