Does your dog have canine epilepsy? If so, there are five simple ways you can help reduce the severity of these attacks:

1. Have a bottle of Rescue Remedy with you, wherever the two of you may go. Rescue Remedy is an herbal, homeopathic liquid that comes in a small bottle and provides calming relaxation when placed in small dosages on the tongue. It’s sold in small bottles for about $7. You should purchase a few bottles, and have them in various locations in your home, your vehicle, and your bag for when you travel to other places. We found that it lessened the duration and severity of his seizures.

2. Avoid overstimulating your dog’s senses. A major contributor to seizures is excessive light or excessive noise that trigger a dog’s senses. Just like strobe lights are known to trigger seizures in humans, bright lights and too much noise can also trigger seizures in epileptic dogs.

You should also ask other dog owners to keep their dogs at a safe distance during a seizure. Dogs that have seizures are often seen as the weaker members of a pack, and dogs are innately designed to attack the weaker dogs, since they threaten the safety of the others. If you are indoors, turn out all the lights, be completely silent and instruct anyone else around you to be quiet as well.

3. Keep your dog safe from himself. Many canine epilepsy sufferers experience ferocious spasms that rock their entire bodies, sometimes causing the head or other parts to slam against the floor or other hard surfaces. Your dog could get hurt this way, and cause the seizure to continue longer, so you need to keep your dog’s head safe. If your dog has a seizure near a staircase, be sure he doesn’t fall down them. Make sure his airway is clear of his tongue by inspecting his throat every now and then.

4. Apply ocular compression. OC is simply an application of pressure on one or both eye balls. Many experts believe that such pressure tells the Vagus Nerve to produce the chemicals GABA and glycine, two important pieces in brain chemistry. GABA, or gamma aminobutyric acid, regulates the balance of chemicals in the brain and serves as an inhibitor that turns off any out of control signals to the brain, such as seizures.

5. After the seizure has ended, be sure to provide your dog with lots of attention. Epileptic seizures are scary for anyone, but imagine how your dog must feel, since he can’t even describe it to you. You will want to let your dog know how much you love him and that you will protect him. Try offering him some treats, play a game with him, or offer to go for a walk. The best gift you can give your dog and yourself after such a terrifying moment is to help him move past the moment and move on with life.

I hope these tips help you and your furry friend cope with seizures in the future. Best of luck!

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