Jack Russell Suffers From Canine Seizures

by Randy Van Norman
(Louisville, ky 40214)

My female Jack Russell Terrier has had two episodes of canine seizures a few months apart.

I spoke with the Veterinarian and was informed it would be hard to isolate unless she was in a seizure at the time of exam. Not much you can
do for it except let it pass and make sure she doesn't hurt herself.

What can be done if anything....and is a medicine the next step?

Vet Suggestion Regarding Jack Russell Terrier that is suffering from Canine Seizures

Hi Randy,

If your dog was my patient, I would perform a physical exam and a general health work up including blood work, a urinalysis, and a fecal exam looking for a potential physiological explanation for the seizures (e.g., liver dysfunction or hypothyroidism). If everything looked normal on the lab work, I would ask that you keep a seizure diary noting how often you see seizures, how severe they are, how long they last, etc.

Mild infrequent seizures do not require treatment, but if they are coming with increased frequency or last more than a couple of minutes, I recommend medications to control them. Phenobarbital and/or potassium bromide are usually very effective at reducing seizure frequency and severity, but some individuals require treatment with the newer (and more expensive) human anti-seizure medications.

Good luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM