Seizures and Epilepsy in Dogs: What to Do When Your Dog Has a Fit

Watching your dog have a seizure is one of the most frightening things an owner can go through, and knowing what to do (and just as importantly what not to do) makes an enormous difference. Here is the short version: keep calm, keep your dog safe from injury, do not put your hands near their mouth, film it if you can, and note how long it lasts. Most single seizures stop on their own within a couple of minutes, but there are situations that need an emergency vet, and I will walk through those below.

I am a groomer, not a vet, so this is general guidance to help you feel a little more prepared rather than a diagnosis. Any dog that has a seizure should be seen by a vet, so this sits alongside their advice, never instead of it.

What a seizure can look like

Seizures vary. A full-body epileptic fit often involves collapsing, stiffening, paddling of the legs, drooling, and sometimes loss of bladder or bowel control. But some are subtler: staring, twitching, champing of the jaw, or a dog that seems briefly "not there".

Many dogs are dazed, wobbly or clingy afterwards for minutes or even hours as they recover. That confused, disorientated phase is normal and usually passes.

What to do during a fit

Your job is to keep your dog safe and gather information for the vet. Calmly:

• Stay calm and note the time it starts so you know how long it lasts
• Move furniture or hazards away, or gently guide them from stairs or water, without restraining them
• Dim the lights and keep noise down; a quiet, calm room helps
• Film it on your phone if you safely can, as this is genuinely useful for your vet
• Time the whole thing and stay nearby, speaking softly, until they come round

Afterwards, let them rest somewhere quiet and safe, offer a little water once they are steady, and ring your vet to report what happened.

What NOT to do

This part matters just as much:

• Do not put your hands or anything else near or in their mouth. Dogs cannot swallow their tongue, and you risk a bad bite. This is an old myth worth forgetting.
• Do not try to hold or restrain them; let the seizure run its course
• Do not crowd them with people or noise
• Do not offer food or a big drink until they are fully alert again

Vet note: Any first-ever seizure should be checked by a vet, even if your dog seems fine afterwards. If your dog is already diagnosed with epilepsy, your vet will have given you a plan, so follow that and keep a simple diary of dates, lengths and anything that seemed to trigger a fit.

When a seizure is an emergency

Ring your vet or an out-of-hours emergency service straight away if:

• A seizure lasts longer than about five minutes
• Your dog has several seizures in a row without fully recovering in between
• It is their first ever seizure
• Your dog is struggling to breathe, injures themselves, or does not come round properly
• You suspect they may have eaten something toxic (if poisoning is possible, Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000 can advise, alongside your vet)

Prolonged or repeated seizures are genuine emergencies because they can affect the whole body, so do not wait these out.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if my dog has a seizure? Stay calm, note the time, move hazards away, dim the lights, and do not touch their mouth or restrain them. Film it if you safely can, time how long it lasts, and ring your vet afterwards to report it.

How long is too long for a dog's seizure? As a rough guide, a seizure lasting more than about five minutes, or several seizures close together without a full recovery in between, is an emergency. Contact your vet or an out-of-hours clinic immediately.

Why shouldn't I touch my dog's mouth during a fit? Because dogs cannot swallow their tongue, and you are likely to be bitten badly without meaning to be. The safest thing is to keep hands away from the mouth and simply protect them from injury.

Does one seizure mean my dog has epilepsy? Not necessarily. A single seizure can have many causes, so a vet check is important. Epilepsy is diagnosed by a vet after investigation, and many dogs with it live full, happy lives with the right management.

This isn't veterinary advice

We're professional dog groomers, not vets, so please treat this as friendly general guidance. If you're worried about your dog, or before acting on anything here, speak to your local vet. In an emergency, contact your vet or nearest out-of-hours clinic.

Fluffs is a professional dog grooming salon in Wigginton, York, offering one-to-one grooming for dogs of every breed and coat type across Haxby, Strensall, Huntington, New Earswick and the surrounding villages. If your dog has a health condition like epilepsy, just let us know and we'll keep their groom extra calm and low-stress. Have a chat with us before you book.