Dog seizer -how can I help her

Question
This was the worse Thanksgiving ever.  I was cooking the Turkey and my dog had a seizer.  I had never seen or heard of a dog having a seizure.  LAVENDAR just celebrated her 10th birthday. I have had her since she was 6 months old.  I just had her to vet last week for her 6 month check up.  She has had a heart murmur for several years but it has not worsen.  I had never seen a dog have a seizure before.  She was flip onto her back, was stuck in C shape and screaming for help.  I picked her up and set her on her feet only for her to flip over again them it was over and she walked funny so I held her and soothed her.  I think I was as scared as she was.  HOW CAN I HELP HER? Any home remedies I can use to give her additional comfort?  

Answer

Hi Rhonda,

If your dog is having a medical problem, such as seizures, you have to have her examined by a veterinarian, not an Internet help line. There is not a home remedy for seizures.

The seizure may well be an isolated event, who's cause will never be known, or it could happen again. If your dog has seizure that lasts for longer than 5 minutes, or if they occur multiple times a day it would be considered a medical emergency. You should seek immediate treatment from a vet. Untreated, seizure activity can cause brain damage or even death.

Many dogs experience mild seizures infrequently, and do not require medication. Other dogs need daily medication to control their seizures. Your vet needs to examine your dog to ensure she gets the proper treatment for her particular seizure activity.

If you see your dog having another seizure before you can have her examined, take note of the duration of the seizure, and how often they seem to be occurring. Your vet needs to know this. You can read more about seizure disorders in dogs, here:

http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/seizures.html

If you are having trouble affording veterinary care, first talk to your regular vet. Ask your veterinarian if he or she will let you work out a payment plan. Many veterinarians are willing to work out a weekly or monthly payment plan so that you do not have to pay the entire cost of veterinary care up front. If you don't have a regular vet, try call all the vets in your community, some might be cheaper than others. Ask friends and family to lend you the money necessary for the office visit, you may be able to get an advance on your salary if you explain the situation to your employer.

Another option is to contact your local shelter or Humane Society. Some shelters operate or know of local subsidized veterinary clinics or veterinary assistance programs. If you happen to live within driving distance to veterinary school, check with them to see if they offer discount services to the public. There are two special credit cards to apply for which help with medical bills (including veterinary bills) read about them here:

http://www.carecredit.com
http://www.healthcard.citicards.com

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,
Patti