Dachshund Seizures: What Every Doxie Parent Needs to Know (Before It Happens)
Dachshunds are among the dog breeds with a higher rate of epilepsy, and miniature wirehaired dachshunds carry a specific genetic seizure disorder called Lafora disease. If your doxie has a seizure, the single most important thing you can do is stay calm, keep them safe, time it, and call your vet afterward. Here's everything you need to know — before it happens.
Nobody Googles "dachshund seizures" on a good day.
If you're here right now, there's a decent chance your little sausage just did something terrifying. Maybe they went stiff on the couch. Maybe their legs started paddling and their eyes glazed over and you had absolutely no idea what was happening.
Or maybe it already passed and they're acting like nothing happened and you're the one who can't stop shaking.
I get it.
So let me walk you through this the way I'd want someone to walk me through it — calmly, with actual facts, and without the panic.
Are Dachshunds Prone to Seizures?
Yes. They are.
VCA Animal Hospitals lists dachshunds specifically among the breeds with "a higher rate of epilepsy," right alongside Beagles, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers.
The overall rate of epilepsy in the general dog population runs somewhere between 0.5% and 5% depending on the study. In predisposed breeds, it can reach much higher.
And dachshunds got hit twice.
There's the regular idiopathic epilepsy that strikes most breeds — seizures without a known cause, usually showing up between ages 1 and 5.
And then there's the dachshund-specific one.
It's called Lafora disease. And if you own a miniature wirehaired dachshund, you need to know about it.
More on that in a minute.
What Does a Dachshund Seizure Actually Look Like?
It depends on the type. And knowing the difference matters, because what you describe to your vet is half the diagnosis.
Generalized seizures (grand mal) are the ones most people picture. Your doxie loses consciousness. Their body goes stiff (that's the tonic phase), then starts jerking rhythmically (the clonic phase). They might paddle their legs, drool, lose bladder control, or vocalize. It looks terrible. It typically lasts 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
Focal seizures are sneakier. Your dog might stay conscious. One side of their face twitches. They snap at the air like they're catching invisible flies. Their jaw clacks repeatedly — vets call it a "chewing gum fit". One leg kicks. You might not even realize it's a seizure at first.
This matters for dachshunds specifically because Lafora disease often starts with these focal signs — the fly-catching, the jaw smacking — before progressing to full generalized seizures.
Myoclonic seizures are sudden, brief muscle jerks. Think of it like a full-body startle that doesn't stop. These are the hallmark of Lafora disease in dachshunds.
And every seizure has three phases. VCA describes them well:
- Pre-ictal (the aura): Your dog gets restless, whiny, clingy, or starts pacing. This can last seconds to hours. They sense something's coming.
- Ictal (the seizure itself): The event. Seconds to minutes.
- Post-ictal (the aftermath): Confusion, disorientation, temporary blindness, pacing, exhaustion. This can last minutes to hours. Your dog is not "having another seizure" — they're recovering.
What Causes Seizures in Dachshunds?
The honest answer? Often, nobody knows.
That's literally what "idiopathic" means — no identifiable cause. In dachshunds, the genetic component is suspected but not yet fully mapped for standard epilepsy.
But there are known causes your vet will rule out:
- Toxins — chocolate, xylitol, caffeine, antifreeze, rat poison, certain plants. If your doxie got into something, tell your vet immediately. (We have a full list in our toxic food guide.)
- Metabolic problems — low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), liver disease, kidney disease, electrolyte imbalances. VCA notes these are especially worth investigating in senior dachshunds showing first-time seizures.
- Cushing's disease — dachshunds are predisposed to this too, and metabolic disruption from Cushing's can lower the seizure threshold.
- Brain tumors or inflammation — more common in older dogs. Your vet may recommend an MRI.
- Heat and overheating — PetMD flags this as a known trigger.
- Lafora disease — the breed-specific genetic one. Covered next.
What Is Lafora Disease? (The Dachshund-Specific One)
Lafora disease is a progressive myoclonic epilepsy caused by a mutation in a gene called Epm2b. It's autosomal recessive — your dog needs two copies of the mutation to be affected.
It's been most extensively documented in miniature wirehaired dachshunds, though it can appear in other varieties.
The numbers from published research:
- A 2017 peer-reviewed study found a carrier frequency of 34% and 6% genetically affected in the breed. The good news: carrier rates have been declining since DNA testing became available in 2012 — Purina Pro Club reports ongoing breed-wide improvement thanks to selective breeding.
- Average age of onset: 6.94 years (range 3.5–12 years).
- Source: PLOS ONE 2017
Here's what makes Lafora different from regular epilepsy:
Regular idiopathic epilepsy shows up young (1–5 years), can often be managed with medication, and doesn't inherently get worse. Many dogs live normal lifespans.
Lafora shows up later (average ~7 years), always progresses, and eventually affects far more than just seizures. The PLOS ONE study of 27 affected dogs documented:
- Reflex myoclonus (muscle jerking triggered by light, sound, or movement): 77.8%
- Jerking during sleep: 51.9%
- Dementia: 51.9% (if you're dealing with dachshund dementia, this may be connected)
- Vision loss: 48.1%
- Incontinence: 37%
The one silver lining: a DNA test exists. If you have a miniature wirehaired dachshund — or you're getting one from a breeder — you can ask for Lafora screening. Responsible breeders test before breeding.
What Should You Do If Your Dachshund Has a Seizure?
This is the part you actually need right now. Cornell's veterinary college and VCA both lay out the same protocol:
During the seizure:
- Stay calm. Your panic doesn't help them. Your calm does.
- Move things away from them — furniture, table legs, anything they could hit. Don't move the dog; move the hazards.
- Do NOT put your hands near their mouth. Dogs cannot swallow their tongues. They can bite you unintentionally.
- Do not restrain them. No hugging, no holding down, no water. It can prolong the seizure.
- Time it. Use your phone. Note when it starts and when it stops (the post-ictal confusion doesn't count — just the actual convulsing).
- Video it if you can. This is worth more to your vet than any description you'll give from memory.
- If it goes past 3 minutes, apply cool wet towels to their paws, belly, and neck to prevent overheating.
When it's an emergency — go to the vet NOW:
- Seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes (this is status epilepticus — it can cause brain damage)
- More than one seizure in 24 hours (cluster seizures)
- First-ever seizure — always get it evaluated, even if it resolves on its own
After the seizure:
Let them recover. They'll be confused, maybe temporarily blind, possibly exhausted. Keep the room quiet and dim. Don't force food or water. Let them come back to you on their own timeline.
Then call your vet.
How Are Seizures Treated in Dachshunds?
Treatment usually starts when seizures are frequent (more than one every 4–6 weeks), happen in clusters, or are severe. Your vet decides, not the internet.
The 2015 ACVIM Consensus Statement — the go-to clinical guideline — names two first-line medications:
Phenobarbital — the most commonly used anti-seizure medication in dogs for decades. In pooled studies covering 311 dogs, it achieved a cumulative success rate of 82% (meaning more than half of seizures eliminated), and 31% of dogs became seizure-free. Side effects include sedation, increased thirst and appetite, and potential liver impact with long-term use. Requires regular blood monitoring.
Potassium bromide (KBr) — often used alongside phenobarbital. Its advantage is it's not metabolized by the liver, which matters for a breed already at risk for Cushing's-related metabolic issues.
Levetiracetam (Keppra) — has a favorable safety profile and is especially useful for myoclonic seizures (the Lafora kind). Less effective as a standalone treatment but strong as an add-on. Needs to be dosed three times daily.
About 20% of epileptic dogs have refractory epilepsy — meaning the standard medications don't fully control their seizures. That's not a failure. That's a management conversation with your vet.
The goal with seizure medication is not elimination. It's reduction — fewer seizures, less severity, better quality of life. Once started, these medications are generally required for life. Never stop them suddenly — abrupt withdrawal can trigger worse seizures.
What About CBD for Dachshund Seizures?
You're going to see this everywhere online, so let me give you what the research actually says.
A Colorado State University pilot study found that 89% of dogs receiving CBD had a reduction in seizure frequency compared to placebo. But — and this matters — the proportion of dogs who had a strong response (50%+ reduction) was similar between the CBD group and the placebo group.
A separate study of dogs with drug-resistant epilepsy found that a CBD-cannabidiolic acid rich hemp extract showed promise as an add-on treatment, though sample sizes were small.
The bottom line from board-certified veterinary neurologists: CBD is being investigated as an adjuvant therapy (meaning alongside real medication, not instead of it). The veterinary community does not currently recommend CBD as a standalone anticonvulsant.
Translation: talk to your vet. Don't replace their prescription with something from a pet store.
FAQ
Are seizures painful for dachshunds?
Most vets believe dogs are not conscious during generalized seizures and don't feel pain during the event itself. The post-ictal phase — the confusion, pacing, and temporary blindness afterward — is disorienting but not painful. That said, if your doxie is having frequent seizures that affect their quality of life, that's a conversation to have with your vet about medication.
Can food cause seizures in dachshunds?
Certain toxins can. Chocolate, xylitol, caffeine, and some plants are known seizure triggers. Severe hypoglycemia from not eating can also trigger seizures, especially in miniature dachshunds. We cover the full list in our toxic food guide.
How common is Lafora disease in dachshunds?
Lafora disease has been most extensively studied in miniature wirehaired dachshunds. Published research found a carrier frequency of 34% and 6% genetically affected in the breed. A DNA test is available, and carrier rates have been declining since testing became available in 2012.
When should I take my dachshund to the vet for a seizure?
Always after a first seizure. Immediately if it lasts longer than 5 minutes or if they have more than one in 24 hours. Even if the seizure resolves on its own, call your vet the same day. They'll want to run bloodwork and potentially imaging to rule out metabolic causes, toxins, or structural issues.
Can dachshund seizures be cured?
Idiopathic epilepsy cannot be cured, but it can be managed effectively in the majority of dogs. Phenobarbital achieves seizure freedom in about 31% of dogs and meaningful reduction in 82%. If seizures are caused by something specific — a toxin, a metabolic imbalance, an infection — treating that underlying cause can eliminate the seizures entirely. Your vet is the one who figures out which category your doxie falls into.
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I put everything we know about keeping these long little backs strong into one free guide — the 8 early warning signs, the furniture setup, the weight math, how to pick up a doxie the right way, and the exact checklist I'd bring to a vet visit.
It's free, it's short, and it might be the most useful thing you ever read about your wiener dog.
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(Educational only — not veterinary advice. When in doubt, call your vet. Always call your vet.)
