Dog food for epilepsy & brain health

Dog seizures can be caused by any number of reasons, but most commonly they are due to an inherited disorder, such as idiopathic epilepsy, but the exact cause is unknown. 

 Other common causes of seizures include issues with your dog’s health such as eating poison, liver disease, low or high blood sugar, kidney disease, electrolyte problems, anaemia, head injury, encephalitis or strokes.

Seizures can also occur when your dog’s brain has a change in activity, due to a particular stimulation or trigger.  This can happen up to 30 hours after exposure to the trigger so the exact causes can be difficult to pinpoint at first &, in some cases, remain elusive.

Triggers can come in a myriad of forms - stimulation from the environment (e.g. herbicides, insecticides or fertilisers from the garden, extreme changes in temperature or pressure) - things around the house (e.g. scented candles, perfumes, loud music, cigarette smoke, popular household cleaning products, paints & wood oils), - stress (e.g. a change in routine, skipping meals or going too long between meals, long car rides, loud or angry voices, vet visits, separation anxiety or simply general nervousness), - medications (e.g. vaccinations, heartworm medications, flea and tick preventative medications and some prescription medications) and, of course, foodstuffs (e.g. excessive salt, colours, preservatives & emulsifiers found in many dog foods & treats as well as glutamate, tomatoes, cheese, milk, carrots, rosemary & other herbs - and also food allergies).

Elements of diet that are thought to help with seizures include taurine supplementation, coconut oil & lots of Omega 3’s in the diet.

With this in mind, it makes sense to feed your dog a diet that contains no artificial colours or preservatives & has a good level of Omega 3 – although you may also wish to add your own salmon oil to boost this further.

The foods listed below all contain a good level of protein (for taurine) & a strong Omega 3 content.  Because grains tend to be high in glutamate we have only listed grain-free foods & only those with small quantities of white potato, turkey or peas.

None of our foods or treats contain added salt, so they should be suitable for a dog on a moderate salt reduction plan.

(Please be aware that we are not vets.  The information given here is intended as a general guide & should not replace the directions received from your vet)