Canine Epilepsy & Seizures: Causes and Treatments - Paperbackby James Belan (Author) Seizures are one of the most common neurological conditions in dogs. The scientific term for seizure is "ictus." A seizure may also be called a convulsion, attack, or fit and is a temporary involuntary disturbance of normal brain function that is usually accompanied by uncontrollable muscle activity. They occur when too much electrical activity is going on in the outer layers of a dog's brain called the cortex, which is