Canine Seizure???

Question
Good morning Dr Fry,
I have a question concerning my little yorkie who is about 11 yr old. Around 2 am in the morning, as he was sleeping next to me, I noticed his back leg jerking. I placed my hand on him and the jerking spread all over his body. His head was jerking,etc. I held him in my arms and spoke softly to him. He seemed to calm down, so I took him outside. He walked around for a moment, unsteady and I brought him in. When we came in, the jerking began again except more stronger as I held him. He was also incontinent of urine. I continued to hold him and he calmed down. During the time he was jerking, he appeared not able to see. The whole episode lasted approx 5 minutes total. We went back to bed, and when I left for work, he appeared fine, his usual self. He never lost consciousness through the whole episode. This has never happened before and it scared me to death. Does it warrant a trip to my vet, or should I wait to see if it happens again? What could be the cause of this sudden onset?
Thanks so much in advance
Donna

Answer
Seizures in any age animal are a concern and you should take him to the vet for an examination and blood testing.  There are many potential causes for seizures.  He could have some underlying problem with his liver, for example, that is causing the seizures.

This website has a lot of information about seizures....
www.canine-epilepsy.net   Click on Canine Epilepsy Basics