What to record in a dog seizure log
Watching your dog have a seizure is frightening, and details slip away quickly. A short written record made soon afterward gives your vet something concrete to work with. This guide covers what to write down. It does not try to explain what a seizure means. That is your vet's job.
If you would like a sheet ready to go, there is a free printable seizure log, and a dog seizure log with one card per episode.
First, when to call for help
A seizure that will not stop, or several seizures close together, is an emergency. Call your vet or an emergency clinic right away. Keep the number for an emergency clinic somewhere you can find it fast. Fill in the log afterward, not during. Your dog and your own safety come first.
What to write down
The date and the start time
Look at a clock as soon as you can and note the time. Exact times let your vet see whether episodes cluster at a certain time of day.
How long it lasted
It is easy to misjudge this. A minute can feel like ten. If you can, glance at a clock or start a timer on your phone when it begins and check it again when it ends. If you did not manage that, write "not sure" and your best estimate, and mark it as an estimate.
What it looked like
Describe what you saw in plain words, not medical terms. Which parts of the body moved? Did your dog seem aware or unresponsive? Did they fall over, stiffen, paddle, drool, or lose control of the bladder? You do not need to name the type of seizure. A description is more useful than a label.
What happened before
Write down what was going on in the hour or so before: excitement, exercise, a meal, a visitor, a car ride, a loud noise, or nothing unusual at all. Note whether any medication was given late or missed. Record it without deciding what it means. You are collecting facts, and your vet will sort out which ones matter.
What happened after
Note how your dog seemed afterward: confused, wobbly, thirsty, hungry, sleepy, or back to normal. Write down roughly how long it took before they seemed like themselves again.
Anything else
Use a notes column for changes in behavior, appetite, or anything else you noticed that day.
Let the pattern build over time
Over weeks, a log shows how often episodes happen, how long they last, and whether anything changes. That is the kind of picture your vet uses when deciding what to do next. Do not try to read the pattern yourself, and never change a medication because of it. If other people in your home might see an episode, agree on where the log lives so that whoever sees one can record it.
A short video can help
If you can do it safely, a short phone video of an episode can show your vet things that words cannot. Do not put yourself or your dog at risk to get one. The written log is enough on its own.
Keep the log in one place
Use one sheet, or one place in your phone, for every episode. Several loose scraps of paper make it hard to see the whole picture. Bring the log to every vet visit, along with your dog's current medication list. The vet visit checklist lists the rest of what to bring, and our guide on what to tell your vet explains how to describe medications clearly.
Paper or app?
A printed sheet is easy to start with and easy to hand to a vet. If you would rather have entries on your phone, PetDose keeps seizure entries with the time and a note, next to your dog's medications and readings such as weight and appetite. Each entry carries the name of whoever recorded it, so a household can see who noticed what. Records stay on your phone, and it is free to track. Get it on the App Store.