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Other Careers. Published by. Read on to learn why cat seizures happen and what you should do if your cat ever has one. Cat Seizure Causes Cat seizures are grouped into two categories: intracranial seizures, which are caused by something that exists inside the skull, and extracranial seizures, which are caused by something outside the skull. The causes of an intracranial seizure include: Brain tumors Brain infections Brain trauma and inflammation Brain parasites, such as toxoplasmosis Extracranial seizures can be caused by: Liver or kidney disease Exposure to a flea or tick product that isn't meant for cats Ingestion of human medicine Heatstroke Infectious diseases High blood pressure Your cat could also have a seizure as a result of epilepsy, which means that the seizure's cause is unknown.
What to Do If Your Cat Has a Seizure Unless a cat is in status epilepticus, cat seizures are rarely a medical emergency, meaning that you do not have to go the emergency center immediately. At the vet's office, be prepared to answer questions about your cat's health history, including questions about: The number, frequency and length of their seizures Their vaccination history Whether they're an indoor or outdoor cat Nutrition and feeding Whether they've been vomiting or having diarrhea Recent weight changes Your answers to these questions will help your vet recommend the appropriate testing and treatment.
Treatment for a Cat Having Seizures If your cat is in status epilepticus, then the veterinary team will provide emergency care; this can include placement of an intravenous catheter, administration of anticonvulsant medicine a medication that is used to help prevent or stop seizures, sometimes referred to as "anti-seizure" and collection of blood and urine samples for analysis.
The Connection Between Cat Seizures and Nutrition If your cat is having issues with seizures, a vet or veterinary nutritionist should evaluate their nutrition. Contributor Bio Dr. Sarah Wooten Dr. Foods that are Dangerous or Toxic to Cats Many human foods are dangerous to cats.
Read about 5 of the worst toxic food offenders that can kill your cat - and how much it takes to hurt them. Malnutrition can result in low birth weight of the kittens and put them at health risk.
It can have serious, sometimes fatal, consequences on vital organs like the heart and kidneys. But this type of seizure is rarely seen in cats, say the experts at VCA Hospitals. Your kitty may still be out of it and react unexpectedly.
If you know your cat is diabetic, you can also rub a little bit of corn syrup on her lips to boost blood sugar. When your cat comes out of a seizure and is in a calm state, immediately take her to your veterinarian.
Tests include blood and urine samples and imaging tests like Xrays and MRI. What treatment your veterinarian recommends depends on the underlying cause of seizures. Some causes of seizures in cats are preventable, such as ingesting toxins. Keep medications, cleaning products, essential oils, and other chemicals away from your pet.
Also, avoid giving your cat medicine meant for people or applying dog products to your cat like flea prevention products.
You can also help your cat avoid another seizure risk factor: diabetes. General seizures typically have a sudden onset and last up to three minutes. They can be alarming to watch as you might see symptoms such as shaking, loss of consciousness, twitching, or urination.
Compared with dogs, seizures in cats of all ages are more commonly the partial rather than general type. Depending on the affected region of the brain, the symptoms can vary significantly and may be very subtle. In certain cases, it can be difficult to distinguish the symptoms of cat seizure from other behavioural causes.
At times, an episode can go unnoticed because the signs are so slight. Keep an eye out for symptoms such as excessive thirst, tiredness or constant pacing, because these can precede a seizure. If possible, make a quick note of the time that the seizure starts.
Make sure you call your vet immediately for emergency care. Seizures in cats can be a symptom of many different health problems and the causes are often categorised as intracranial within the brain or extracranial due to disease elsewhere in the body.
Examples of intracranial causes include brain inflammation, tumours, and trauma. Extracranial causes can include the ingestion of toxins, kidney disease, liver disease, heart arrhythmias, and disrupted blood sugar regulation, among others.
Compared to younger cats, older cats are more likely to have a concurrent health problem such as those listed above. This is more commonly diagnosed in younger cats and this diagnosis is made when an underlying cause is not identified and the seizure occurs because of a brain malfunction affecting neurotransmission.
You want to make sure you know how long the cat seizure lasts. This can vary from a few seconds up to 10 minutes or more, and this is useful information for a vet to know. However, our perception of time can be distorted during stressful circumstances so, if possible, making a quick note of the episode start and end time is extremely helpful. If your mobile phone is handy you could start a stopwatch to help you with this.
Turn off the lights, but make sure you can still see safely by leaving a lamp on or keeping the door ajar with a light on in an adjacent room. Anything noisy such as a television or radio should be switched off and anyone present should talk quietly and calmly and should give your cat plenty of space. It is tempting for a loving cat owner to want to help their pet in those moments, but you should avoid touching your cat during the seizure, unless absolutely necessary.
Make sure you use a blanket to avoid being bitten or scratched, as these behaviours can be very common during a seizure even in a pet that is normally very docile.
A prolonged seizure lasting more than 5 minutes should prompt the cat owner to call for emergency care. You should do the same if the seizures are frequent or if you notice your cat struggling to breathe. The treatment and management plan will depend on the underlying cause of the seizure. Although idiopathic epilepsy is a quite common cause of epilepsy in cats, this is less likely in an older individual and is generally diagnosed through a process of excluding other causes.
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