http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/Epilepsy.asp Articles about Epilepsy en-us Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:30:07 EST Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:30:07 EST dogs@terrificpets.com Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/10276365.asp Seizures are very frightening to dog owners and are also terrifying to the dogs as well, depending on the severity or intensity of the seizure. Epilepsy, a general term for a seizure disorder, can be either idiopathic, which means that the exact causes is not known but is likely an inherited or genetic condition or secondary, which means the seizures are the result of some other type of medical condition or trauma. Regardless of what type of epileptic seizure the dog is having it is due to abnormal brain activity that is transmitted through the cerebral cortex to the muscles of the body, resulting in the spasms and behaviors that are seen. Secondary epilepsy may be caused by parasitic infestations, drugs, toxins, diseases and hormonal imbalances and nutritional deficiencies. http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/10276365.asp#comments http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/10276365.asp> Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/102171365.asp One of the scariest conditions that Silky Terrier owners, or any dog owner for that matter, have to sometimes deal with is canine epilepsy. This is a neurological disorder in which the dog experiences seizures, ranging in severity from very mild to very severe, while the owner stands by, feeling helpless. It seems like the tendency to develop epilepsy is inherited in the Silky Terrier breed, as well as in other breeds; some dogs only have one or a few seizures throughout their life, while other dogs unfortunately experience seizures regularly. Essentially, epilepsy involves convulsions that are triggered by brain neurons firing suddenly, excessively and in an uncoordinated manner; this firing cause involuntary contractions of muscles and/or strange behavior. Though the exact cause of the uncoordinated firing is unknown, many experts believe that it may be caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters, the chemical substances responsible for transmitting messages from one neuron to another. If your dog experiences an epileptic episode, he could present with a variety of behaviors, including a far-away look, twitching, barking, falling, defecating, paddling his limbs or urinating. These seizures can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes and usually appear quite suddenly. http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/102171365.asp#comments http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/102171365.asp> Wed, 6 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/102210065.asp Most puppies have worms when they are born, that they contracted from their mother. Fleas and worms are another health concern that can cause a variety of problems. New puppy owners have to deal with this as both part of their puppy's care and the duration of their dogs' life. Worms are nasty parasites that usually live in a puppy's digestive system, but some do invade the heart or other organs. Puppies experience problems ranging from anemia and vomiting or, in the case of heartworm, even death if left untreated. After a veterinarian identifies the problem, treatment is normally very effective and straightforward. http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/102210065.asp#comments http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/102210065.asp>