Seizures & Neurologic Issues

Watching your pet have a seizure is one of the most frightening experiences a pet owner can face. Whether it’s a first-time seizure, a sudden change in behavior, or your pet losing their balance and falling over, neurological symptoms demand prompt evaluation to identify the cause and begin appropriate treatment.

At Ruby Veterinary Urgent Care in Johns Creek, our ER-trained veterinarians are experienced in managing seizures and neurological emergencies and can provide critical initial evaluation and stabilization.

• Epilepsy is the most common cause of recurrent seizures in dogs and is often idiopathic, meaning no underlying structural cause is found. It typically develops in dogs between 1 and 5 years of age.
• Toxin-induced seizures can result from ingestion of poisonous substances including certain human medications, pesticides, chocolate, xylitol, and toxic plants.
• Metabolic causes of seizures include liver disease (hepatic encephalopathy), low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), low calcium, and kidney failure.
• Brain tumors are a more common cause of new-onset seizures in older dogs and cats, typically those over 5 years of age.
• Vestibular disease causes sudden loss of balance, head tilt, and abnormal eye movements. While it can be alarming, many cases of vestibular disease in older dogs and cats resolve on their own with supportive care.
• Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and spinal conditions can cause neurological signs including weakness, wobbliness, and paralysis.
• Inflammatory brain disease, including meningitis and encephalitis, can cause seizures, behavior changes, and neurological deficits.

Neurological symptoms can appear suddenly and range from subtle to severe:

• Seizure activity including convulsions, muscle twitching, paddling of the legs, drooling, and loss of consciousness
• Sudden head tilt, often to one side; loss of balance, circling, or falling over
• Rapid involuntary eye movements called nystagmus
• Sudden behavior changes including confusion, disorientation, or aggression; weakness or wobbliness in one or more legs
• Dragging paws or knuckling over
• Difficulty walking or standing
• Vision changes or apparent blindness
• Facial drooping or inability to blink

Bring your pet to Ruby for a first-time seizure that has stopped, post-seizure evaluation and bloodwork, sudden onset of head tilt or loss of balance, behavior changes or disorientation, and progressive weakness or difficulty walking.

Seek emergency care at a 24-hour hospital if your pet is having a seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes, is experiencing multiple seizures in a row without fully recovering between them (status epilepticus), is unconscious and not waking up, or has sudden complete paralysis.

Our veterinarian will start with a hands-on neurological exam, testing your pet's coordination, reflexes, awareness, and ability to feel and respond to touch. This tells us where in the nervous system the problem is coming from. We run bloodwork to check for underlying causes like low blood sugar, thyroid issues, or organ problems that can trigger seizures and neurological symptoms. If there's any chance your pet got into something toxic, we'll screen for that too. For cats, we also check blood pressure since high blood pressure is a common and treatable cause of neurological signs.

From there, treatment depends on what we find. If your pet is actively seizing, we use fast-acting anti-seizure medication to stop it and prevent it from happening again. If bloodwork reveals an underlying issue, we treat that directly. For vestibular disease (the sudden head tilt and loss of balance), we provide anti-nausea medication and supportive care while your pet's body recovers. If your pet needs advanced imaging like an MRI or specialized care, we'll coordinate a referral to a veterinary neurologist and make sure they have everything they need from our exam.

Neurological evaluations at Ruby take 60 to 90 minutes. The veterinarian will perform a detailed history review, neurological exam, and recommend appropriate diagnostics. For post-seizure patients, bloodwork is essential to rule out metabolic causes. Your veterinarian will discuss findings, provide a likely list of underlying causes, start treatment, and outline a follow-up plan, which may include referral for advanced imaging.

First, take a breath and stay calm. Keep your hands away from your pet's mouth because they can bite without meaning to during a seizure. Move any furniture, sharp objects, or stair access out of the way so they don't hurt themselves. Grab your phone and time the seizure if you can. Turn off the TV, dim the lights, and keep things as quiet as possible. Don't try to hold your pet down or restrain them. If the seizure goes longer than 5 minutes, get to an emergency hospital right away.

Once it stops, your pet will likely seem confused, wobbly, or even temporarily blind. This can last minutes to hours and it's completely normal. Vets call it the post-ictal phase. Once your pet is settled, call Ruby or your primary vet to schedule an evaluation.