What to do when your dog has a seizure

Watching your dog have a seizure is frightening. Knowing what to do ahead of time makes it easier to stay calm and keep them safe.

During the seizure

• Note the time, or start the CLAWKIT timer. Duration is the single most useful thing to tell your vet.
• Move furniture and other objects away, and keep your dog away from stairs and water.
• Keep your hands away from their mouth. Dogs do not swallow their tongues.
• Keep the room quiet and dim if you can.

When to call the vet immediately

• The seizure lasts longer than five minutes.
• Your dog has more than one seizure within 24 hours (a cluster).
• Your dog doesn’t recover between seizures.
• This is their first seizure.

Afterwards

Many dogs are disoriented, restless or temporarily blind for a while after a seizure. This is called the post-ictal phase. Keep them somewhere safe and quiet, offer water once they are steady, and write down what you saw while it is fresh: how it started, which parts of the body were involved, how long recovery took, and anything unusual earlier that day.

This guide is general information and not a substitute for advice from your veterinarian.