Dog Epilepsy

The diagnosis of epilepsy consists of eliminating all other causes of seizures. There is no test and even the electroencephalogram,which is not available to most veterinarians, is of little help. Epilepsy isconsidered an inherited defect and veterinarians recognize its presencein strains of many breeds. Most cases develop in dogs six to eighteenmonths of age but it is not unusual for older dogs to be brought in aftera convulsion which may be the first of a long series of seizures.It is unusual to find a disease of such magnitude in man about whichso little is known. It is indeed frustrating toknow so little about it. In its mild form it is not a violent condition but mild cases all too often progress gradually into major seizures.It appears to act as a chain reaction of excited cells in the brain thatpass that excitement along a neural pathway that becomes more (exten-sive) with each seizure. If the condition is observed before many at-tacks have occurred, anticpileptic drugs may prevent the tract's mem-ory from being retained arid in a few months or years the memory maydisappear and subsequently the medication may be withdrawn.Occasionally an dog is brought in for some other reasons, at whichtime the owner describes what appears to be the forerunner of seizures.The dog suddenly stops playing and stares into space for ten or soseconds and then resumes playing as if nothing had happened. Somedog are described as appearing to follow an imaginary flying insectalso for a few seconds. This behavior suggests a condition similar topetit mat seizures in humans. But in dogs these infrequent mildchanges develop into brief seizures wherein the dog may not lose itsfooting and may not lose contact with the environment. There areusually long periods of time during which most dogs are not observedby their owners, such as when they're asleep or when their owners areaway from home.

Many owners have observed seizures once or twice a year, and theseusually are not medicated as three times daily medication to preventsuch rare convulsions does not seem practical.

When not treated, souse epileptic dog have a convulsion once orso a month initially and as months go by the seizures become more andmore frequent until the poor dog finally develops a convulsion fromwhich it cannot recover. This condition is called status epilepticus anddemands intensive veterinary care for any chance of recovery.

The problem varies so with individual dog that it is impossible topredict the future, even with the best of medications. One form of thedisease apparently causes only one severe convulsion and is never expe-rienced again.

Of the four most common drugs to control epilepsy, phenobarbital is recommended, which is determined by administering an initial loading dose. A loading dose isone in excess of the eventual dose which is determined by the loadingdose's effect Oil the dog. The dog acts drunk when more than thenecessary amount is administered. The eventual object is to administerthe maximum dose without the patient showing any effects of it.The object of the treatment is to prevent future convulsions butusually there will be a patient that still has less severe and less frequentseizures for the remainder of its life. Other drugs such as primidonemay be the drug of choice or combinations may prove most effective. Itwill be necessary to work closely with your veterinarian for any hope ofstabilizing the dog.