Can dogs have epilepsy?

Recently, I was talking to some people about We Could Be Heroes, my middle grade novel that comes out in February, 2020. The dog in the book, sweet Booler, has epilepsy, and someone asked me: Can dogs really have epilepsy?

Yes! As a matter of fact, dogs can have epilepsy, just like people. Lots of things can cause epilepsy in dogs (again, just like people), but it is often inherited, and some breeds are more prone to epilepsy than others.

Fortunately, dogs can take some of the same anti-seizure medications for epilepsy that people take. Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to find the right medication, and sometimes, the medications don’t work so well for some dogs.

But just because dogs have epilepsy doesn’t mean they can’t be meaningful parts of any family. My husband’s childhood dog, Max, had epilepsy, and he was still a beloved member of their pack. He just needed a little extra love. And love works on EVERY dog.

Want to learn more about canine epilepsy? Here is a good place to start.