DISCLAIMER: I am not a veterinarian and can only offer suggestions to help reduce the severity and the number of episodes your pet is experiencing through diet, natural supplements, and alternative treatments. I strongly advise seeking diagnosis and medical advice from your veterinarian.
Dog’s Naturally Magazine recently published an article by Dr. Tamara Hebbler CiHom DVM, called Seizures, Tremors, and Arrhythmias where she discusses how recurrent symptoms of seizures can come from an underlying thyroid disorder,” specifically functional hypothyroidism.”
She also goes on to state that two of the most common signs that a nervous system has gone haywire is seizures and arrhythmias.
Common Causes of Seizures in Dogs
According to Dr. Amara, chemicals, heavy metal poisoning, and vaccine toxicity are the most common seizure causes (both acute and chronic) and always need further treatment.” It is known that heavy metals can be found in flea and tick control products; herbicides like Roundup, and sadly, vaccines so let’s explore ways to reduce these toxins.
When using natural modalities for your pets’ health issues, it is important to include several options. The body is a complex system and it is important to work with at least a few modalities together.
How To Manage Seizures In Dogs
Here are some options that I suggest for my clients' dogs who are suffering from seizures.
- Acupuncture: “A large number of clinical studies have demonstrated that acupuncture produces favorable effects on varied types of epilepsy.”
- Chiropractic Care: Seeking a certified animal chiropractor to assess and perform adjustments has been seen to be effective in lessening the frequency and severity in cases of epilepsy that follow head injuries or physical trauma.
- Diet: Changing your pet’s diet to a clean species-appropriate raw and formulating a Ketogenic diet has been shown to greatly reduce seizures. “Of 21 dogs in the trial, three became seizure-free, and another seven experienced at least a 50% drop in seizure frequency while on the diet, said Tsz Hong Law, BSc, MRes, of the Royal Veterinary College in Hatfield, United Kingdom.”
Sometimes there is a correlation between food allergies and epilepsy. Switching your dog to a hypoallergenic diet, transitioning from an over-the-counter commercial food to home-prepared meals or a raw diet with organic ingredients can reduce and sometimes stop seizures. This will make a huge difference in your dog’s overall health.
- Homeopathy: Reach out to a trained professional in this area. They look at each individual case and create a very unique protocol for each case.
- Supplements to Support Brain Health and act as Anti-oxidants: Omega 3 supports brain health as well as joints, coat, and skin. It is essential in the diet. It is very important to look for non-contaminated fish oil or a good plant-based source like hemp or camelina oil.
- Lion's Mane Medicinal Mushrooms More information here
- CBD Oil: Either containing a very small amount of THC or none at all but use what works best for your pet. Studies have shown promising results in reducing seizures. Each pet is unique on the dosage required so please monitor and make adjustments applicable to your pet’s needs.
Big Pharma recognizes the positive effects of medical marijuana.
“The investigators concluded that CBD reduced seizure frequency across multiple drug-resistant epilepsy syndromes and seizure types and was generally well-tolerated in the open-label study. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are now ongoing for DS and LGS.”
Studies have shown very effective controlling seizures.
- Antioxidants will reduce the toxic load in the body and brain. There are many antioxidant options however I will share with you Adored Beast Phyto-synergy.
- Phyto Plankton is a whole food that is absorbed at the cellular level and it contains the KING of ANTIOXIDANTS, Super Oxide Dismutase that will remove toxins at a cellular level.
Here is a list of toxins that are known to cause seizures. I couldn’t help notice that fluoride is on the list. Tap water commonly contains fluoride.
- Adored Beast Anti-vaccinosis is a homeopathic remedy that I suggested to remove heavy metals associated with vaccines. Heavy metals are on the list of toxins listed above that may cause seizures.
NOTE: Dr. Amara also recommends CBD oil and Phyto-plankton in her article.
- Proactive measures: Talk to your vet about titer testing once your pet has been diagnosed with a seizure disorder.
Avoid exposing your pet to environmental toxins such as yard fertilizers, pest controls, second-hand smoke, food additives, and preservatives, as these can irritate the brain.
Reducing stress in your pet's life can also be beneficial.
EVERY TIME YOU WALK YOUR DOG YOU WILL REDUCE STRESS!
