Nothing can be more scary and upsetting to see your dog suffering from a seizure episode. Just like people who have just undergone seizure episodes experience disorientation for several minutes, dogs who had just seizure episodes can also experience disorientation, but unlike humans, disorientation in dogs can last for several hours or even for several days. Seizures in humans have numerous different kinds, and just like with dogs. There are several different types of seizures in dogs, which commonly referred to as canine epilepsy.

Types of Dog Seizures

Just like mentioned above, there are many different kinds of seizures in dogs, which are divided into 3 general classes, the Generalized seizures that can be subdivided into 2 subtypes, the Grand Mal Seizure and Petit Mal Seizure, Partial or Focal Seizures, and Status Epilepticus.

Dog Seizures: Grand Mal Seizure

The entire brain activity is affected during grand mal seizure in dogs. An episode of grand mal seizure consists of 5 stages, namely aural stage, prodrome stage, ictus stage, post-ictus stage, and interictus.

1. Aural Stage – during this stage, the dog will be aware that an impending seizure episode is coming. During this stage, the owner commonly gets confuse why his or her dog is acting strange. And if it is the owner’s first time to see his or her dog acting unusual, the owner will commonly get alarmed and very worried. Aural stage can be characterized by restlessness, anxiety, affectionate behavior, or blank expression.
2. Prodrome Stage – during this stage, the dog will become unconscious and the dog will become still.
3. Ictus Stage – this is the stage when the actual seizure takes place. There will be involuntary and strong contractions and relaxations all over the dog’s body, there will be drooling, facial twitching, changes in the dog’s pupils,  and sometimes, the dog can involuntary empty its bowel or bladder.
4. Post Ictus Stage – this is the stage immediately after the actual seizure has taken place. The post ictus stage can last from a few minutes to several hours or even to several days and can be characterized by confusion, fatigue, depression, ataxia, and/or blindness.
5. Interictus Stage – this stage refers to the dog that has already fully recovered from the previous seizure episode. In the interictus stage, the dog will be able to exhibit its normal behavior until another seizure episode is coming.