Canine Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that affects many animals, including dogs. It's caused by abnormal, sporadic electrical activity in the brain that results in seizures. A seizure is a sudden, involuntary surge in muscle activity or movement, ranging from brief episodes that are barely noticeable to prolonged, vigorous shaking.

Epilepsy is often inherited and is the most common chronic neurological disorder seen in dogs. Some breeds carry a notably higher risk, including the English Springer Spaniel, along with breeds like the Border Collie, Beagle, and Labrador Retriever.

Status epilepticus is a life-threatening emergency involving either one continuous seizure lasting more than 5 minutes, or repeated seizures without the dog regaining normal consciousness in between. If your dog is still seizing at the five-minute mark, head to your vet or the nearest emergency clinic right away.

Cluster seizures are multiple seizures within a 24-hour period, which can also be life-threatening.

Seizures are also classified as focal (affecting a small part of the brain), generalized (affecting both sides of the brain), or focal seizures that progress into generalized ones.

As seizures become more frequent, the risk of lasting damage to brain neurons increases - and that damage, in turn, makes future seizures more likely. This is part of why early diagnosis and management matter so much.

• The prodrome

  This can occur hours or even days before a seizure and shows up as subtle shifts in your dog's mood or behavior.

• The aura

  This signals a seizure is about to start. Your dog may seem nervous, whine, tremble, drool, pace, hide, or seem unusually apprehensive.

• The ictus (the seizure itself)

  This is the active seizure, typically lasting anywhere from 45 seconds to a few minutes. Your dog may lose consciousness, show teeth gnashing, uncontrolled limb movement, drooling, whining, paddling motions, and sometimes urination or defecation.

• The post-ictal phase

  In the aftermath, your dog may eat or drink excessively, pace restlessly, or temporarily seem disoriented, blind, or deaf.

Epilepsy in dogs generally falls into three categories:

• Reactive seizures

  Triggered by a metabolic issue, such as low blood sugar or kidney or liver failure.

• Structural (secondary) epilepsy

  Stems from an identifiable cause, such as a brain tumor, stroke, or trauma.

• Idiopathic (primary) epilepsy

  Has no identifiable cause and is typically diagnosed by ruling out everything else.

Depending on the type and severity, symptoms can include:

• Rapid heart rate

  Tachycardia or an elevated pulse.

• Weak pulse

  A weak or thready pulse.

• Low blood pressure

  Lower than normal blood pressure.

• Muscle activity changes

  Muscle contractions, twitching, trembling, or shaking.

• Difficulty breathing

  Labored or difficult breathing.

• Visible seizures

  Obvious seizure activity.

• Fainting

  Collapse or loss of consciousness.

• Brain swelling

  Swelling in the brain in some cases.

• Compulsive behaviors

  Compulsive or obsessive behaviors.

As with most conditions, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment matter a great deal for long-term outcomes. Younger dogs tend to be at higher risk for more severe forms of epilepsy, including the idiopathic form. Diagnosis typically involves bloodwork and other lab tests to rule out underlying causes, which may reveal low blood sugar, kidney or liver failure, fatty liver disease, systemic illness, or infectious, viral, or fungal disease.

Essentially, anything that disrupts normal brain activity can influence how epilepsy develops, including the pattern of past seizures themselves, since seizures tend to make future seizures more likely. Other contributing factors include how old a dog was at their first seizure, and how often and severely seizures recur afterward.