Causes of Seizures in Dogs

All the causes of seizures in dogs cannot necessarily be related to epilepsy. Seizures may possibly be caused by factors other than canine epilepsy and there are quite a few of them.

A seizure is a fit, convulsion, epileptic attack or paroxysm. It can't be anticipated, ends abruptly and does not happen again. Epilepsy is a brain disorder where normal electric activity is interrupted. This transmits confusing nerve impulses from the brain causing jumbled messages to the muscles leading to uncoordinated motions.

Hereditary predisposition cannot be rejected as a potential cause of seizures in dogs as it has been discovered that some breeds of dogs are more susceptible to seizures than others. It is indicated that all dogs have a seizure threshold and a dog will have a seizure when this threshold is surpassed. Dogs that have a low threshold could have a seizure due to stimulations like hormone unbalance, trauma, fatigue or hyperventilation

Seizures induced by brain injury are the easiest to diagnose. Any injury to the brain is likely to distort the structure of the cranium. This can lead to indents that may employ force on particular regions of the brain. The consequent disturbances in the movement of nerve impulses can distort signals that are transmitted to the muscles ultimately resulting in seizures.

Apart from head injury, brain tumors, cysts and other brain disorders can be causes of dog seizures. Hydrocephalus is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid inside the brain. In puppies it can cause an abnormally large head and a small face. In fully grown dogs, the symptoms are generally neurological. In the main, it takes place when the fluid path is impeded and the fluid is not absorbed. Hydrocephalus can cause many neurological disorders including canine seizures.

Toxic substances, metabolic diseases, and electrolyte instabilities or irregularities can also cause abnormal neuronal activity in the cerebrum of the brain, which can lead to seizures. Metabolic disorders such as diabetes, liver or kidney failure bring along with them alterations in the organic processes essential for life and some of them can be causes of seizures in dogs.

An insulin overdose can result in abnormally low blood sugar in diabetic dogs that can contribute to seizures. Liver failure restricts the supply of blood and oxygen to the brain and thus may also cause canine seizures.

Certain diseases can indirectly cause seizures. For instance, Cushing’s disease is usually stimulated by a microscopic tumor of the pituitary gland. But in some instances it can be large enough to pressurize the brain and hasten neurological disturbances including seizures.

Whatever the causes of seizures in dogs, they are basically due to distorted and confounding signals transmitted by the brain to the muscles. The sooner a seizure is reported to a specialist, the more beneficial it is. This is because, if left untreated seizures can lead to dangerous manifestations and endanger the dog's life.