How common is epilepsy in animals?
Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder seen in dogs, and has been estimated to affect approximately 0.75% of the canine population3. The term epilepsy refers to a heterogeneous disease that is characterized by the presence of recurrent, unprovoked seizures resulting from an abnormality of the brain.
Do animals get epilepsy?
Canine epilepsy is often genetic but epilepsy in cats and other pets is rarer, likely because there is no hereditary component to epilepsy in these animals.
What does it mean if your dog has epilepsy?
This article has been viewed 285,126 times. Canine epilepsy is hard on your dog’s health and hard on you as well. Epilepsy means that your dog suffers from repeated seizures. A seizure is the result of a burst of electrical energy in the brain.
How does a veterinarian diagnose seizures in a dog?
Regardless of the terminology, the process of diagnosing epilepsy involves the same testing procedures as those used to diagnose seizures. One of the very first things your veterinarian will do is to perform a thorough physical examination for your dog, looking for obvious abnormalities.
When do you sedate a dog with epilepsy?
You may want to sedate your dog on holidays when fireworks are used, such as Independence Day in the USA and Bastille Day in France and other countries. You may also want to sedate your dog if you expect to have a house full of visitors and your dog is stressed by strangers.
How long does a seizure last in a dog?
It may howl, salivate, bite, urinate and/or defecate during the seizure, which can last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes or more. Keep in mind that not all dogs have grand mal seizures. Some dogs may have less severe and less obvious seizures. Identify a focal seizure.
How are seizures classified in dogs with epilepsy?
Using this system, a seizure is primarily classified according to where it begins in the brain, with specific features of the seizure used to further characterize the event. Seizure description is the most critical information needed for the diagnosis of canine epilepsies. There are two basic types of seizures, generalized and focal.
Can a dog with epilepsy have a long life?
An epileptic dog can have a happy and long life, as long as the seizure activity is well under control. Seizures can have a very dramatic appearance, but are not painful. However, a dog can feel confusion and can have episodes of panic.
Why do they euthanize dogs with epilepsy?
The most common reason for euthanasia in epileptic dogs is inadequate seizure control. It is crucial that appropriate antiepileptic medication is given according to the specific health status and seizures patterns in each dog.
Can you breed a dog with idiopathic epilepsy?
Idiopathic epilepsy is genetic in many dog breeds and is also familial; meaning that it runs in certain families or lines of animals. These breeds of dog should be tested for epilepsy and if diagnosed, should not be used for breeding.