1st May 2006

My two-year-old dog had a terrible fit last night ...

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Question:

My two-year-old lhasa apso had a terrible fit last night. It went on for some time and he was really struggling to breathe. It seemed to be coming from his throat and he was making a terrible noise that sounded like a donkey. He was lying down peacefully before it happened and was not exerting himself in any way. I know that he is allergic to pollen and wonder if it was related to this?

Answer:

I am very sorry to hear that your dog has had a fit. They are very distressing to witness, but fortunately not usually as distressing for the patient. Fits can come on at any age, but when they occur in a young animal such as yours, they tend not to be as a result of serious clinical disease and are often idiopathic. It may be that he will not have any further fits, and that this was just a one-off. However, you must take him to be examined by your vet, who will decide if treatment to control fits is necessary. Each time he has a fit he damages brain cells, which may cause further fitting to occur. Uncontrolled fits can lead to a condition where the patient fits continually, this is known as status epilepticus - a life-threatening condition. Treatment to control fitting, when necessary, is very successful and should not have any adverse effects on his quality of life, even if it is required in the long term.