Dog Seizures: What Causes Them and What You Can Do to Help Your Pup

dog having seizure

A dog seizure is a frightening event to witness. If your dog has one, you may feel panicky and confused, or else helpless to do something to make them feel better. Your dog may have a chronic seizure disorder like epilepsy, or a seizure may come on suddenly for the first time. 

During a seizure, your dog cannot control their muscle activity. Seizures are a disturbance in normal brain activity, also referred to as a convulsion. Since seizures in dogs are commonly diagnosed, your friends at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services want to tell you more about this neurological condition.

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Seizures in Dogs: What Causes Them and How We Treat Them

Witnessing a seizure in your dog can be a scary event. No dog owner wants to see their beloved fur friend experiencing a seizure. Knowing more about their cause can help ease fears we face as pet owners. Seizures in dogs are a type of brain disorder, and there are multiple reasons why a pet may be having them. 

The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services is here to clarify this condition and provide insight into the causes of and treatments for seizure.

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Types of Animal Therapies 

Animals are incredibly emotionally intelligent creatures who can offer anyone some much-needed reprieve from the real world. They can also learn tasks and skills that can help people in need. If you are in search of a little bit of extra help, there are dogs and other animals that are specifically trained in various therapy techniques. This guide walks you through the various kinds of animal therapies and how they could potentially help improve your life:

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Dogs Love Peanut Butter: Can We Indulge Them?

It is hard to deny that dogs love peanut butter even more than most things. Most of them go truly crazy for this treat. Why do dogs love peanut butter so much? And is it okay to indulge them in this love affair?

Dogs Love Peanut Butter: The Basics

Many canine nutrition specialists think dogs love peanut butter for the same reasons we do. The combination of sweet and salt provides a winning (and memorable) explosion on the tongue. If your dog has ever tasted peanut butter, simply getting a whiff of its scent is enough to trigger the taste memory. 

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Mushroom Poisoning in Dogs

Fall is a beautiful season for outdoor enthusiasts to hike, camp, fish, and hunt (and do all of this with their dogs, of course). Our colorful array of autumn foliage makes this a wonderful time to be outside exploring nature with our dogs. 

Wild mushrooms are hidden toxins that grow throughout the year, but more so after a rainy period. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services wants to bring awareness about mushroom poisoning in dogs and what you can do to protect your furry friend.

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Refilling Your Pet’s Prescriptions with Ease

Pet owners, some of you get frustrated when it comes to refilling your pet’s prescriptions. You may be busy and wait until the last pill of your pet’s medications to think about a refill. Or you think about it a few days ahead, but still risk ending up with a gap before getting a refill. It isn’t your veterinarian’s goal to make your life difficult. 

Some of the factors that can impact getting a quick refill:

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Is My Dog or Cat Sick?

Regular Veterinary Care Alerts You to Changes in Your Pet’s Health

Is my dog or cat sick? It can be difficult to tell sometimes. Your dog or cat can seem a bit “off” some days. Just like us, our pets have an occasional bad day, tummy trouble, or are simply not feeling their best. Changes in your pet’s health and demeanor can be something mild, like they ate too much, or more serious, such as symptoms of an underlying disease.

Oakland Veterinary Referral Services believes that regular veterinary care is of the utmost importance. One reason is that it gives you a great baseline to help you know if something is going on with your four-legged friend’s health. We also review the subtle symptoms to look for when you ask yourself, “is my dog or cat sick?” Let’s take a closer look!

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Blue-Green Algae Poisoning in Dogs

Standing water like ponds, ditches, and lakes contain debris, scum, protozoa, and bacteria. This can include blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, a greenish scum that forms on the top of still water. Cyanobacteria is an algae to be concerned about when it comes to your pet’s safety. 

Our dogs enjoy getting into anything slimy, muddy, or otherwise gross to us. If your dog loves to swim or enjoys time around water, they are likely to drink from one of these natural water sources. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services wants pet owners to know more about blue-green algae poisoning, so you can better protect your pet.

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What to Know About Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) in Cats

If your cat was recently diagnosed with feline leukemia (FeLV), you will probably have a lot of questions and concerns about treatment and prognosis. How did your cat end up FeLV-positive, you may wonder. What are the symptoms and what should you do for your cat going forward? 

The feline leukemia virus is “second only to trauma as the leading cause of death in cats, killing 85% of infected felines within three years of diagnosis”. The prognosis, for many cats, is unfortunately poor, with most only living with the virus 3-4 years. Thankfully, 70% of cats exposed to the virus are able to resist or eliminate it on their own. 

Because of the seriousness of the disease, Oakland Veterinary Referral Services wants you to know more about feline leukemia virus so that you can better protect your pet from this illness.

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