Managing an Epileptic Pet - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

17th of November,2013 is observed as a National Epilepsy Day in India ! Very few people are aware that this neurological condition also affects your furry four legged dear ones !

What is Epilepsy : Epileptic seizures result from abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
Sometimes the epilepsy can be caused by another underlying disease. This is called secondary epilepsy and is more common in older dogs. In other cases, no cause can be detected, and this is called primary, or idiopathic, epilepsy which is more common in younger dogs.
If you are living with an epileptic pet , you should have it diagnosed if it is a primary or a secondary epilepsy. Treatment modalities will differ based on the diagnosis. An MRI scan , Cerebro-spinal fluid analysis helps us get to a diagnosis. 

Managing Epilepsy : Epilepsy is usually controlled, but not cured, with medication. An important point we would like to mention is the anti-epileptic medications prescribed by your veterinarian should not be stopped suddenly,if the seizures do not recur. There is a likely hood that your pet may go into a "Status Epilepticus" which is an seizure attack which can last for a long time and sometime can turn life-threatening due to the secondary complications  A strict schedule and time bound medication dispensing is advised. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have been used in some refractory epilepsy cases.

Tips for Epileptic Pet Parents :  Watching your beloved pet undergo a seizure can be very disheartening and can be mentally taxing, so it is important for you to stay calm and follow the following tips
1. Remember that during the seizure episode your pet may exhibit behavioral changes and may not transiently respond to or recognize you and end up snapping at you. Best to stay away from your pet's face while he has an episode.The best way you can help your pet is by not handling him during the episode.  
2. Clear out the space and objects that can hurt them, to prevent them from injuring themselves during this episode. Hold them if they are on your bed or a raised platform to prevent them from falling down. 
3. Ask for Veterinary help if the seizures last for over 2-3 minutes or if they have bursts of seizures in quick successions.

4.We recommend you to have a badge like the one shown in this picture to be tied to your pets' collar. As there may be a situation that your pet has a seizure while you are not around and the people around can help you and your pet by giving you a call !

Take away Message : With the combination of appropriate anti-epileptic therapy, a good Veterinary care and a stringent Pet-Parent compliance... most pets live a healthy and a seizure free life.. All they need is your love and care !
  

Say NO to Crackers, Save many Lives !! - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

Diwali has been celebrated as a festival of Lights since many centuries in India... Inadvertently the festive luminous Diwali has been turned into a noisy one. Diwali turns out to be a nightmarish festival for the furry four legged creatures.Ever wondered at what cost are we celebrating this !!

How does it affect the pets : 

• As we all know dogs are blessed with an amazing sense of hearing. Dogs detect sounds in the frequency range of approximately 67-45000 Hz , compared to the humans with a range from 64- 23000 Hz. Dogs have 18+ muscles in their ears allowing them to be mobile and they can move the ear in the direction of the sound,where as human beings have only 6 and can barely move their ears. This blessing turns out to be a bane during Diwali.
• Dogs thus can hear the sound of the crackers that much clearer and louder. This sudden high pitched sound creates fear and anxiety. Both can have detrimental effects on their health.
• Fear causes sudden change in behavior , the fight/flight response. Pets at home go and hide under a shelter or some may even escape out and run away. The stray dogs end up bearing the brunt of it as they have no place to getaway. Panic causes them to run away and many unfortunate dogs are victims of automobile accidents and are left to die for in a painful way on the street. Some stray dogs fall into the gutters or sewage canals and are severely injured / fracture their limbs and then end up contracting a fatal infection.
• Pets that suffer from Anxiety show signs of drooling, excessive salivation, increased heart rate,excessive panting. Behavioral changes like circling, pacing around the house,whimpering may be noted. Some pets may exhibit over-friendliness and ask for the owners comfort or some may become aggressive due to the unbearable trauma to their eardrums. Some may seek shelter under your bed or dark corners.

How to deal with this :

• To start with you can plug your Pets ear with cotton.
• Allow them to find a safe corner and make them comfortable there by shutting all the windows and doors and draw the curtains. You could sit with them and comfort them, this is the time when they need your love and comfort the most.Keep all your main doors locked to ensure your pet does not escape out of fear.
• If you take care of the stray dogs in your area,we would recommend to tie a collar with his identification and your contact details, make sure its large and readable . So that people can contact you in case of any unforeseen circumstances. (*Remember a common man does not know what to do when he sees a stray who has met with an accident or injured, the least he can do is inform you via the collar tag.)
• Get in touch with your Veterinarian , he may recommend some anti-anxiety medications for your pet Do not attempt to self-medicate your pet, animals respond differently to the medications than humans.So a "safe" human drug may turn fatal for your pet.
• Conditioning your pet to strange noises can be done , but it is to be done over a period of time. Your pet's behaviorist can help you with the same
• It is not recommended to leave your pet alone this stressful time,but just in case you have to,make your pet wear your T-shirt which is body hugging so that he feels comforted even when you are not around.

Create Awareness : Let your friends and acquaintances about the detrimental effects on pets and ask them to pass on the word to their friends. Together we can create awareness in our society and wish for a Noise free , Pet-safe Diwali in the near future.
Say NO to Crackers, Save Many Lives !!

  

- An AcuMed Veterinary Specialty initiative