Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Diagnosis of rapid eye movement sleep disorder with electroencephalography and treatment with tricyclic antidepressants in a dog.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 2004
- Authors:
- Bush, William W et al.
- Affiliation:
- Veterinary Hospital · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-month-old female Labrador retriever mix was brought to the vet because she was having two different kinds of seizure-like episodes, with one type happening only while she was asleep. Tests showed that the episodes during sleep were linked to a specific sleep stage called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, leading to a diagnosis of a REM behavior disorder. The other episodes that occurred while she was awake were identified as seizures. Additionally, the dog was found to have obsessive-compulsive behavior and generalized anxiety. After starting treatment with tricyclic antidepressants, both the sleep-related episodes and the anxiety improved.
Abstract
A 9-month-old, female Labrador retriever mix was presented for two types of seizure-like episodes, one of which occurred only during sleep. The two types of episodes were morphologically distinct. An electroencephalogram (EEG) demonstrated that the sleep-associated episodes occurred during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, supporting a diagnosis of a REM behavior disorder. Based on their morphology and response to antiseizure medications, the waking episodes were diagnosed as seizures. The animal was also diagnosed with an obsessive-compulsive and generalized anxiety disorder. The REM behavior disorder and anxiety-related behaviors improved with tricyclic antidepressant therapy.
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: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15533971/