My dog is lethargic and distant after seizures. Is this normal?

It is not uncommon to have 24 Hours of lethargy and “post-ictal” behavior especially after a cluster of seizures such as JJ experienced. However, it is also possible that he has something more concerning going on in his brain causing the seizures and lethargy such as encephalitis or cancer. If the behavior or seizure events continue then I would encourage you to have a follow up appointment with your veterinarian to discuss further diagnostics and possible anti seizure medication. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Seizures are complicated and every animal is different with their seizures, as well as their 'pre' and 'post' ictal (seizure) state. Some dogs have a post ictal state that can last a day or two, so this could explain her being hyper and restless. This likely will improve as Bella 'gets used' to what the seizure feels like. If seizures are occurring one after the other, mini or full, this is considered 'cluster' seizuring, and means that you might need to address the medication. Best of luck with Bella!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Molly should take phenobarbital to avoid further seizures, which is a priority in this situation. You should continue with the dose she has been prescribed. Many dogs are lethargic after the first few doses of phenobarbital but then are back to normal. Please, get in touch with your vet on Monday to confirm that Molly is on the right dose of phenobarbital. If the lethargy and lack of appetite persists, your vet will likely decrease the dose or change the medication. Molly will probably stay on anti-seizure medication for life.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Animals can develop many different symptoms after having a seizure. This is because of the effects on the brain during a seizure. Some animals will become very lethargic and disoriented While others may become more affectionate and more energetic. If the seizures have not been addressed by a veterinarian, I would certainly recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate Diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. If the seizures are becoming more frequent and longer in duration, she likely needs an anti-seizure medication to prevent these from happening. If the seizures are becoming longer in duration or more frequent, brain damage could develop. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further

I'm sorry that Layla is having seizures. Lethargy, stumbling, excessive sleepiness and decreased appetite can all be caused by seizure activity. The brain undergoes an enormous amount of electrical stimulation during a seizure and can take a while to recover. If by the morning she's not improving, I would recommend taking her to your veterinarian for evaluation. They may recommend blood work to look for possible underlying causes of the seizures. Depending on the frequency and severity of her seizures, they may also recommend that anti-seizure medications are started. I hope this helps and that Layla gets feeling better soon!

That's a great question and one we do not have a lot of information to provide a definitive answer. It is actually uncommon for owners to report a pre-ictal phase. In the rare cases that do, typically it is head twitching lasting less than a minute prior to octal period. Now the post-ictal period can last from hours to days (up to 72 hours in my experience). In your pet's case, it may be that she has a prolonged post-ictal phase and then begins to seizure. If your pet began having seizures after the age of 7 years, then it is less likely she has idiopathic epilepsy or liver disease (though hepatic encephalopathy must be ruled out). Patients that have late onset seizures (>7y) are most likely to have intracranial disease such as an inflammatory condition or tumor. I would advise you to document the episodes and consult your veterinarian to discuss diagnostic tests and treatment.

Some people do notice lethargy and difficulty walking with levetiracetam, but in general these side effects improve after a few days to weeks. If Milo's seizures started recently I would also worry that the lethargy and trouble with balance could be signs of neurologic disease. Seizures in an older dog are most commonly related to a lesion in the brain such as a tumor. I would recommend rechecking with your veterinarian to have Milo examined - you may want to discuss additional tests like an MRI to determine a cause for the seizures or discuss alternative anti convulsants.