Seizure Medication for Dogs

Seizures in dogs vary from dog to dog. Some dogs will merely twitch a limb, while others will go unconscious and lay on their sides in spasms. Some dogs may become aggressive during the seizure. Medication for canine seizures depends on the cause of the seizures. Dogs can have seizures due to diabetes, poisoning, injury, organ failure or a neurological disorder such as epilepsy.

  1. Rat Poisoning

    • According to The Veterinarian's Guide to Your Dog's Symptoms, strychnine poisoning in dogs causes seizures, coordination problems and extreme fear. In this case, the seizure medications are activated charcoal and either diazepam or phenobarbital given intravenously. The dog will also need to be sedated.

    Caffeine Poisoning

    • Dogs like to eat chocolate, even though it can be lethal for them, because it contains both theobromine and caffeine. The theobromine is usually more lethal than the caffeine. Dogs that get into coffee, soda, other caffeinated drinks or chocolate may get caffeine poisoning, which includes hyperactivity and then seizures. The dog needs to first vomit, and then get to the vet, where he will be given diazepam to stop the seizures.

    Epilepsy

    • According to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center, the drugs of choice for seizures caused by epilepsy are the barbiturate phenobarbital and the anti-seizure medication potassium bromine. Vets give some dogs a combination of these two medications. If those two drugs fail, then the vet will try diazepam or another drug in the diazepam family.

    Cause Unknown

    • When the cause of a seizure is unknown, according to Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, the dog will most likely be put on anti-convulsant medications diazepam, clorazepate, felbamate, gabapentin or levetiracetam. Your vet will give these medications intravenously, because the dog will not be able to swallow.

    Significance

    • Seizure medications for dogs work to stop a seizure in two ways. First, they calm down the dog's central nervous system, which helps to control involuntary motions. Second, they act as a tranquilizer to help still the chemical activity in the brain. Because of the possibility of long-term side effects, vets give the dogs as low a dose as possible.