Your dog may temporarily lose consciousness or faint if there is no blood flow to its brain. Regardless of how healthy your dog may appear, it is crucial to understand the cause of low blood flow. There are several causes of fainting, and experts categorize them as follows:
· Certain medications that cause low blood pressure
· Heart-related problems, which contribute to blood flow interruption to the brain
· Non-heart related issues such as low heart rate caused by pressure on the vagus
A Labrador may show signs of sudden weakness before faintings, such as whimpering or displaying a glassy-eyed appearance and leg stiffness. Losing consciousness is often caused by coughing, straining to go to the toilet, or pulling on their collar. In most cases, your Labrador should return to normal within 30 seconds of fainting.
What can be the reasons for your dog suddenly collapsing?
Many tubes in a dog’s ear filled with fluid carry signals to the brain related to balance. Additionally, the eyes receive and transmit information to the brain. This allows the dog’s brain to maintain the body in an upright position by integrating these signals.
Maintaining certain postures is also a function of the cardiopulmonary system. These organs rely on oxygen and nutrients for optimal function. Imagine, for instance, what would happen if we did not get oxygen to our muscles. When that occurs, the dog will lose its tonicity, which means it will be unable to remain upright.
That is also true for the brain, which is sensitive to changes in oxygen levels in the blood. The brain cannot control the muscles if the blood oxygen level drops.
The sudden collapse of a dog is most often caused by one of the following:
Drug overdose and acute toxicity
Due to hypoglycemia, diabetic dogs on insulin are at an increased risk of collapsing. In turn, blood sugar levels and blood pressure are reduced since the insulin dose is unusually high. Xylitol, snake venom, and rat poison are among the substances that can cause sudden weakness leading to collapse.
Nervous System Disease
According to the previous paragraph, the brain integrates many different factors involved in posture maintenance. In acute collapses, diseases such as intervertebral disks and fibrocartilaginous emboli play a role. In addition, the neural pathways of the dog’s brain can also malfunction, resulting in canine collapse.
Respiratory conditions
The lungs supply oxygen to the blood of your dog. When dogs breathe, oxygen fills their lungs, which then diffuses into the bloodstream via tiny capillaries. An obstruction in the dog’s airways can cause its blood and tissues to suffer oxygen deprivation, resulting in collapse. Sudden dog collapse can also be caused by collapsed tracheas, bronchitis, pneumonia, swelling in the throat, or pulmonary edema.
Musculoskeletal diseases
Several musculoskeletal conditions are referred to as musculoskeletal disorders, including lumbosacral disease (lower back arthritis) and hip dysplasia (hip arthritis). Before a dog collapses with musculoskeletal problems, symptoms like difficulty standing up, limping, or inability to leap are present and get worse for days, weeks, or months beforehand.
Blood diseases
Several blood-related diseases cause internal bleeding, including anemia, ruptured organs, leukemia, and polycythemia (the presence of too many red blood cells resulting in abnormally thick blood). Red blood cells carry oxygen to the brain and muscles, so they need sufficient blood. When this fails, the system collapses.
Diseases of the heart
Pumping blood throughout the body is the function of the heart. It ensures the body receives sufficient amounts of nutrients and oxygen and excretes waste. Collapse can be caused by insufficient blood supply, particularly to the organs responsible for maintaining posture. Heart diseases that can cause a collapse in dogs include arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, pericarditis, acquired valvular heart disease, and heartworm disease.
Is my dog fainting or having seizures?
| The dog’s actions before the event: Syncopal episodes might occur if your pet barks loudly, run, urinates, defecates, or coughs. Your dog faints as a result of the action. It is possible to have a seizure at any time, whether your dog is resting or working. A seizure is not caused by anything unusual. Additionally, seizures are often accompanied by whining or agitation, which may be part of the pre-seizure process. When a dog faints, it happens without warning. |
| What the episode looked like: Experienced veterinarians may have difficulty distinguishing between syncopal episodes and seizures. The movement of an animal is a critical factor. Your dog is likely to experience a seizure if they become limp. After experiencing a syncopal episode, patients have trouble getting up because their legs are weak. Seizures cause rigidity, rhythmic paddling, and tremoring in the legs. |
| How fast was the recovery?: Dogs that faint suddenly recover within a short time. In contrast, a dog that has seizures will show lethargy or prolonged disorientation after the attack. It only lasts for a few seconds. |
It can be difficult to distinguish the two, which is largely due to their similar appearance. On the other hand, a dog will collapse without warning during a fainting episode, unlike a dog who will act strangely before and after a seizure.
What should I do if my dog faints?
Do not panic if your dog faints. You should first check to see if your pet is conscious. If it is unconscious, you should check its heartbeat. Place your hand on your pet’s chest to check its heartbeat. Feel the heartbeat in the ribcage of a large breed by flexing its left elbow against the chest. If your dog is breathing, you can also feel their pulse in his groin area and watch for his abdomen and chest to see if he is rising or falling.
You should apply chest compressions in the absence of a heartbeat, pulse, chest, or abdominal movement that indicates breathing. Placing your dog’s head slightly lower than the rest of its body is a good idea. By doing so, blood flows to the brain more efficiently, and fluids in the oral cavity are prevented from entering the lungs. If this is not possible, you should immediately take your pet to the veterinarian.
Nonetheless, take note of the events that led up to your pet’s collapse if he is conscious, such as what he was doing at the time, how long it has been lying on the ground, as well as its reaction after it has recovered. Write them down to ensure you remember to tell your veterinarian if your dog collapses again.
You should call your vet as soon as your pet recovers and explain exactly what happened. Transport your pet inside its crate if he requests to examine it. After a collapse, some dogs seem confused and disoriented. They can also bite their masters after a collapse.
Should I take my Labrador to the vet after a seizure?
Many pet owners want to know what to do if their dog has a seizure. A seizure can be scary, and it seems like it lasts for a long time, even though it only lasts a few minutes. Often, people do not know whether to call a vet or to monitor their dogs closely until they recover. This information will help you decide whether to visit a veterinarian.
| Seizures lasting more than five minutes are referred to as long-term seizures. This clearly indicates that your pet is suffering from a serious condition that requires veterinary attention. You should consult a veterinarian immediately when more than three seizures occur within 24 hours. Pets start having seizures before fully recovering from the last seizure. Consult your veterinarian if your dog does not recover within six hours. Any other symptoms your dog exhibits, such as vomiting, breathing difficulties, not eating, fatigue, lethargy, or signs of bleeding or diarrhea, should be reported to your veterinarian. |
Gradually, your dog will return to normal over minutes to hours. Once he behaves normally, you should let him have access to stairs, food, and the outdoors. Contact your veterinarian or a veterinary emergency department if your dog appears to have seizures or has a second seizure.
Conclusion
It is hoped that you will never have to deal with this unfortunate situation with your dog. However, you now possess additional knowledge to aid you in dealing with the situation. The root cause should be identified and treated as early as possible. You should always contact a veterinarian if you suspect a seizure or sudden fainting case (or if you are unsure which was the case).