My dog has epilepsy. Can hot weather worsen his seizures in summer?

Potentially seizures or seizures like episodes can be caused by a variety of causes and certainly lack of oxygenation and heart disease or cardiovascular disease. Heat and increase body temperature can cause seizures as well even though it is quite unlikely (temperature must be persistently quite high). Work up for cardiac diseases must be performed as well to rule out this possibility. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Taino has seizures; these can be scary for both him and whoever sees them. The lighting is not a cause of seizures in dogs. Seizures can be caused by things within the head itself (tumor, stroke, infection or inflammation), or from other systemic causes such as liver disease, kidney disease, certain toxins, etc. When all of these possible causes have been ruled out by diagnostics (bloodwork, MRI, cerebrospinal fluid analysis), it may be determined that a dog has idiopathic epilepsy. I recommend keeping a log of Taino's seizures to note when exactly they happen, how long they last, what they look like, etc. Definitely keep your veterinarian updated whenever he has a seizure, because he may soon require treatment with anti-seizure medication if they become more frequent or severe. I hope this is helpful - best of luck with Taino!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Bailey will likely be lethargic and incoordinated after this seizure and it will take a while for them to resolve. If Bailey has not been seen for these seizures by a veterinarian then I would highly recommend having Bailey examined by a vet so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. For now, let him rest and provide plenty of water for him. The sooner he is seen the better. Place him in a quiet area so that there are no triggers (light, noise, etc) that may set off another seizure. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It is unlikely that the episode in the car caused epilepsy. If your dog is fairly young then this could be idiopathic epilepsy, and those seizures could be a one-time event. If she is an old dog then seizures can be caused by a brain tumor. This will need to be examined by a veterinarian. If the seizures happen often , then medication such as KBr and phenobarbital can be given to suppress seizures. Keep a diary of when she has a seizure, write down the time of start and end, and the circumstances as well as the date. If the seizure lasts longer than 4-5 minutes, it is an emergency and she needs to be seen by a vet right away.

I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this with Stella. Unfortunately, epilepsy is common in English Bulldogs and can develop as early as 6 months of age. I have attached more information on seizures below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=560 We certainly see hyperthermia in English Bulldogs, but see it from them being in a car or outside in hot/humid weather. Stress induced hyperthermia has not been documented in English Bulldogs (only Greyhounds). So, I suspect that Stella was hyperthermic from her seizure. I certainly understand not wanting her on medication for the rest of her life, but it sounds like her seizure was severe enough that she will be at risk for a life-threatening seizure without medication. You could consider consulting a veterinary neurologist for a second opinion. You can find one near you at this website. http://find.vetspecialists.com/ I hope that was helpful and answered your questions. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! First, you are no bother at all-that's what's we are here for. Secondly, yes, you have a cause for concern. Any time a known epileptic starts seizing again, especially with any frequency, it's time for a vet visit asap. Likely they will do bloodwork to make sure nothing has changed since you were prescribed medications last. You did not mention any phenobarbital or potassium bromide for long term relief from seizures? Is your dog on any any antiseizure medications or just the Valium as needed? If he is not on medications currently they may very well start him on something for long term relief. If he already is-they will likely adjust the dosages. I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear about Chewie. The storms and fireworks can definitely cause extreme anxiety in some pets. I would recommend discussing with your vet if there is a prescription medication they feel is appropriate for him knowing his medical history to see if this helps if the storms are still ongoing. You can also try an Adaptil collar (a calming pheremone product), a Thundershirt (compression vest for anxiety) and a calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure, all available online or sometimes at pet stores or vet offices. If the strange behavior continues then an exam is recommended.