All of a sudden, your brave Bowser falls over and starts shaking uncontrollably. What on earth is happening?

This is a seizure, or convulsion, and while it may be a one-time event, your dog could have an underlying problem. For example, epilepsy is a brain defect that results in sudden seizures. The cause is unknown, but sometimes it can be in a dog’s genes.

Seizures might last for a few seconds or up to couple of minutes. Before seizures, dogs might be scared, dazed or intent on hiding. Afterwards, it’s common for dogs to be confused or behave oddly.

If left untreated, seizures can become more frequent and increasingly severe. Diagnosis and treatment depend on your dog’s age at the onset as well as the seizure pattern. While epilepsy cannot be cured, anticonvulsant therapy can lessen the frequency and severity of these scary seizures.