Canine epilepsy causes repeated seizures that distress both affected dogs and their owners, requiring careful long-term management to minimize suffering.
Seizures themselves cause significant distress - dogs lose consciousness, experience muscle spasm, urinate and defecate involuntarily. The post-ictal period of confusion adds further distress. With appropriate medication, many epileptic dogs achieve good seizure control and maintain excellent quality of life. Owners need to learn seizure first aid, emergency medication administration, and quality of life assessment tools to manage this condition effectively.