Many dogs have a fit at some time in their life. No one knows why it happened on that day to that dog, and if the fit is not repeated (and most are not) the cause will remain a mystery.
There are many different causes of fits – liver or kidney problems, poisoning, brain infections or tumours, head injuries or epilepsy.

SIGNS
Fits vary in intensity, frequency and duration, and occur for many different reasons. Whatever the cause, a dog in a fit is not dangerous and not likely to attack anyone, but it can be very frightening for an owner to witness, especially if it is the first time. Fits caused by epilepsy almost always occur when an animal is relaxed in its own home surroundings, and frequently when the animal is asleep.
Fits can come in different forms. In the commonest epileptic form, the animal will lie on his side with his legs paddling and his jaws champing, his eyes may be open but he will be unconscious of his surroundings. He will probably salivate and may urinate. This may last for seconds or minutes. When the fit ends he will be confused and drowsy for some minutes, and may then have a ravenous appetite. Soon after, he can appear completely normal again.

TREATMENT
The best way of dealing with a fitting animal is to leave him alone. Make sure that he cannot injure himself – move him if he is near an open fire, or the top of the stairs for example, but do not try to restrain him. Wait until a while after the fit before handling him as this may provoke a bite, purely out of confusion, not aggression. Let him eat after the fit, and do not be alarmed if he appears to want to eat the dish as well.
Diagnosing the cause of fits can take a long time. The serious causes can be easier to diagnose – distemper (but the dog would have been unwell for weeks, and the fits are almost continuous), head injuries, certain types of poisoning (but these would have a history to suggest the cause).
When fits occur every few weeks or months, last for a few minutes, and the dog is completely normal in between, the diagnosis is more likely to be idiopathic epilepsy. The cause of this is still a mystery. It appears to be some inherent weakness in the dog’s brain so that a fit is triggered off much more easily than in other dogs.
Such fits often follow a well defined frequency pattern – perhaps every 3 weeks, and if a fit does not occur after 3 weeks, then it will come after 6 weeks.
Keeping a diary of the times of fits (and their duration) is worthwhile. It helps your vet to reach a diagnosis, and is easier and more reliable than just trying to remember.
Treatment of fits consists of medication with anticonvulsant drugs on a regular and ongoing basis. These help to control the frequency of the fits, but may not eliminate the condition completely. Treatment must be given for any underlying cause found.
The dog may seem mildly sedated at the start of the treatment but this normally passes fairly quickly. Other possible side effects are increased thirst and sometimes increased hunger – again these usually decrease in a few weeks.
Careful monitoring is important and blood samples will be taken by your vet at regular intervals to check that the correct dose is being achieved for your dog.
Occasionally a dog may have a series of fits within a short time or one long continuous fit which he does not seem to be coming round from – in these cases veterinary help must be sought immediately, and the dog may have to be hospitalised for intensive treatment. The most common cause of this type of fit is stopping the medication suddenly, so always consult your vet before altering the dose. Some dogs are so well controlled with the medication that they have no fits at all, and the owners mistakenly think the condition is cured and stop the medication. This is very unsafe for the pet.
In a few cases the underlying cause or the frequency of the fitting may cause the animal suffering and may not be compatible with a good quality of life, and in these cases euthanasia may have to be considered.

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