vet care for a variety of animals

If you notice your feline having a seizure, then you should know that the issue is a serious one that may require medical attention from a veterinarian at an animal hospital. Seizures are extremely concerning, and you should know that there are certain things that can cause seizures to occur. Keep reading to learn about a few causes and what your veterinarian will do to help treat the problem.

Feline Epilepsy

Cats can have epilepsy, just like humans. Cats also develop epilepsy for the same reason that adults do. Basically, neurotransmitters in the brain become unbalanced in some way and cause neurons to fire all at once. This creates a great deal of abnormal brain activity, and convulsions occur in response. The seizures are similar to the ones that you may see in adults, and your cat will likely be tired and a bit confused for a while once the seizure is over.

It can be difficult to diagnose epilepsy in cats, but tests can be completed to rule out a number of other seizure cases. If all other causes are ruled out, then feline epilepsy may be diagnosed. If this is the case, then cats are rarely put on anti-epileptic medications. The medicines can lead to liver failure if your cat takes them for an extended period of time. However, other medicines can be provided to help reduce and control seizures. 

Before medicine is prescribed, you may need to monitor seizure activity for some time to see how frequent the convulsions are. This type of observation is used to gauge the severity of the problem and to determine the best sort of treatment regimen for your cat. 

Kidney Disease

During your initial trip to the animal hospital, blood tests and urinalysis tests will be completed. Both of these things help to assess the potassium levels in the blood as well as the amount of wastes that are flowing through the body. If potassium levels are elevated, then this is the likely cause of the seizure, and it can be traced back to kidney disease in most cases. This may also be the case if high urea levels are detected.

Kidney disease or the sudden decrease in kidney function can occur if your cat ingests a toxic substance. Your cat will go through testing to see if this is the case. If it is, then emergency dialysis may be necessary, and your cat may also need fluids and a blood transfusion. 

If kidney disease does not have a direct cause, then it may be a chronic condition. A special diet, the increase of fluid intake, and medications that can create a more substantial output of urine are all helpful to treat the condition. Talk to a vet at a clinic like Metzger Animal Hospital for more information.