Can a dog bite while he is having a seizure?

Question

My dog just had a seizure in the morning at 3:00 A.M.
I wanted to pet him untill it was over but I didn't know if he would bite me.
Does anyone know if dogs will bite during a seizure???

Answer 1

YES THEY WILL. HOWEVER IT IS NOT INTENTIONAL, TOTALLY INVOLUNTARY. HENCE THE NATURE OF A SEIZURE-INVOLUNTARY SPASMS.

Answer 2

My dog had a seizure and when I reached over to pet him and reassure him when it was over, he jumped up and snapped at me. He spent the next 45 minutes growling and barking at me from a corner of the room (it was early morning and the bedroom door was closed so we were trapped in a room together). He even ripped my full length mirror off the wall and shattered it because he thought his reflection was another dog. After about 45 minutes he came back to reality. It was like a switch flipped in his head and all of a sudden he remembered where he was and who I was. He was a really big, strong dog, so I ended up having to put him down because I didn't want him to hurt somebody during one of his seizures.

However, if your dog seemed normal when he "woke up" from his seizure, he probably will not have a reaction like mine did. I wouldn't touch him while he's having the seizure though. Just make sure that he cannot hurt himself (move furniture away from him if possible, put a pillow between his head and the wall/floor,etc). Time his seizure if possible, and write down the length of it and exactly what he did so that you can tell the vet. I know that in people, if a seizure lasts more than 1 minute you need to seek emergency help. You might want to ask your vet when you need to seek help and when it is ok to just let him have the seizure. If he doesn't react badly after his seizures, he will probably be relieved to see you there when it is over. Also, he may be sore, tired, hungry, and/or thirsty afterwards, so understand that he may act a little funny or be a little uncomfortable for a while. Good luck with your puppy and I hope everything goes well.

Also - despite popular advice there is NO WAY for anyone - human or dog - to swallow their tongue during a seizure. NEVER put something into their mouth. They are likely to chomp down on it and injure their teeth or mouth, or possibly choke on it. I also would not recommend ever putting your hand in his mouth while he is seizing. He can seriously injure you by biting you if you do so.

Answer 3

Some dogs bite during a seizure, some do not. Some can show signs of aggression in the post-ictal period right after the seizure as well. This is a time of disorientation for some dogs and the uncontrolled electrical activity can bring out strange behavior in otherwise nonaggressive dogs.

My dog does not bite during seizures and (like many dogs I know) seems to take comfort from my presence when I hold his head during a seizure. I think that you will have to assess it to the best of your ability. If your dog is not snapping at air or anything like that, you may wish to try approaching him and holding him gently and whispering in his ear. Avoid doing anything loud, moving fast, using bright light, or other things that create more commotion.

There is a good website about dog seizures/canine epilepsy, it is:

http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/

Answer 4

No honey,,not unless he swallows his tongue & you have to pry the mouth open to release the tongue to allow air thru his passage.Also helpful is tipping up the back end of the dog which allows air into the pet.This is not unless he swallows the tongue.That doesnt happen often but will save its life,,use a wooden spoon to hold mouth open if you are trying to release the tongue.Does the dog have mild seisures or grandmal?Pretty much all you have to do is hold him til his muscles relax,,keeping his head up but not back.We've had epileptic dogs.Please take the dog to the vet to check for diabetes.It could be a sign of low glucose level (low sugar level).Your doctor may prescribe phenobarbitol or may suggest a small amount of kayo syrup on the gums ,,just a dab as to not choke the dog during a seisure.Try giving this pet biscuits in the morning or a little pet food so its level doesnt drop off so far,,preventing the seisureWhen are the seisures happening?Thats about the time to give snacks.Never give a dog anything while having the seisure.With the proper care,,the dog can live a long & happy life.Iv had dogs that required an insulin shot twice a day.Good luck & feel free to e-mail me.

Answer 5

Yes, they can bite during a seizure. When was 10 and we had a German Shepard who had a seizure disorder. It was my uncle's dog. When he was having a seizure my uncle would keep everyone from the room and keep an eye on him until it was over, moving anything away that he could possibly knock over or get hurt on. Unfortunately one time he had a seizure right in our kitchen during dinner, we all tried to leave the room but as I was going past him, I accidentally lost my balance and stepped on his tail. He jumped up and bit me on the neck. It took my uncle a while to get him off of me but remarkably he never did bit down all the way. I am sure he was unaware of his reaction afterwards. But, be careful with your dog, a seizure is a brain disorder and can affect their temperment as well, which can be dangerous. Please make sure you have him checked by your Vet A.S.A.P.

Answer 6

if he is having a seizure i dont think he would but then again who knows what affect the seizure has on them and he may very well bite you not knowing what your gonna do. i would try and pet him though and if he bites you it wont be hard cause he will be drained of energy after the seizure.... good luck and it is very hard to watch this happen toyour doggie

Answer 7

Don't pet or stroke during the seizure. Place your hand completely palm down on his side and don't move it. The movement of petting causes confounding of electrical signals that are going haywire during the seizure and make the event last longer. Avoid any extra sensory stimulation. After the seizure, keep your hand there and let him see you smiling at him. He'll re-orient better and with less fear if he slowly comes around to see the one he loves. If he's incontinent, try not to let him know it happened. Dogs are terribly emotionally diminished over their incontinence when they come around. Just cover it with a towel so he doesn't see.

Answer 8

Yes, even humans bite while having seizures.

Answer 9

yes, i had a dog that had seizures and i would put a blanket over her(not over her legs) and just pet her from the back and always watch her head. she never did bite me. good luck, i know how difficult this is to watch and go through. be strong.

Answer 10

Does your vet know that this happens if not i would call them asap. If they do know then ask them what you can do. they may be able to give him some med if he is not on some already. the best thing you could do is to make sure he is safe and he cant be hurt like he not by any stairs or something where he could fall when he is having the seizure. but i would call your vet they will be able to tell you what you need to do

Answer 11

It's possible, but I wouldn't consider it a sign of aggression. When my dog had seizures, you could tell he was confused and didn't know what was happening to him. Just be careful...