Ever get concerned about, or hear about German Shorthairs having seizures? You are not alone, let’s tackle this topic today.
German shorthaired pointers are excellent hunting dogs that were developed in the 19th century. It was German dog breeders who bred the first German shorthaired pointers.
They’re considered to be very versatile hunting dogs that can operate well on both land and water.
Sadly, many dog owners have noticed that this breed commonly has to deal with seizures.
Why Do These Dogs Commonly Have Seizures?
What would cause these dogs to have seizures so commonly? Many dog owners have reported encountering these issues.
This isn’t the result of something that you’re doing wrong while caring for the dog. It seems to be an inherited condition that commonly impacts this dog breed.
German shorthaired pointers are at an increased risk for inheriting issues with seizures. Generally, these dogs will develop these issues between six months and three years into their lives.
A veterinarian will need to confirm what is going on, but most dogs will need to take medicine for the rest of their lives. This can help to manage the condition.
Periodic blood testing is also going to be important to keep the dog safe. This is done to keep an eye on side effects.
It can also monitor whether or not the medication is working to manage the seizures as intended.
German shorthaired pointers can live long, happy lives while managing this issue so long as they’re getting the right treatment.
Other Things Can Cause Seizures as Well
It should also be said that other things can potentially cause seizures, too. For example, it’s possible that dogs could have seizures as the result of some type of metabolic issue.
Some dogs might have low blood sugar and this will cause a seizure to happen. Problems with toxins and organ failure are both potential causes of seizures as well.
Kidney failure could wind up being the cause of the seizures. You’ll need to go to the veterinarian to see what is happening to your dog.
It’ll be necessary to run tests to try to determine what is going on. There are a number of different things that can happen to a dog that can cause it to have a seizure.
These types of seizures are known as reactive seizures. Secondary seizures occur when a dog has some type of brain tumor or when it suffers certain types of trauma.
Having a stroke can cause the dog to have a seizure at some point, too. Essentially, a secondary seizure is a seizure that occurs as the result of another medical issue.
There are situations where veterinarians have a hard time determining the cause of seizures in dogs. Vets will attribute the seizure issues to idiopathic epilepsy at this point.
The genetically inherited seizure issues that most German shorthaired pointers have to deal with are primary seizures.
What to Do When Your Dog Has a Seizure
What if your dog is having a seizure right in front of your eyes? This can be a very traumatic thing to have to see, but you need to keep a cool head.
You want to do what you can to help your dog through this situation. There are also things that you shouldn’t do because you could wind up hurting yourself.
Try to keep the dog from injuring itself while it’s having the seizure. This means attempting to steady the dog and keeping it from banging its head on the floor.
Don’t attempt to control the dog’s mouth, though. Doing so could result in you accidentally getting bitten by the dog.
You should also try to note the length of the seizure so that you can give the veterinarian that information.
Once the dog is finished having the seizure, contact your veterinarian immediately. You’re going to want to get the dog seen as soon as possible.
The veterinarian will work to determine what is going on so that your dog will be okay.
Your Dog Will Be Okay
With the proper treatment, your dog is going to be just fine. It can be very concerning to see your pet have a seizure, but you’ll be able to determine what is going on so long as you take the dog to a veterinarian.
They will be able to run tests to determine the cause of the seizures.
It’s possible that the dog could be having this issue as a reaction to having low blood sugar or some other type of problem.
More commonly, German shorthaired pointers have seizures due to genetics. These dogs often inherit this condition, and they can start having seizures when they’re as young as six months old.
Conversely, they might not start having issues until they reach the age of three. Not all German shorthaired pointers will develop seizure issues either.
If your dog has this issue, then you’ll be able to manage the condition with medication.
This will help the dog to stay safe so that you can enjoy many more years together.
It’ll also be necessary to do blood testing, but it’s not something that will be too inconvenient.
Don’t let this situation make you feel intimidated or worried since it’s something that veterinarians understand how to take care of.
Should you have any questions about the situation, it’ll be best to talk to your veterinarian. Your vet will give you a detailed plan to help you manage this issue.
You’ll have a full understanding of what you need to be doing as well as how you should monitor the dog moving forward.
You’ll be able to move forward with confidence and your dog will be able to live a normal life.
In Summary
German shorthaired pointers sometimes inherit problems with seizures.
These dogs can develop issues with seizures starting at six months of age, but it could not show up until the dog is three years old.
Not every German shorthaired pointer is going to have these issues.
Dogs that have seizures such as this will likely need to take medication for the rest of their lives while also doing regular blood tests to monitor things.
