Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 1/20/2006

Question
My dog is 10 years old and he started having seizures, he had 2 last night.  What causes these to start.
Thanks Diane

Answer
That is a very hard question to answer specifically.  There are many things that can cause seizures in older dogs.  Sometimes it is distemper (old dog encephalopathy) even though the dog was vaccinated.  Sometimes it is liver or kidney disease causing toxins that can't get out of the blood to affect the brain.  Sometimes it is heart disease causing poor oxygen perfusion to the brain.  Dogs eat all kinds of things around the house, so it could be something he ingested. Head trauma can also affect the brain causing seizures. You should have your vet check the dog.