Dogs are a part of the family and us owners worry about them like they are our children. We never want anything bad to happen to them and we always try to protect them from any harm that might come their way.
So, as a responsible Corgi owner, it is normal to wonder “Are Corgis prone to seizures?”.
Unfortunately, seizures can affect Corgis. There are a variety of reasons why they might occur, different forms in which they can manifest, as well as treatments that might apply.
In order to get acquainted with all of these and learn how to help your furry friend properly, keep reading this article!
Corgis And Their General Health
Even though they are some of the most adorable, loveable, intelligent doggos out there, Corgis unfortunately don’t have the best medical record. They are prone to many serious diseases such as canine hip dysplasia, intervertebral disc disease, epilepsy and degenerative myelopathy.
Aside from these, they can also occasionally suffer from progressive retinal atrophy, urinary stones and von Willebrand’s Disease.
Learn More: Are Corgis Prone To UTI?
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a genetic disease that causes the hip joint to not develop properly and over time cause loss of joint function in that area. Even though it usually affects big dogs, smaller breeds are not totally exempt from it either.
There is nothing you, as an owner, can do to prevent your dog from developing this issue if they are genetically predisposed to it. However, there are things that might delay the development or make this issue easier on your dog.
One of the most important things is that your dog is getting enough exercise. This is important because this way they build their muscles which help stabilize the joints.
A great form of exercise for dogs that have been diagnosed with this disease is swimming. This exercise allows them to be physically active and build muscle and strength without putting weight on the affected joints.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a degenerative disease that affects the dogs photoreceptors, degrading vision over time and ultimately causing complete loss of vision.
One of the main symptoms that appears early on is night blindness. This manifests in nervousness or fear in your dog when they are supposed to go outside during the dark.
Unfortunately, there is currently no known cure for this disease. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your dog to the vet once you have started noticing that something is wrong.
They can help you in finding ways to protect your pup and teach them how to navigate their surroundings in this new situation.
Von Willebrand’s Disease
Von Willebrand’s Disease is another genetic disease that affects blood clotting. The reason this disease is dangerous is because it can lead to excessive bleeding after an injury, which can be life threatening.
Symptoms can include spontaneous bleeding from mucosal surfaces (nose, genitals, gums, etc.).
Now, this disease, although scary for the owner, usually has a good prognosis. If we’re talking about the mild or moderate cases, it usually requires minimal treatment.
When it comes to the more severe cases, usually the vet will recommend a blood transfusion.
Degenerative Myelopathy
Another disease that Corgis are at risk of getting is degenerative myelopathy. This is a disease that affects a dog’s central nervous system, spinal cord and brainstem.
The symptoms usually include muscle atrophy, posture issues, limb paralysis (partial or total) and decreased muscle mass. As of right now, there is no known cure for this disease, but there is treatment that can help the affected dog’s comfort.
Corgis And Seizures – What To Expect?
Seizures are scary, regardless of whether they are happening to people or our animals. They carry real dangers, both for those that have then and sometimes even those around them. For these reasons, it is important to know as much information about them in order to recognize them, react properly and protect your pup.
Before we get into the nitty gritty, we first need to define what seizures are.
What Are Seizures?
Seizures are a temporary involuntary disturbance of normal brain function, usually accompanied by uncontrollable muscle activity. They are one of the most common neurological conditions in dogs. Epilepsy is a term used to describe repeated episodes of seizures. They can appear singularly or in a cluster and can be unpredictable time and interval-wise.
Causes Of Seizures
There are many possible causes of seizures and epilepsy. Most commonly, it is idiopathic epilepsy, which is a genetic disorder. Unfortunately, we don’t know it’s exact cause. Aside from idiopathic epilepsy, health issues such as kidney failure, brain tumors, liver disease and brain trauma can also be the cause of seizures.
Situationally speaking, there are different everyday situations that might trigger a seizure in dogs. Usually, it’s during the time of changing brain activity – when a dog is excited, while they are falling asleep or waking up, or during feeding.
What Do Seizures Look Like?
The way a seizure might manifest, can be different from dog to dog and also on the severity of the seizure itself..
In mild cases, the dog might present with a dazed look on its face, aimless staring, licking of their lips and mild shaking. It can even result in a complete loss of consciousness.
In more severe cases, the dog will lose its consciousness completely and will usually have full-body muscle spasms. They will fall on their side, and paddle its legs, while the rest of their body isn’t moving.
Occasionally, urination, defecation or salivation can occur.
Seizures In Corgis
We now know what causes seizures and what they might look like, but now it’s time to get to the point – How common are seizures in Corgis?
There’s really no way about it – Corgis are genetically predisposed to seizures.
However, don’t let this scare you just yet. Even though it’s scary, it’s not fatal and it doesn’t mean that your dog’s quality of life will be affected too much.
Because this is a common disease in dogs, it has been studied well and ways for dealing with it have been developed.
On the other hand, you don’t want to be too casual about it either. Your reaction should be timely, so that your dog can be diagnosed quickly and so that other potential health issues may be ruled out or treated if necessary.
Treatment
First and foremost, take your dog to the vet. Don’t try to diagnose or treat them yourself, or ignore the problem.
At the vet, there are several options that might be prescribed to your dog. Some of them include medications and some adapting your living space to make sure that your dog is in no additional danger in case of a seizure.
In case your vet opts for meds, there are usually three options:
- Anti-epileptics
- Anticonvulsants
- Corticosteroid medication
When it comes to anti-epileptic medication, one of the common side effects includes weight gain, so be cautious about that. If these are what your vet opts for, you will need to make changes in your dog’s dietary habits.
It’s also important to learn how you should react and behave during one of your dog’s seizures. Most importantly, you should make sure there are no objects around that might cause a choking hazard. Also, remove any objects that your dog might hit itself during a seizure, if possible and remove any sharp or pointy objects nearby.
It’s extremely important that you don’t try to control your dog’s mouth. This can be dangerous for you, because they might unconsciously bite you.
Conclusion
No one wants any kind of a disease to affect their beloved pet but unfortunately, we sometimes don’t have the control over it.
However, it’s understandable that you want to get informed about the potential risks, so you posing the question “Are Corgis prone to seizures” is no surprise. In this article, we have gone over some of the most common, more serious issues that Corgis are usually genetically predisposed to, and gone in depth about seizures.
To help you absorb all this information, here is a quick rundown of everything we’ve covered in this article.
Corgis unfortunately aren’t known for their good health. The most common diseases that appear in Corgis are hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, von Willebrand’s Disease, degenerative myelopathy and epilepsy. Some of these are more and some less serious, but they all warrant a visit to the vet.
When it comes to epilepsy, it’s usually genetic and it can manifest in many different ways, depending on the dog, and the severity of the seizure. It’s important to know that there is treatment, and it doesn’t mean that your dog will die, but it does mean that you will need to make some lifestyle adjustments in order to protect your dog during seizures.
So, you now have all the information on Corgis and seizures and should they ever happen to your Corgi, you’ll know how to recognize them and act accordingly.
Good luck!
Learn More: Corgi Health Problems: Most Common Diseases In Corgis