Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common is epilepsy of unknown origin in UK dogs and which breeds
By Kearsley-Fleet, L et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2013·The University of Manchester, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence and risk factors for canine epilepsy of unknown origin in the UK.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that about 0.62% of dogs in the UK have epilepsy of unknown origin, which means their seizures don't have a clear cause. Male dogs are more likely to be affected than females, and certain breeds like Border Terriers and German Shepherds are at higher risk compared to mixed-breed dogs. Interestingly, West Highland White Terriers seem to have a lower chance of developing this condition. This information can help veterinarians better diagnose and treat dogs with epilepsy.
People also search for: dog seizures causes · epilepsy in Border Terriers · German Shepherd seizure treatment
Abstract
Epidemiological evaluation of canine epilepsy is an under-researched area. The objectives of this study were to estimate prevalence and investigate risk factors for epilepsy of unknown origin (EUO) among dogs attending primary veterinary practices in the UK. The clinical data analysed spanned a two-year period and included all dogs attending 92 primary veterinary clinics participating in the VetCompass project. Five hundred and thirty-nine EUO cases were identified giving a prevalence of 0.62% (95% CI 0.57% to 0.67%). Males were over 1.5 times as likely to have EUO compared with females (95% CI 1.44 to 2.06; P < 0.001). Of purebred dogs, the border terrier had 2.70 (95% CI 1.57 to 4.62; P < 0.001) and the German shepherd dog had 1.90 (95% CI 1.28 to 2.80; P=0.001) times increased odds of EUO compared with crossbred dogs. In addition, the West Highland white terrier had reduced odds (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.62; P=0.004) of EUO compared with crossbred dogs (likelihood ratio test P < 0.0001). No association was found with neuter status, colour or weight. The current study highlights the clinical importance of epilepsy as a canine disorder in the UK. Increased awareness of sex and breed predispositions may assist clinicians with diagnosis. Further research is merited to evaluate the specific breed associations identified.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23300065/