my cat started having a zeizure tonight. he was next to the wall, and her whole body was hitting against the wall.....a large amount of foam came out of her mouth. when it was over, she went and ate.
any ideas on what this might be
seizures
Re: seizures
it sounds lust like you said.. a seizure, get the catchecked oout ASAP and if there aree no underling causes then it might just be congential seizures which may or may not reoccur...here is some litereature for dogs but it extrtapolates to cats also---but get her checked as soon as you can
SEIZURE FIRST AID
Obviously the first thing to do is call your vet or an emergency clinic. (It is a good idea to keep an emergency number on your refrigerator regardless of your dog's health ... you never know when you may need it.)
Don't be surprised if your vet says to wait about 10 minutes and then call back if the seizure is still in progress. The reason for this is that most seizures will be over within approximately 10 minutes.
In the meantime, throw a heavy blanket over the patient and, if possible, hold him in a position to avoid self-inflicted damage. Do not try to kiss or hug the dog; there is a chance the dog may snap and bite, especially children. Dogs do not do this intentionally.
You may push gently on the eyeballs (on the lids, of course) to help stimulate the vagus nerve,possibly slowing the seizure. Start this immediately that you suspect a seizure, ie facial twitching, snapping at imaginary flies..apply this pressure for 10 to 60 seconds and it may be necessary to repeat it every 5 or 10 minutes…
Above all, don't panic because a great percentage of dogs will pull out of a seizure and be none the worse for wear.
For dogs that are seizure-prone, try to avoid stimulation such as flashing television pictures, flashing lights, excessive and strange noises (such as sirens or kids' toys). You can't avoid thunder,but you can take the dog into a closet or any place where you can administer TLC.
During a storm, create happy distractions by playing soft music, adopting a happy tone of voice during stressful situations, closing the curtains, and turning on lights to minimize the effects of lightning.
If a dog is seizure-prone, avoid sudden arousal from a deep sleep or too much excitement.
Above all, assuming the seizure passes, keep a diary as to how often the seizures occur and the motions and movements the dog makes.
It should never be necessary to put a block in a dog's mouth during a seizure but if you feel you have to do it, use a rolled-up cloth because the dog can chomp so hard he could break a tooth or even his jaw. You should not have to hold a dog so tight as to break a bone. Use a heavy blanket or pillows to hold him down.
Finally, once out of the seizure, it may take the dog anywhere from five minutes to one hour to completely recover as he has hallucinated (it is thought) and expended a lot of energy.
STAY CALM BECAUSE YOUR DOG CAN'T.
SEIZURE FIRST AID
Obviously the first thing to do is call your vet or an emergency clinic. (It is a good idea to keep an emergency number on your refrigerator regardless of your dog's health ... you never know when you may need it.)
Don't be surprised if your vet says to wait about 10 minutes and then call back if the seizure is still in progress. The reason for this is that most seizures will be over within approximately 10 minutes.
In the meantime, throw a heavy blanket over the patient and, if possible, hold him in a position to avoid self-inflicted damage. Do not try to kiss or hug the dog; there is a chance the dog may snap and bite, especially children. Dogs do not do this intentionally.
You may push gently on the eyeballs (on the lids, of course) to help stimulate the vagus nerve,possibly slowing the seizure. Start this immediately that you suspect a seizure, ie facial twitching, snapping at imaginary flies..apply this pressure for 10 to 60 seconds and it may be necessary to repeat it every 5 or 10 minutes…
Above all, don't panic because a great percentage of dogs will pull out of a seizure and be none the worse for wear.
For dogs that are seizure-prone, try to avoid stimulation such as flashing television pictures, flashing lights, excessive and strange noises (such as sirens or kids' toys). You can't avoid thunder,but you can take the dog into a closet or any place where you can administer TLC.
During a storm, create happy distractions by playing soft music, adopting a happy tone of voice during stressful situations, closing the curtains, and turning on lights to minimize the effects of lightning.
If a dog is seizure-prone, avoid sudden arousal from a deep sleep or too much excitement.
Above all, assuming the seizure passes, keep a diary as to how often the seizures occur and the motions and movements the dog makes.
It should never be necessary to put a block in a dog's mouth during a seizure but if you feel you have to do it, use a rolled-up cloth because the dog can chomp so hard he could break a tooth or even his jaw. You should not have to hold a dog so tight as to break a bone. Use a heavy blanket or pillows to hold him down.
Finally, once out of the seizure, it may take the dog anywhere from five minutes to one hour to completely recover as he has hallucinated (it is thought) and expended a lot of energy.
STAY CALM BECAUSE YOUR DOG CAN'T.
Re: seizures
your cat may have epilepsy (see links) which is a diagnosis of exclusion meaning that a diagnosis of epilepsy is arrived at after all other possible causes of seizure activity have been eliminated. It's important to have your vet examine your cat to determine if there is a cause for the seizure or if it is epilepsy which in many cases is idiopathic, meaning that it's cause is unknown . There is treatment available to control seizures which is discussed in the articles at the links. Usually, the frequency and type of seizure will determine if medication should be started - your vet can help you determine this. You should keep notes, describing what the seizure was like and if possible video tape your cat if he has another seizure. This will help your vet make an assessment.
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/People/lowekamp ... lepsy.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/h ... 8/id37.htm
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/People/lowekamp ... lepsy.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/h ... 8/id37.htm
Re: seizures
Two exceptions.....a seizure should never last for 10 minutes, this might indicate a grand mal seizure in which emergency veterinary treatment is imperative. Most seizures in both dogs and cats only last no more than a minute or two at a time.....what may seem like countless minutes to the human is usually only technically a couple minutes at most.
Second, never place a block in a pet's mouth, owners who are not trained in this area should never attempt this. Blocks or objects can also considerably harm the pet if the pet is thrashing during a seizure, snapping the jaws, etc and could choke on any object placed in the mouth as a block.
Do not delay in getting your kitty seen by your vet immediately, you have no idea if another seizure will occur....cluster seizures can occur within minutes of one another...
Second, never place a block in a pet's mouth, owners who are not trained in this area should never attempt this. Blocks or objects can also considerably harm the pet if the pet is thrashing during a seizure, snapping the jaws, etc and could choke on any object placed in the mouth as a block.
Do not delay in getting your kitty seen by your vet immediately, you have no idea if another seizure will occur....cluster seizures can occur within minutes of one another...
..........Traci