My Pet Is Having A Seizure - What Do I Do?

It's been a busy holiday weekend for Central Veterinary Emergency Services.  When I asked one of the Technicians the most common condition among the cases her response was that we had seen all kinds of conditions without any common theme.  Then just an hour later we had three dogs come in for seizures all in a row. 

This sweet Rottweiler may look like she's ready or Christmas, but the bells are actually to alert us if she starts having more seizures. 

Seizures are an indication of something else going on in the body.  The cause can originate from a toxic exposure, epilepsy, too much calcium after having puppies, a tumor, a head injury, or multiple other disease conditions.  Your veterinarian can take a full history and do some diagnostic testing to rule out possible causes and narrow down the reason for the seizures.

Watching your cat or dog have a seizure can be frightening.  His body may tense up. He may have a far away look on his face along with body twitching or feet paddling. His whole body may shake and convulse. He may start drooling and seem unaware of your presence.  He may even stop breathing or urinate or defecate on himself.

The best thing you can do for your pet during a seizure is to keep both of you safe. Protect him from rolling off a bed or couch, or falling down stairs. Keep your hands and face away from his mouth so he doesn't unknowingly bite you. Place pillows or blankets under his head and between his body and sharp corners or furniture.  Remove other pets from the area.  Dim the lights and turn off load noises like TVs or radios to provide a quiet environment. Time and record the length and intensity of each seizure.  Call your veterinarian right away to determine if an immediate visit is advisable. Be sure to inform your veterinarian of any possible exposure to a poisonous substance.

Give your pet some time to recover.  He may be groggy or "out of it" for a while.  Once he has returned to normal (within about 10 to 20 minutes) he can resume regular activities.  Allow him to go outside for a potty break if he is stable on his feet and seems aware of his surroundings.  It may be advisable to keep him in close proximity for a while to see if another seizure develops.

A seizure can be an isolated incident or they can become recurrent.  Medications can be prescribed by your veterinarian to control seizure activity.  As always you know your pet the best ,so be an advocate for him to be sure he gets care if you are concerned or feel like something isn't right.

Thanksgiving Safety for Your Pets

Just a couple days left to finish your meal planning and decorating for the start of the holidays. What is your favorite part of the Thanksgiving dinner? The turkey, or maybe ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, or let's not forget the stuffing and pumpkin pie. Are you drooling yet? Guess who else is drooling? Or maybe a four legged feline is walking between your legs, purring loudly, letting you know he wants some too.

Pets add a special part to any holiday celebration, whether you are entertaining one or 20. You may be tempted to include your pet in the festivities by handing him some table scraps or letting him lick your plate clean. For the sake of your pet, and your stress level, you may want to rethink that "treat".

Pancreatitis
Dogs that are fed very fatty food can develop a sudden onset of pancreatitis. Symptoms of acute pancreatitis may range from mild to very severe. The symptoms are similar to those of other diseases and may include a very painful abdomen, lack of appetite, depression, dehydration, a 'hunched up' posture, vomiting, and perhaps diarrhea. Fever often accompanies these symptoms. Cats can get pancreatitis also, but they don't usually have the acute symptoms and it is usually associate with other causes.

Turkey Bones
The other common food indiscretion at Thanksgiving are the turkey bones. Even if you try your best to keep your pets out of the turkey carcass they have a way of being sneaky just when you turn your back. Cooked turkey bones can be brittle and will shatter easily when chewed. The sharp slivers of bone are dangerous if swallowed. They can get caught in the throat causing him to choke, or pierce the stomach or intestine requiring surgery. Sometimes the bones will pass uneventfully. To increase the likelihood you may feed your dog some pieces of bread. The thought is that the bones will get encased in the bread and decrease the danger of passing through the intestinal tract.

For either of these instances, if your pet is vomiting, has diarrhea, seems very week or lethargic, has pale gums, or seems painful it is best to bring him to see a Veterinarian right away.

Hopefully these tips will decrease your chances of needing a Veterinary Emergency Room on Thanksgiving, but if you do, we'll be open all day and would be happy to see your pet. If you are in the Denver area just call 303-874-7387.

From our Veterinary ER to you, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Coughing Kitty

Have you noticed a persistent cough from your favorite feline?  There are a few possible reasons for a cough.  They range from a respiratory infection or asthma to parasites or even a heart condition.

If you've recently adopted your kitty from a shelter it's possible that he/she picked up an URI or Upper Respiratory Infection.  URIs can be be either bacterial or viral.  Either way you should separate her from other cats in the house and have her seen by a Veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.

There are simple things you can do in your home to help decrease respiratory problems.  Keep the air clean and smoke fee, use a litter with little to no dust, be careful about cleaning products - if you have a hard time breathing when you use them your cat probably does to.  It is also important to decrease stress for your kitty.  Give her a safe place to get away from young children, other pets, or loud noises.

See my early post titled "Cat Air" for  more information on a heart condition known as cardiomyopathy that can be indicated by a persistent cough.

If the cough is combined with decreased activity, decreased appetite and less drinking it is important to get her in to see a Veterinarian right away.  These signs could indicate pneumonia or other infection that could be life threatening.  Cats tend to hide illness much longer than dogs and often by the time the signs are evident they are already very sick.

The AAHA PetsMatter November/December edition has a great article on coughs in cats as well.  Be sure to jump over to their website for additional information.