Epilepsy is a disease that affects almost all living things, including humans. It is a very common disorder, which makes it difficult for those who suffer from it to lead a normal life, since at any moment they can suffer an epileptic seizure.
When this disease is diagnosed in a cat, we must be sure that the environment in which it lives is calm and, above all, safe for it. For cat owners we must tell you that it is not as common as epilepsy in dogs, which is good news.
In this article on our site we are going to tell you how to detect Epilepsy in cats - Symptoms, treatments and care to be calm at the time to live with this disease.
What are we talking about when we talk about epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a symptom of a fundamentally neurological dysfunction of the brain. The present symptom we are talking about is seizures but they can also be present in diseases other than epilepsy.
They can be caused by different reasons, among which we find hereditary, which are known as idiopathic causes or, by a disorder Within the latter we have from a fall with a blow to the head (in cats it is difficult to notice) to infectious causes.
The causes will be determined, as far as possible, by the animal's attending veterinarian. We'll talk about that later.
Symptoms to be alert
If you think your cat may be suffering from epilepsy, take into account the following symptoms to determine if it really is this disease:
- Spontaneous seizures
- Muscular stiffness
- Loss of balance
- Difficulty eating and drinking
- Dificulty to walk
- Hyperactivity
- Hyperventilation (usually before a seizure)
- Nervousness
Diagnosis and Treatment of epilepsy in cats
Although there is a lower percentage in cats than in dogs, there are some pure breeds with a greater predisposition and the first years of life are crucial for our little feline. As we already mentioned in the introduction of the disease, it can be due to different causes, but if you detect that your cat has one or more of the aforementioned symptoms, you should go to the vet for a diagnosis as soon as possible.
Diagnosis
The professional who attends our cat will take into account the weight, age and type of epilepsy and will try to help him reach the diagnosis of blood and urine tests, x-rays and even encephalograms.
Treatment
The chosen treatment will be in accordance with all the results obtained from the tests. We will name the possibilities to evaluate:
- Allopathy or traditional medicine: there are drugs of short and long duration that will be regulated by the veterinarian according to each animal.
- Homeopathy: it is a very effective therapy when trying to stabilize the animal and provide the best quality of life in a disease that has no cure, only modulation over time.
- Bach Flowers: they help the animal in a more natural way but not holistically. It can be combined with other therapies mentioned here.
- Reiki: will help the animal to better connect with the environment and its inner peace. It is very useful in pets where the number of seizures is increasing and drugs do not have the desired effect.
But as we always say, we can propose other therapies to the veterinarian, but the one who will decide will be the professional who has the scientific knowledge of the clinical case.
Care for a cat with epilepsy
First of all we must provide a safe and pampering environment at home. Minimize situations that can cause stress, as it can trigger an attack. It is known that it is not an easy life, but a cat with this disease can have a life expectancy of 20 years if we know how to take care of it.
At home try to avoid open windows, stairs or ledges without our supervision or place nets in dangerous places. Remove objects from their food, litter box and resting territory that could cause problems in the event of an attack.
What NOT to do in case of a seizure
- Hold his head (we can break his neck)
- Give him food, drink or medication at that time
- Cover him with a blanket or keep him warm (he may suffocate)
