When your dog has an epileptic seizure, it looks terrifying and upsetting at first.
However, many dogs can live with epilepsy, so it is rare that you will need to put your dog to sleep after an epileptic seizure.
But in order for you to understand epilepsy, this article explains everything you need to know.
Dog Has Epileptic Seizures: Should I Put Him to Sleep or Not?
Epilepsy or seizures are not usually a reason to put your dog to sleep in and of themselves.
Euthanasia is only an option if status epilepticus occurs frequently, the quality of life is severely restricted, or an underlying disease would end the life painfully.
What is the life expectancy in dogs with epilepsy?
It is not possible to calculate exactly what life expectancy will be with epilepsy.
Because this depends on many factors: the severity of the epileptic seizures, the risk of a life-threatening development during the seizures, your dog’s age and state of health and whether there is any underlying disease.
For mild seizures that respond well to veterinary care, life expectancy is often unaffected.
However, there is always a risk during seizures that the dog will injure itself, injure the airway, or face other complications.
It is clear that untreated epilepsy is extremely dangerous, especially for an old dog.
Epilepsy is often not the actual disease, but a symptom of a neurological disease.
These are often very serious or even life-threatening and rarely curable. They severely limit the quality of life and duration.
Can a dog die during an epileptic seizure?
Most epileptic seizures pass quickly.
However, if they last more than 5 minutes or follow several epileptic seizures in quick succession, between which your dog remains unconscious, it is called an epileptic seizure status epilepticus.
This is life threatening. Airways can be obstructed and neurological functions can fail. The risk of injury is also very high during this time.
What therapy and treatment options are there?
There are medications for epilepsy that reduce or ideally even prevent the seizures.
Your veterinarian will customize and review the dose and choice of medication for your dog.
Can you cure epilepsy in dogs?
Epilepsy is not curable per se. You can only suppress or alleviate the seizures with medication.
However, epilepsy is often a symptom of an underlying neurological disease. If this is treated or even cured, the epileptic seizures disappear accordingly.
Untreated epilepsy
Leaving epilepsy untreated always poses an enormous risk for your dog.
Because every seizure carries a great risk for your dog to injure himself or even die.
Untreated epilepsy can also get worse.
Then the epileptic seizures sometimes even increase to status epilepticus.
In addition, untreated epilepsy leaves untreated a possible underlying primary condition, which usually worsens and is usually life-threatening.
Epileptic seizures are increasing
If epileptic seizures increase, although your dog is being treated, a new diagnosis must take place.
There may be a previously undiscovered underlying disease of which epilepsy was only a symptom and which has progressed to the point where it can now be diagnosed.
Sometimes it is only necessary to adjust the medication again.
Not only will your dog get older and their metabolism will change as they age, but from time to time resistance to a drug can build up, reducing its effectiveness drastically.
How can I support my dog during an epileptic seizure?
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do yourself at the moment of the epileptic seizure.
However, if you already know the signs that a seizure is imminent, you should place your dog in a non-harmful environment and make sure your dog is not touched or moved during the seizure.
Be sure to stay with your dog at all times and ideally document the seizure with a video or notes.
This can be of great help to your vet in administering the right treatment.
When your dog wakes up, he is often still a bit confused and can also react in panic.
So leave him alone and be careful not to startle or frighten him. Do not touch him of your own accord as fear and confusion may cause him to take this as aggression and hurt you.
If you’re a healthcare professional, you can talk to your vet about emergency medication to inject your dog.
Important:
The recommendation is still circulating that one should pull the tongue out of a dog’s mouth during an epileptic seizure so that it does not block the airways.
Under no circumstances should you do this, because your dog could accidentally injure you badly!
Conclusion
Being diagnosed with epilepsy is frightening and frightening for many dog owners.
But often epilepsy can be treated well and is no reason to put the dog to sleep.
It is important that you are informed about the disease and have your dog treated.
Have you ever had a dog with epilepsy? How was he treated? How was it for you? Tell us your story in the comments.