Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Keeping your dog safe
• Part 2 of 4: Keeping Stimulation to a Minimum
• Part 3 of 4: Using a Tranquilizer
• Part 4 of 4: Taking care of your dog after a seizure

Seeing your beloved pet in seizures is not an experience for the faint of heart. This is very disturbing and frightening. Removing stimuli from the dog's environment, using a tranquilizer, and caring for the dog after a seizure will greatly help the dog survive the seizure. If you can stay calm and focus on keeping your pet safe, you can help your dog recover as soon as possible.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Keeping your dog safe

1. 1 Keep calm. You are having seizures your dog is very scared and disoriented. It is unlikely that you want to add to him experiences with tantrums, screams or other ways of reinforcing his behavior when the dog feels that he has the right to be scared. Excitement only increases the dog's arousal and prolongs the seizure. This is what will greatly damage her early recovery.
   • During seizures, your dog becomes very sensitive. Noise, light, sometimes even touch can trigger a new stream of electrical impulses into the brain that will fuel a seizure. By staying calm, you can assess the situation for outgoing factors and take steps to make the environment calm and quiet.
   • Write down the time. Once your dog starts having seizures, write down the time. When the attack is over, write it down too. This information is important for the veterinarian to assess how severe (or not) the seizure is.
   • Plus, when your pet has a convulsion, it always seems like time has stopped. And it is very encouraging to realize that the duration, which is perceived as “all life”, is actually only a minute or two.
2. 2 Remove items that could harm your dog. During seizures, your dog will rush about on the floor. Look around for objects that your dog could hit and hurt, such as chair legs or electric lights. Where possible, keep dangerous items away from the dog. It is better to do this than to move the dog - it will excite him even more.
   • You can also remove items that you do not want to break or move, whether they pose a danger to the dog or not.
3. 3 Use pillows to protect your dog. It is easy to remove light objects from the room that can be taken and carried, but after all, a table, for example, is not so easy to move. Place pillows in potentially hazardous areas to provide cushioning. In case of emergency, blankets and towels will work as well.
   • If your dog is in danger of bumping into a large object, a duvet is a good alternative if you gently cover your dog with it, leaving his head outside.
   • If your dog is banging its head on the floor, it is a good idea to place a pillow under it to soften the impact.
4. 4 Do not put your hand in the dog's mouth or hold it near the dog's mouth. That a dog can swallow its own tongue is an old tale. Never put your hand in the jaws of a dog that is having cramps. The dog at this moment does not know what he is doing, and he can bite your hand, not releasing it until the seizure ends. There is no need to take such risks. Plus, it's not very smart.
5. 5 Move your dog only if it is in danger. The only situation in which to touch the dog (other than giving him a tranquilizer, as described below) is if he is really in danger and his seizure can lead to physical damage. For example, if cramps caught the dog at the top of the flight of steps, then it is better to take a chance and carefully drag the dog to a safe place.
   • The key is to slowly drag the dog across the floor. You do not want the dog to convulse in your arms, risking toppling you along with it, which will result in injuries for both. If possible, push or pull the dog, or move him in another way that does not require you to lift the dog. That way you both will be safe.
6. 6 Record a video. When you've done everything you can to help your dog recover, shoot a short video of the seizures on your smartphone. This recording will help your vet a lot because not all seizures that look like seizures are actually seizures. It is extremely helpful for a veterinarian to see seizures with your own eyes.
   • If you are too excited to record, ask someone else to do so. Just make sure that this person is at a sufficient distance from your dog so that his condition does not worsen.

Part 2 of 4: Keeping Stimulation to a Minimum

1. 1 Turn off the lights and draw the curtains. A dim room will stimulate your dog much less, improving his condition and shortening cramps. Look around and think about what you can do to keep the room as quiet and dark as possible. At night, on the other hand, leave the night light on to watch the dog.
   • In simple terms, seizures are an electrical storm in the brain. Anything that stimulates the brain, such as light, noise, smell, or touch, can potentially worsen a seizure and lengthen it.
2. 2 Make the room quiet. This electrical storm in the dog's brain will only be amplified by external noise. To help the dog recover, turn off the TV and radio. Moreover, ask everyone to leave the room. Your dog doesn't need shocked people to stare and talk. Therefore, ask everyone to come out to leave the dog in peace and quiet.
   • You will have to watch your dog all the time while it is having seizures.First, to keep track of their duration, and second, to make sure the dog is safe. During a seizure, remain as quiet and still as you can. This will ease the dog's cramps.
3. 3 Get rid of odors. Stimulating your dog's sense of smell (scent) can be very powerful. Therefore, if you have scented candles burning or something baking in the oven, get rid of the smells. Blow out and remove the candles, open the door for better ventilation.
   • If you have a large dog, it can be difficult to move during seizures. A small dog will be easier to deal with during a seizure, but it is still not a good idea, because touch is also stimulation and can increase the dog's delicate state. Removing odors can be much easier than moving your dog.
4. 4 Don't pet your dog. Some dog owners consider this as controversial as they feel obligated to pet the dog to reduce anxiety. The risk is that touching is a form of stimulation, so the best solution is to leave the dog alone. His attack will end sooner if you don't intervene.
   • During an attack, the dog does not feel that you are near. The worst option is if your presence lengthens the attack. While touching your dog will calm you down, it is unlikely to help your dog.

Part 3 of 4: Using a Tranquilizer

1. 1 If possible, use the tranquilizer that you used in your last seizure. If your pet has already had a seizure, your veterinarian may have prescribed tubes of rectal diazepam for you to use during or after seizures. Diazepam is a tranquilizer that is good at relieving excess brain activity, which helps to completely get dogs out of seizures.
   • Since your dog cannot swallow oral medication during a seizure, rectal medication is an appropriate route of administration. Diazepam is well absorbed through the rectal mucosa and gently enters the bloodstream.
   • A 20 kg dog requires one 10 mg tube of diazepam to be administered as soon as possible as soon as the seizures begin. This dose can be repeated two more times within 24 hours.
2. 2 Use a rectal suppository. To insert rectal diazepam, remove the cap from the dispensing tube and squeeze some diazepam onto the spout to lubricate the tube. Here's how to safely and gently administer the medication to your dog:
   • Move the dog's tail gently away from the anus so you can see the rectal opening.
   • Place the nozzle of the tube in front of the rectal opening and, using gentle twisting, press the neck of the medicine tube so that it enters the rectum to the depth of the shoulder of the tube.
   • When the suppository fits well in the rectal opening, squeeze the tube to squeeze out its contents, and it goes into the rectum.
   • Pull out the spout and discard the used candle.
3. 3 Give the tranquilizer as soon as you can. The sooner you give your dog diazepam, the sooner the symptoms go away. However, do not lose your calmness in the race against time. While timing is very important, it is even more important that you do not aggravate your dog's condition.
   • You can also give your dog post-seizure medicine to help him stay calm and prevent further seizures, especially if your dog is prone to multiple seizures.

Part 4 of 4: Taking care of your dog after a seizure

1. 1 Give your dog a snack. As soon as the dog comes to his senses, he will want to eat and drink. Small dogs tend to have low blood glucose levels after seizures, so this is a good sign when the dog asks for food. Even if the dog does not ask for food, put food and water in an accessible place.
   • If your dog doesn't eat right away, don't panic. Give him a minute to get used to the environment again. Rest is also needed.
2. 2 Allow your dog to adjust at its own pace. She will feel a little strange and disoriented in space. So if your dog wants to rest calmly, let him do it. The fact that the dog is very tired is understandable and is not a symptom that should worry you.
   • In addition, some dogs suffer from multiple brain activity, which means they are more likely to have further seizures within the next 24 hours. If this is about your dog, take good care of it, let the dog feel safe and secure, let it rest.
3. 3 If this was your dog's first seizure, call your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will need to examine your dog and run blood tests to determine if there is an illness or other problem causing the seizures. Your veterinarian will also answer all your questions, and you will feel better.
   • The more detailed you describe what happened, the better the veterinarian will be able to understand the situation. Tell the veterinarian the duration of the seizure, describe how the dog behaved during the seizures, and how he felt immediately after them if you do not have a recorded video.