Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Alert system tested to warn caregivers of seizures in dogs
By Coles, Lisa D et al.·Published in Epilepsy research·2013·University of Minnesota, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Feasibility study of a caregiver seizure alert system in canine epilepsy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Four dogs with epilepsy were fitted with a special device that detects seizures and sends alerts to their caregivers. This system was tested over eight weeks, and during that time, two of the dogs had prolonged seizures. Each time, the device successfully notified a veterinarian, who was able to confirm the seizures through video monitoring and administer rescue medication to stop them. This technology shows promise in helping manage seizures in dogs by allowing for quicker responses and potentially reducing the risk of injury during a seizure.
People also search for: dog seizure alert system · canine epilepsy treatment · how to help a dog during a seizure
Abstract
A device capable of detecting seizures and alerting caregivers would be a major advance for epilepsy management, and could be used to guide early intervention and prevent seizure-related injuries. The objective of this work was to evaluate a seizure advisory system (SAS) that alerts caregivers of seizures in canines with naturally occurring epilepsy. Four dogs with epilepsy were implanted with a SAS that wirelessly transmits continuous intracranial EEG (iEEG) to an external device embedded with a seizure detection algorithm and the capability to alert caregivers. In this study a veterinarian was alerted by automated text message if prolonged or repetitive seizures occurred, and a rescue therapy protocol was implemented. The performance of the SAS caregiver alert was evaluated over the course of 8 weeks. Following discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs, the dogs experienced spontaneous unprovoked partial seizures that secondarily generalized. Three prolonged or repetitive seizure episodes occurred in 2 of the dogs. On each occasion, the SAS caregiver alert successfully alerted an on call veterinarian who confirmed the seizure activity via remote video-monitoring. A rescue medication was then administered and the seizures were aborted. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a SAS to alert caregivers to the occurrence of prolonged or repetitive seizures and enables rescue medications to be delivered in a timely manner. The SAS may improve the management of human epilepsy by alerting caregivers of seizures, enabling early interventions, and potentially improving outcomes and quality of life of patients and caregivers.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23962794/