Epilepsy often occurs at a young age, typically beginning around 6 months to 5 years of age. Seizures or fits then occur for the rest of the dog's life.Dogs can have different types of seizures associated with their epilepsy. These include:Focal seizures: These are associated with bizarre behavior, such as repeatedly and compulsively rubbing of one part of the body or 'fly-catching' behavior, where the dog snaps at invisible objects in the air. This type of seizure is also known as a complex partial seizure or psychomotor seizure.
Generalized seizures: This type of seizure affects the whole body. The dog is unconscious and unaware of what's happening to it or around it. The dog is unable to stand and usually collapses to one side. The body goes rigid, the limbs often move in a paddling motion, and the mouth may close tightly. Typically this lasts for 30 seconds to 3 minutes, after which time the dog recovers and regains consciousness.
Status epilepticus: This is where the dog enters a seizure but does not wake up. The seizure continues indefinitely or consists of several seizures but the dog does not regain consciousness between them. It is essential to seek veterinary attention if your dog is having this type of seizure, as brain damage can occur during status epilepticus.;
, Dogs with epilepsy are prone to groups of seizures spaced apart. Seizures often occur in cluster or groups, within a 24 hours period. How frequent these groups are depends on the individual. For example a dog with mild epilepsy may have one seizure every six months, while a severely affected individual may have groups of seizures every couple of weeks.After the first seizure contact your vet, who can medicate your pet to make another seizure the same day less likely.
 Abnormal electrical behavior in the brain can cause your beagle to behave strangely before, during, and after a seizure. This is yet another sign that your dog may have had a seizure. This behavior can include being aggressive and attempting to bite, in a dog that is otherwise sweet-tempered. Be aware of this and be extremely careful about allowing children close to the dog, as a child may accidentally get bitten.
 As an owner, your first step is to recognize your dog is having seizures and take the dog to the vet. However, it is important to keep a diary of how many and how often your dog's seizures are. This helps the vet determine the seriousness of the condition and the amount of medication that might be needed.
 The terms "seizure" and "fits" are often used interchangeably with "epilepsy," but there is an important difference between them. Epilepsy is a medical condition, whereas a seizure is a symptom.This is equivalent to pneumonia being a medical condition, but a cough being the symptom. Seizures can be triggered by a variety of different things, such as ingesting a toxins, kidney disease, a porto-systemic shunt, brain cancer, meningitis, or other such medical or physical conditions.
 Seizures can signal a variety of illnesses, so it's important to have the dog assessed by a veterinarian to find the root cause. Unfortunately, there is no single test that gives an answer as to whether the dog's seizures are epileptic.
 To diagnose epilepsy, the vet rules out all conditions that can cause seizure.The condition of epilepsy is described as uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain for which no explanation can be found. This makes epilepsy a "diagnosis of exclusion," meaning that it is only diagnosed when all other causes for seizure activity have been ruled out.This means that you will need to allow the vet to run a lot of tests if necessary.


The vet starts with a medical history, in order to rule out possible exposure to toxins which could cause seizures. If this proves negative, then screening blood tests are next on the list. These assess organ function, in an attempt to determine whether the liver, kidneys, and other organs are functioning normally. Blood test can also show if there could be a problem that causes natural toxins to build up and trigger seizures.
Based on these results, the vet may pursue clues. For example, if the blood creatinine levels are low, the vet may want to run additional liver function tests to rule out a portosystemic shunt.
The vet may want to check blood thyroid levels (low thyroid hormone can trigger seizures) and look at blood electrolyte levels to check for abnormalities due to disease which could cause seizures.If the vet is worried about infection, such as meningitis, causing seizures, he or she may collect a sample of spinal or brain fluid and analyze them.If all the tests come back normal or negative, the final test is to image the brain and run either an MRI or a CT scan. This provides a picture of the structure of the brain, and can rule out other conditions, such as a brain tumor or cysts on the brain.Only once all tests have come back normal can the vet definitively diagnose epilepsy.
 The treatment depends on the severity and frequency of the seizures. Anticonvulsant drugs are the mainstay of treatment, of which typically phenobarbital, potassium bromide, or imepitoin are prescribed. The vet may also prescribe suppositories of diazepam to give the beagle during a seizure. This will help to calm the brain waves and reduce the risk of another seizure occurring.
Be on the look out for seizures.
Be aware that there may be additional seizures.
Pay attention to strange behavior after a suspected seizure.
Make a record of your dog's seizures.
Determine the difference between epilepsy and seizures.
Take your dog to a veterinarian if it is having seizures.
Discuss the diagnostic process with the veterinarian.
Follow your veterinarian's treatment regimen.
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