One of the great benefits that pets bring to the family or home is happiness. Pets radiate happiness, not because of what they say, since they cannot speak, but because of how they act. They are always attentive to their owner, keep them company, and never leave them alone. As María Martínez, an ethologist veterinarian, told us, “pets are their owners’ unconditional support”.
Ultimately, that happiness is reciprocal. Every owner seeks happiness, care, and above all the health of their pet; they want it to feel like the king of the house. So, nobody likes their dog or cat to become ill.
Imagine being completely relaxed at home when, suddenly, you notice that your dog starts to have a seizure and you do not know what is happening to it. This same thing happened to Goyo, the owner of Golfo, a seven-year-old Border Collie. Golfo has suffered from epileptic seizures since he was three.
Golfo’s story
“Golfo was three years old when he had his first spasm,” Goyo tells us. “I was very frightened; it is something you never expect,” he continues.
No illness is better than another, because they all ultimately frighten and scare us. And above all, when it happens to someone we love. In the case of animals, which cannot speak, many times you do not know how to help them.
We spoke with Goyo, Golfo’s owner, to tell you what the day-to-day life of a dog that suffers epileptic seizures is like.
Golfo has suffered epileptic seizures since he was three years old, but fortunately, according to what his owner has told us, they only happen from time to time; it is not something continuous. The first one happened when he was three, and it did not happen again until a year later.
However, six months ago he had another, larger seizure, and it happened again soon afterward, so Goyo decided to take him to the veterinarian.
“I have decided not to give him any medication, because the seizures only happen very occasionally. If they happened more often, I might change my mind. For now, I had him neutered, which was one of the things the veterinarian recommended, and he has only had one seizure,” he tells us.
When a dog is excited or has exerted itself greatly, it is one of the times when it may have a seizure. For that very reason, Goyo decided to have him neutered to lower his excitement level, and since then he has been calmer. “Sometimes he has a seizure when he chases rabbits in the countryside or runs a lot,” he explains.
How does Goyo react when Golfo has a seizure?
“When we are there, we cover him with a damp towel and lay him down. We try to keep the light as low as possible, so we turn off the light and give him a Valium injection to help him relax,” he tells us. “The seizure lasts about 10 minutes,” he adds.
Unlike people, dogs cannot suffocate or swallow their tongues; the only risk is that they may hit themselves hard when they fall or bite their tongues. Therefore, the situation is less serious.
Goyo does not know what the cause of Golfo’s epileptic seizures might be, because to find out, he would have to have an MRI. For now, he does not want to make that decision because it could involve certain secondary risks for Golfo, since MRI scans for dogs are different from those for people. However, some possible causes, according to what he has told us, are that he has a brain malformation or that something has bitten him and he has a blood clot.
However, despite this, “Golfo is happy and leads a normal life. As a Border Collie, he needs plenty of activity. He loves the beach and enjoys it. His life has not changed despite having epilepsy, because his seizures are very mild,” he emphasizes.
Goyo explained to us that it is true that he gets very frightened, but as long as he sees that his dog is happy, he will always be happy too. When these things happen, we always recommend that you visit the veterinarian. They will always help you and want what is best for your pet.
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