Dogs are loyal and affectionate companions for many of us. Unfortunately, some of them can suffer from epilepsy, a disease that can cause convulsions and anxiety for both the dog and its owner.
Fortunately, there are treatments to help manage the symptoms of epilepsy in dogs. CBD is one of these popular treatments that can help reduce crises and symptoms associated with epilepsy in dogs. Let's find out together how CBD can be used to help our four -legged friends Empower of epilepsy.
Epilepsy crisis in dogs: Understand and act
Dogs are often considered as family members, which is why we feel anxiety and concern when affected by a medical problem, especially crises or epilepsy. Whether it is a puppy or an elderly dog, crises can be a sign of an underlying health problem and it is important to consult a veterinarian to obtain a diagnosis and understand the cause of the episodes .
The crises are temporary and involuntary disturbances of the normal functioning of a dog's brain, often accompanied by uncontrollable muscle spasms. This situation can be frightening for the owners, but it is important to stay calm and help your dog cross it.
When repeated seizures occur, we talk about epilepsy in dogs. The crises can be occasional or frequent, unique or grouped, unpredictable or regular. Whatever the form of your dog's epilepsy, it is important to understand the treatments available to manage crises and help your animal lead a happy and healthy life.
Causes of convulsion in dogs
Several reasons can cause idiopathic crises and epilepsy in dogs. Although the most frequent cause is hereditary, other causes include kidney failure, brain tumors, brain trauma, toxins and liver diseases. It is therefore important to consult a veterinarian to rule out the potentially serious causes before discussing treatment options.
The crises can occur during changes in the cerebral activity of the dog, such as agitation, food, falling asleep or awakening.
The phases of an epileptic crisis in dogs
It is important to understand what is happening during an epilepsy crisis in a dog to better help your pet when it makes one. Here is an overview of the three phases of the dog's crisis.
Pre-Actal phase (aura):
During this phase, your dog's behavior can change. He can become nervous and seek or hide from his master. This phase can last from a few seconds to several hours and precedes any epileptic activity. It is as if the dog knew that something was going to happen.
The critical phase:
This phase can last from a few seconds to several minutes and can take different forms. It includes slight changes in mental consciousness, such as slight tremors, stray eyes, licking lips and a dazed appearance, which can lead to a total loss of bodily functions and consciousness.
If the dog is the victim of a great crisis of great evil, a widespread tonic-clonic crisis or a complete crisis, it loses consciousness and its muscles move in a erratic and spasmodic way. The dog can then fall to the side and wave his legs while his whole body is paralyzed. His head can go back and he can start urinating, defecating and drool uncontrolled. If the critical phase lasts more than 5 minutes, the body temperature can increase, resulting in hyperthermia.
After the crisis, what should I do next?
If your pet is making a crisis, a quick visit to the veterinarian is essential. If the crisis lasts more than 5 minutes, an emergency visit to the veterinarian is necessary.
The veterinarian will examine your dog to exclude cranial intoxication or trauma. If these causes are discarded, other diagnoses can be recommended depending on the frequency and severity of crises.
Occasional crises (less than once a month) are generally less serious, but it is important to monitor them because they can become more frequent and more severe.
A scanner or MRI may be necessary to assess your dog's brain structure.
The treatment of crises in dogs often includes anticonvulsants drugs such as potassium bromide and phenobarbital. New drugs such as zonisamide and levetiracetam are being studied. Combined therapy can be used if these drugs are ineffective.
Treatment with anticonvulsants should be prosecuted throughout your dog's life To control crises. If you want to stop the treatment, talk to your veterinarian who will advise you on how to do it gradually to avoid an increase in epileptic activity.
Video on the benefits of CBD for dogs with epilepsy:
CBD to treat crises and epilepsy
Of the studies Recent show that cannabidiol (CBD) can help reduce and control epileptic crises in dogs. 90 % of dogs who received CBD experienced a reduction in epileptic activity. Other doses of CBD are being studied to see if an additional reduction in crises is possible.
Unscreased for dogs and with minimal side effects, CBD is promising treatment to improve the general well-being of your pet.
If you want to administer CBD treatment to your dog while he is still under anticonvulsants, ask your veterinarian to reduce anticonvulsants safely before starting CBD treatment.
CBD dosage for epilepsy attacks in dogs
THE CBD dosage For dogs with convulsions and epilepsy must be done in steps. Start with a low dose and gradually increase to avoid side effects.
Use a concentration of CBD adapted to the weight of your animal, for example 1 drop for 5 kg of weight, twice a day. If necessary, increase the dose. It is also possible to divide the dose into several sockets throughout the day.
To read: Can you give CBD to a dog with drugs?
Please note, the CBD does not immediately act in the event of a crisis, it takes about 30 minutes to see the effects. If your dog has regular convulsions, adjust the time of administration of the CBD to minimize the risk of convulsions. Otherwise, the duration of action of the CBD can vary between 4 and 12 hours, depending on the weight and symptoms of your dog.
In conclusion
It is important to know that each dog is different and that what works for a dog may not work for another. It may be necessary to proceed by trials and errors to find the most effective solution to control your dog's crises.
If you notice that your dog is making a crisis, it is important to stay calm and consult a veterinarian to rule out the possibility of brain trauma, a brain tumor or toxicity.
Do not hesitate to speak to your CBD veterinarian and its use to control crises in dogs. Some veterinarians can be favorable to CBD, but others may still have doubts about its potential.
The future of dogs, CBD and crisis control seems promising and could offer effective solutions to help owners better manage crises of their pets.
