10/02/2025
Focal seizures can commonly present as behavioral issues, such as fly biting, chasing lights/shadows or bubble gum chewing. If these signs are noted, please speak to your veterinarian.
Monday Medical Corner: What is a seizure?
An epileptic seizure is the result of excessive synchronized activity of neurons in the brain. When you picture a seizure, you most likely picture a tonic-clonic seizure (formerly grand mal seizure) involving repetitive muscle contractions and movements. In animals, these usually look like ‘paddling’ motions. There is more than one type of seizure, however, and not all involve the entire brain. Focal epileptic seizures (also called partial epileptic seizures) can occur in practically any area of the brain. This means that they can present as motor (muscle movement, as in repetitive facial twitches or jerks of one extremity), autonomic (affecting non-consciously controlled body systems like the gastrointestinal tract or pupils), or behavioral (with psychic or sensory effects leading to behavioral changes including fear and hallucinatory signs like fly-snapping). The most common cause of seizures in dogs is idiopathic epilepsy but toxins, medications, and brain tumors are also possible.
