Hi Wendy,
I wouldn’t say the seizure “turns into” coughing and retching. His seizures typically last up to 48 hours (untreated) and during them, he would occasionally cough (and sometimes vomit if he eats something he shouldn’t). The coughing might come from licking carpet fibers etc and gets a tickle in his throat. Or also could be from the rapid swallowing that causes a gagging-like effect. It’s awful to watch, but glad we have a treatment now and knowing what it is brought us so much peace. The not knowing was the worst!
From what I know about seizures, a reverse sneeze itself probably wouldn’t trigger a seizure to begin — since a seizure is a neurological event. But if your dog is having a seizure, it’s possible that a reverse sneeze-like symptom is part of it. Seizures can take many forms — I always thought seizures meant being unconscious, but I was wrong. Dogs can be having a seizure and be totally conscious and look at you when you call their name. Ours just happens to be a gustatory, meaning rapid swallowing over and over again, and looking for anything to eat.
Sometimes right before a dog has a seizure, they have a “pre-ictal” stage — our dog doesn’t do anything that noticable, other than being somewhat lethargic. Hope that answers your question!
