Proper nutrition is important for dogs just as it is for humans. Equally important is the quality of food you provide your dog, especially if it is epileptic or prone to seizures. Unfortunately, many dogs have suffered kidney failure and died as a result of melamine poisoning from contaminated food. In some cases, melamine has been added to wheat gluten to make dog food appear richer. Unsuspecting dog owners are left with the devastating results. Knowing the symptoms, causes and treatment for seizures will allow you to provide the best possible care to your dog if it does have one.
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Symptoms
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There are many symptoms that accompany seizures in dogs. These include loss of consciousness, unknowing urination or salivation, muscle twitching and blank stares.
Low Blood Sugar
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Low blood sugar can cause seizures in epileptic dogs. Therefore, it is important to feed dogs two to three times each day to maintain a balanced blood sugar level. Feeding a dog one large meal once a day can throw off its blood sugar.
Food Quality
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Poor nutrition can contribute to many health problems in dogs, including seizures. Many low-quality dog foods lack the nutrients needed by dogs, including vitamins A, B6 and D, folic acid, zinc, taurine, magnesium and calcium. Purchasing high-quality dog food or preparing homemade food is recommended to avoid such problems.
Tainted Food
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In addition to poor quality food, tainted food has been known to cause severe side effects, including seizures, and even death in dogs. In 2006, thousands of dogs suffered kidney failure and many died from melamine found in more than 100 brands of wet food. The melamine appeared in wheat gluten imported from China and used in the making of dog food. Additionally, in 2008 another 1,500 dogs died of kidney failure from melamine poisoning, according to Zhang Wenkui, a veterinary professor from Shenyang Agriculture University.
Human Food
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Veterinarian Dr. Ihor Basko is a proponent of home-cooked meals for pets. While some human foods are not good for dogs because they are difficult to digest, many are acceptable snacks. These include carrots, apples, pears, celery, chicken, cottage cheese and plain yogurt. These can be given to a dog in moderation to help stabilize blood sugar in between meal time.
Treatment
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According to pet nutritionist Darleen Rudnick, once a dog has suffered a seizure it is prone to seizures throughout its life. There is no cure, so the goal becomes managing the severity, frequency and duration of seizures.
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