Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
New online survey helps describe seizures and movement issues in dogs
By Matz, Madlen S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Small Animal Clinic, Germany·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Development of a Novel Epilepsy and Dyskinesia Survey for Large-Scale Characterization of Seizure Semiology in Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 606 dogs, including many breeds, were studied to better understand seizures and movement disorders (dyskinesia) that their owners thought were epilepsy. Owners completed a detailed online questionnaire about their pets' seizure types, and the results showed that they accurately identified the events 90% of the time. The most common seizure type was generalized convulsive seizures, affecting over half of the dogs, while others experienced different types of episodes. This new tool can help veterinarians and researchers better diagnose and study these conditions in dogs.
People also search for: dog seizures symptoms · Labrador Retriever epilepsy · how to identify dog seizures · dog dyskinesia treatment · canine epilepsy questionnaire
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Diagnosing epilepsy and dyskinesia in dogs relies on seizure semiology, laboratory workup, brain imaging, and electroencephalography. Variability in existing epilepsy surveys complicates comparison and impedes epidemiologic and genetic research. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the semiology of epileptic seizures and dyskinesia episodes using a novel, owner-completed, multi-language online questionnaire. ANIMALS: A cohort of 606 dogs from 96 breeds with paroxysmal events, perceived by their owners as epilepsy or dyskinesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive epilepsy and dyskinesia questionnaire featuring pragmatic seizure categories and video upload was developed in German, Finnish, and English. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed, and the study cohort analyzed. RESULTS: The questionnaire demonstrated strong internal consistency and interrater agreement. Owners correctly classified paroxysmal events in 90.1% of cases (95% CI 88.18-92.11). Video footage was submitted from 23.8% (143/606) and supported the seizure type in the questionnaire in 96.5%. The age of onset ranged from 6 months to 6 years in 80.2% (median 2 years; IQR 1-5 years). Generalized (epileptic) convulsive seizures occurred in 58.6% of dogs, non-generalized paroxysmal motor events without convulsions in 58.1%, sudden falls without movement in 6.1%, episodes of impaired awareness in 15.8%, and other unclassified events in 7.1%. Multiple seizure types were reported in 25.2% of the dogs. Labrador Retrievers exhibited a higher prevalence of non-generalized motor events compared to Border Collies, Siberian Huskies, and other breeds (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire reliably characterizes epileptic seizures and dyskinesia episodes in dogs, making it a valuable tool for large-scale epidemiological and genetic studies.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40375574/