What is a Shih Tzu seizure?
A Shih tzu seizure happens due to abnormal electrical activity in their brain. It can come on suddenly and last only a few minutes, or it can last much longer. If your dog has a seizure, he may lose consciousness, his muscles will stiffen (making him fall down), and he might drool or foam at the mouth while shaking uncontrollably (paddling). Your Shih Tzu may also make unusual vocalizations such as yelps or barks. The signs of a seizure may be similar to those of natural death: your dog’s legs are stiff; his eyes are rolled back into his head; there’s no response when you talk to him or try to touch him; he’s not breathing normally; and his body temperature drops significantly.
What causes seizures in Shih Tzu?
Dog seizures are not always epilepsy. There are different types of dog seizures, and it is important to know what is causing them. If a seizure is caused by a medical condition, the dog will have more than one seizure. In this case, you should take your pet to a veterinarian for treatment as soon as possible after the first seizure so it does not happen again in the future.
If your dog has been poisoned or otherwise ingested something harmful (toxic), then there may be several different symptoms that accompany their seizures such as vomiting or being unable to walk straight on their hind legs. You should contact your local animal hospital immediately if you suspect that your pet has been poisoned or ingested something toxic because they could potentially die from this condition if left untreated for too long!
While it is not always possible to determine what triggers a seizure in a dog, there are some known triggers that can increase the risk. These include:
- Stress, excitement and fatigue
- High fever
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Low body temperature
Things you can do to help a Shih Tzu experiencing a seizure
If your dog is having a seizure, here’s what you can do to help:
- Keep your Shih Tzu calm and still
- Don’t try to stop the seizure. Although it might seem like common sense, many people try to hold their pets down and keep them from moving during a seizure, but this can actually make matters worse. The muscles in the body are contracting uncontrollably during this time, so restraining them will only cause further distress. Instead of trying to stop their movements while they’re experiencing seizures, try holding them gently by placing a hand under their chest or back as soon as you see signs that a seizure is about to begin. This will help prevent injuries from occurring both during and after the episode ends
- Don’t put anything in its mouth during or after seizures—including food or water! Even though dogs may appear hungry when they come out of one episode, eating could trigger additional episodes because some medications used for treating epilepsy (like phenobarbital) reduce hunger levels significantly over time when taken regularly; therefore eating too much at once could bring on another episode immediately afterward due simply because one just ended recently without giving enough time for medications taken regularly beforehand
Final words
If your Shih Tzu has a seizure, it can be scary to watch. But seizures are not as serious as they appear. Seizures in dogs are usually not life threatening, and do not mean that there is any underlying health issue for the dog.
Not all Shih Tzus who have experienced one seizure will have another one again—and sometimes dogs never experience another one again after an initial event occurs with no apparent cause! Seizures are also not contagious between pets; you don’t have anything to worry about if your other pet has been exposed while they were seizing.
