My dog twitched, paddled, unresponsive, then stiffened. Is it a seizure?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | American Bulldog | Male | neutered | 3 years and 11 months old | 69 lbs
Hello. My dog was wide awake and all of a sudden started twitching , his eyes were wide open but he was unresponsive when I called his name many times . He made a paddling motion with his legs , and after he stopped paddling he became stiff . This lasted from 1-2 minutes and he was very lethargic afterwards . Moments before this incindent , he was breathing heaby and looked like he was too hot or very stressed out . Did he experience a seizure?
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on September 24th, 2018
From your description, it does sound like Omega has had a seizure. I would have him seen by a vet first thing in the morning for this. If your dog seizures again before you can seek vet care: - Don't put your hands near his mouth - Keep some rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle to spray on the pads of the feet for cooling - Monitor him at all times during the seizure to ensure that he cannot hurt himself by crashing into furniture, etc - If the seizure continues for more than 5 minutes, seek emergency care immediately Best of luck, I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on November 10th, 2019
Seizures are not common, but they can happen in older dogs. Typically it can be a sign of something serious, like cancer. Having Bob seen by a vet tomorrow is a very good idea. He's such a handsome boy! If he seizures again before you can seek vet care: - Don't put your hands near his mouth - Keep some rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle to spray on the pads of the feet for cooling - Monitor him at all times during the seizure to ensure that he cannot hurt himself by crashing into furniture, etc - If the seizure continues for more than 5 minutes, seek emergency care immediately
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on August 6th, 2017
This does sound like it could be a seizure. It is common for them to stiffen up and then shake. The lethargy is also common after a seizure. Sometimes seizures and fainting can look very similar, so we want to be sure which one it is. Seizures can happen for many different reasons. There could be medical conditions such as epilepsy, low blood sugar or liver disease that results in seizures. There are also toxins like insecticides, chocolate, xylitol and many others that can cause seizures. I would recommend that you visit your family veterinarian for an examination. They will most likely want to run a blood panel to see if the organs are functioning properly. If these episodes continue, I would also encourage you to keep a log of these episodes (date, time, duration) so that you know how often they are happening. If you can catch one of the episodes on video, your vet will have a better idea if it is a seizure or something else. I hope this helps.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on July 14th, 2017
Based on the description it sounds concerning for a possible seizure. In a younger dog, possibilities include a liver shunt (abnormality with a vessel in the liver), epilepsy, toxin exposure, brain inflammation or infection, among others. I recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian, especially because she is still acting quiet. Bloodwork can be performed to rule out some of the above possibilities. Video footage of any future episodes can be helpful in the diagnosis.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
So my one year old dog had harsh breathing out of the blue, hasn't been eating much and just now she started twitching and was out of it and wouldn't stop but she finally woke up and was scared, what do i do?
Just recently my 2 year old boxer has been having seizures, I’m feeling pretty helpless at the moment not knowing what to do for her, could you please help!?
My dog woke up from his sleep and was breathing heavily with his tongue out and started twitching and rolled his eyes back. When I tried waking him up to see if he was ok he wouldn’t move. It was like he was unconscious or something. What does that m
My small dog, about 1 and a half years old seems to have had a seizure. I am at work but my mother called and said he was sleeping, suddenly jolted up with his back arched, screamed out and then shook for a couple moments. She said he did not seem to
Please help me! My dog is shaking and her eyes are glassy. She just had a seizure and I don’t know what to do. She has been staring off into space. Please help.
My dog was playing and having fun and all the sudden she started acting like she couldn't walk on her back legs and her whole body started shaking like she was having a seizure it was lasting about a minute or 2 she started slobbering all over the pl
Hi, my Tibetan Spaniel will be 14 years old in 4 days,in the last three weeks , while he's been asleep he makes a howl/bark sound, I go to him and his body is rigid, paws thrown outwards as if fending something off, I gently try to wake him, his eyes
My dog was just chillin on the couch when i noticed i strange look on her face, when i called her she was barely responsive. I went to her and she was trembling a little and her muscles were tightened up, she had a lost look in her eyes and was saliv
My Springer Spaniel is 8 years old. In his lifetime he has had approximately 6 seizures spread over the years! Each seizure lasts about 40 seconds and results in him losing control of his legs and shaking! Afterwards he is fine. Would this be classe
Bob had a seizure Friday night, I think. I called my vet immediately and was told it was likely. In my lap, he lifted his head and it swayed left to right a couple times, he was visibly confused, shaking but not rigid. He was very anxious, wobbly, h
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
