I have a seizing dog...
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Seizures may be caused by anything that disrupts normal brain circuitry:
Primary Epilepsy - also known as idiopathic, genetic, or inherited epilepsy. Epilepsy is assumed to inherited when no diagnostic evidence can be found to explain the cause of seizures. It is a case of ruling out every other possibility. The first seizure in a dog with primary epilepsy usually occurs between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. The age of onset and family history may suggest a genetic basis for primary epilepsy if there is a familial history of seizures.
Secondary Epilepsy –refers to seizures for which an underlying cause can be determined. Some possible causes include:
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Hypothyroidism (low thyroid)
- Infections causing brain damage (such as canine distemper, Cryptococcosis, etc.)
- Toxicity (ingestion of lead paint chips, insecticide, poisons, etc.)
- Brain tumor
- Portosystemic shunts. Improperly routed intestinal blood vessels bypass the liver (one of the body's important waste-product detoxifiers)
- Acepromazine - can reduce the seizure threshold and thus bring on a seizure.
- Trauma
In dogs less than one year of age, the most commonly-found causes of seizures can be broken down into the following classes: degenerative (storage diseases); developmental (hydrocephalus); toxic (lead, arsenic, organophosphates, chlorinated hydrocarbons, strychnine, tetanus); infectious (distemper, encephalitis, and others); metabolic (such as transient hypoglycemia, enzyme deficiency, liver or kidney failure); nutritional (thiamine, parasitism); and traumatic (acute injury). In dogs 1-3 years of age, a genetic factor is most highly suspected. In dogs 4 years of age and older, seizures are commonly found in the metabolic (hypoglycemia, cardiovascular arrhythmia, hypocalcemia, cirrhosis) and neoplastic (brain tumor) classes.
Under each age category (the age when seizures first occurred), the possible causes (etiology) are approximately listed as the most likely first and the least likely cause last.
Less Than 1 Year of Age
Anomaly: hydrocephalus.
Inflammatory:
Infectious - Viral: canine distemper; parasitic; bacterial; fungal
Immune mediated
Metabolic:
Hepatic - portosystemic shunt; Autoimmune thyroiditis (early stage: TgAA positive); Hypoglycemia; Electrolyte disorders
Toxic: Single or combination vaccines; Lead; Drug related; Other exposures
Trauma: Acute; Delayed
Degenerative: Storage disorders
Primary: Idiopathic Epilepsy ("idiopathic" = cause unknown or undetermined)
Between 1 - 5 Years of Age
Primary: Idiopathic Epilepsy ("idiopathic" = cause unknown or undetermined)
Inflammatory:
Infectious - Viral: canine distemper; parasitic; bacterial; fungal
Immune mediated
Metabolic:
Hepatic - Thyroid dysfunction; portosystemic shunt; Hypoglycemia; Electrolyte disorders
Anomaly: hydrocephalus
Trauma: Acute; Delayed
Toxic: Single or combination vaccines; Lead; Drug related; Other exposures
Neoplasia: Primary; Metastatic
5 Years of Age and Older
Neoplasia: Primary; Metastatic
Metabolic:
Thyroid dysfunction; Hypoglycemia - insulinoma; Hepatic - cirrhosis; Electrolyte disturbances
Vascular:
Focal ischemia - Thromboembolism; vasospasm
Hemorrhage: hypertension; vasculitis
Inflammatory:
Infectious - Viral: canine distemper; parasitic; bacterial; fungal
Immune mediated
Primary: Idiopathic Epilepsy ("idiopathic" = cause unknown or undetermined)
Degenerative
Toxic: Lead; Drug related; Other exposures
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- Note the time to determine how long the seizure lasts.
- Keep your hands away from the dogs’ mouth. The dog will not swallow its tongue, but may unintentionally bite you.
- Gently pull the dog by the scruff of its neck away from adjacent dangers (stairs, streets, pool, fireplace, and electrical wires).
- If your dog is on a hard surface, a blanket or something soft under the head my help to avoid injury.
- Keep the dog as quiet as possible. Loud or sharp noises may prolong the seizure or make it worse.
- Removed other dogs from the area, as they may disturb or attack the seizuring dog.
- If the seizure lasts more than five minutes or if several shorter seizures occur consecutively, get veterinary assistance immediately.
- Note a complete description of the seizure in a seizure log: frequency, duration, and severity, as well as any behavioral abnormalities associated with the seizure. An accurate description is important because there are other conditions with symptoms that mimic seizures, such as cardiac and/or pulmonary disease, narcolepsy, cataplexy, myasthenia gravis, and metabolic disturbances.
Helping your dog after a Seizure
Following a seizure, your dog may be completely disoriented and will attempt to restore its body’s needs; hunger, thirst deep sleep, barking and insecurity are all normal. Allow your dog to drink freely and eat small amounts of food; however avoid excessive food consumption because it could trigger vomiting. If your dog is pacing or seems disoriented, confine it to a comfortable crate or a small room to prevent injury until normal behavior returns. If overheating occurs due to prolonged or multiple seizures, a blowing fan, wet jacket, or cool cloths applied to the feet and abdomen will assist in the cool down. If you have multiple dogs, separation or protection may be necessary. A seizing dog can trigger the "pack" instinct in which an injured animal is attacked. Monitor your other dogs in this situation.
After a seizure, your dog may exhibit some of the following behaviors: bumping into walls and doors, restlessness, autonomic discharge and transient blindness. For many owners, this is just as distressing as the actual seizure. Always remain calm - your dog’s behavior often reflects your behavior. If your dog is anxious or fearful, sit and comfort it.
You may find it helpful to give your dog a small dose of rescue remedy and/or a small amount of Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream immediately following a seizure. The reason for this is that rescue remedy tends to have a calming affect on a dog and the ice cream helps restore the blood sugar level in the dogs’ body that tends to drop drastically during a seizure. Not only does it taste good, but bringing the blood sugar level up to normal can help to prevent additional seizures. Low blood sugar itself can cause seizures. If your dog has very obvious pre-seizure behavior and you give a little ice cream before a seizure happens, this can sometimes stop the seizure altogether. You might want to thaw the ice cream a bit by letting it sit out on the counter or "zapping" it in the microwave briefly.
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Below is a list of tests that are typically run to help rule
out the above causes before a diagnosis of IE is reached. Note: in certain circumstances,
some of these tests may not be deemed necessary by your veterinarian in reaching a diagnosis.
- CBC including a BUN, ALT, ALP, & calcium
- Fasting blood glucose level & Serum glucose level to check for hypoglycemia
- Thyroid panel - It is a good idea to have a full thyroid panel of 6 different tests to determine if your dog is hypothyroid. The tests needed are T3, T4, free T3, free T4, T3 and T4 Autoantibodies. Two or three thyroid tests (e.g.T4, free T4 or TSH) are not conclusive for hypothyroidism. Make sure that all 6 tests listed are run. Proper thyroid medication may reduce or eliminate seizures.
- EEG, CT or MRI to see if there are findings suggestive of a tumor.
- Cerebrospinal fluid analysis, to look for encephalitis, distemper and other infection.
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Nobody who's had to watch helplessly as their beloved pet is gripped in the throws
of a grand mal would ever wish that experience on anyone else. But without knowing
about the affected dogs in a pedigree, breeders are doomed to continue breeding
proven carriers and other close relatives, to the misfortune of those who purchase
puppies from these crosses. And thus, the cycle will repeat itself.
The only way we can stop this cycle is to start sharing information about our
affected dogs, in an honest, candid manner. Some people who have grown up in the
"old school" of purebred dogs, where one is taught to sweep one's genetic problems
under the rug and out of the public eye, will likely be resistant to the notion of
broadcasting the names of affected and carrier dogs. It is important that we change
this trend, and for all of us to approach the matter of sharing information
about IE (and other genetic diseases) in an open and supportive manner. It's the
only way we're going to get a handle on it!
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It is most important that you share information about your affected dog with those
people who have a stake in his pedigree. Obviously, your dog's breeder is the first
person who needs to know, in case either of your dog's parents are still being
actively used in their breeding program. Then, depending on your relationship with
your breeder, you should coordinate efforts to notify the stud owner, and any owners
of full or half siblings. Ideally, the task of notifying owners of siblings should
fall to the breeder, since few puppy buyers know or have relationships with all the
owners of his or her dog's siblings, so this is where it is very important to have
an honest and supportive breeder to help out.
If by some chance your breeder is
not honest or supportive and indicates to you that he or she is unwilling to
share this information with the stud owner or owners of full and half-siblings, it
may fall to you to get in touch with those owners you are aware of, to let them know.
It will be awkward, but the information is important, and hopefully they will be thankful
you told them.
After the owners of your dog's relatives, another, perhaps equally important place to share your information
is with the two ongoing research studies of IE in the Australian Shepherd.
Canine Epilepsy Network (headed up by University of Missouri)
has a study in progress to try to identify
the genetic markers of IE in the Aussie, and IE's mode of inheritance. IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE
HELP THESE FOLKS HELP US, TO SAVE THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD AS WE KNOW IT. The researchers
will maintain your data in complete confidentiality, but need samples of your affected dog's DNA and that of any
relatives you can get your hands on, in order to help isolate the responsible genes that cause IE. The
Research Coordinator study is very nice, and easy to work with, so please don't miss this important step!
The third person you should tell is C.A. Sharp. C.A. maintains an extensive database of
pedigree information and has, for the last couple decades, also maintained information about
the occurrence of genetic diseases in those pedigrees. She can use your data (without sharing any names, to "protect" your dog), to more accurately assess risk
in any related pedigrees she may be asked to evaluate.
The final set of people you should tell, are any interested parties who may approach you doing pedigree
research. As mentioned elsewhere in this website,
these people most often honestly seeking information to help them make more informed breeding
decisions, they are not usually out on a witch hunt. They are seeking information, not ammunition, and your information
might be the one piece that makes a difference!
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Each dog is different, so is their ability to metabolize medications. In order for any drug therapy to be effective, the amount of the drug in the body must be consistently monitored and adjusted to accommodate each individual dogs own body chemistry. No two dogs will react the same way to the same drug in the same dose. So, initially you must observe your dog, communicate with your vet, monitor your dogs blood levels, and adjust the type or quantity of medication given accordingly.
Medications used to control seizures:
Phenobarbital (PB)
- the most commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of seizures
- most epileptic dogs can be controlled effectively with PB alone
- relatively inexpensive
- fairly easy to maintain PB serum levels with 2 or 3 times a day daily dosing
- few side effects other than some interaction with the liver
- Dogs on Phenobarbital need to have their liver enzymes tested every few months using the following tests ALT (SGPT), AST (SGOT), GGT, and Alkaline Phosphatase.
- available by prescription in pill capsule or liquid form
Potassium Bromide (KBr)
- should be considered for dogs whose seizures are considered refractory (not controlled by another AED (anti epilepsy drug)
- Combining potassium bromide and phenobarbitol may be useful for patients who do not respond well to phenobarbital or primidone alone.
- is the anticonvulsant of choice for dogs with liver disease as it is not processed by the liver
- preferred for dogs with kidney problems
- effective in controlling cluster seizures
- should be given with food and not on an empty stomach
- available by prescription in pill capsule or liquid form
Primadone (Mysoline)
- metabolizes into Phenobarbital within the dogs’ system.
- can also cause liver damage.
- some dogs who do not respond to PB will respond to Primadone.
Felbamate
- often beneficial for dogs who are resistant to PB and KBR.
- can also cause liver damage.
- extremely expensive
- requires dosing every 8 hours
Diazepam (Valium)
- available as an injectable, oral, or rectal application
- good choice to halt a cluster seizure or interrupt status epilepticus.
Gabapentin
- one of the newer AEDs (anti epilepsy drugs.
- offers some exciting potential for use in dogs.
- most often used as a secondary (or add-on) drug to help treat seizures that cannot be controlled by other AEDs alone
- has been recommended by board certified neurologists for seizure control.
- only partially metabolized by the liver in dogs
- can be used in combination with liver-metabolized anticonvulsants (i.e Phenobarbital
- must also be given at least three times a day to have effective serum drug concentrations.
- rather expensive
Dilantin
- currently not recommended for use in canines to control seizures.
Alternative Treatments to control seizures:
- Acupuncture
- Gold Bead Implants
- Chinese Herbs
- Homeopathic Remedies and Flower Essences
- Diet
- Vitamin and Mineral supplementation
These treatments can be done alone or in conjunction with traditional seizure medications, but be sure to discuss your decisions with your vet or vets. Some methods may contradict or counteract one another, and it is best to make your vets aware of all your protocols. In addition, remember that it is important not to delay prompt or aggressive treatment for dogs having severe seizures. Consider using traditional medications first to get the seizures under control and then incorporate alternative methods into your program with the goal to be to reduce your dogs’ drug intake.
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- Never leave your IE dog alone with other dogs.
If your dog were to experience a seizure, the other dogs might attack it.
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