Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common is epilepsy in Boxer dogs at a referral hospital
By Loncarica, Tina et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2022·Anicura Portoni Rossi Veterinary Hospital, Italy·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Prevalence of idiopathic epilepsy and structural epilepsy in 74 Boxer dogs in a referral hospital.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 74 Boxer dogs was evaluated for seizures, and it was found that most had structural epilepsy, often linked to brain tumors. Specifically, 69 dogs (93.2%) were diagnosed with structural epilepsy, while only 5 dogs (6.8%) had idiopathic epilepsy, which means no obvious cause was found. Many of the dogs with structural epilepsy showed signs of intracranial tumors, especially in older dogs. The study suggests that if a Boxer dog has seizures, it’s important for them to get an MRI to check for any underlying brain issues.
People also search for: Boxer dog seizures · Boxer epilepsy treatment · brain tumor in dogs · MRI for dog seizures · idiopathic epilepsy in Boxers
Abstract
The prevalence of idiopathic epilepsy and structural epilepsy in Boxer dogs is unknown. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prevalence of structural and idiopathic epilepsy in the Boxer population. A total of 74 Boxer dogs were included in the study from the database of one referral hospital and the following were recorded: signalment, history, clinical findings and results of advanced diagnostic imaging. Five dogs (6.8%) were diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy, of which one was in the <6 months age group, three were in the 6-72 months age group and one was in the >72 months age group. Sixty-nine dogs (93.2%) were diagnosed with structural epilepsy. Sixty-six had a suspected intracranial neoplasia: Eight were in the 6-72 months age group and represent 66.7% of the dogs in that age group. The other fifty-eight were in the >72 months age group and represent 96.7% of the dogs in that age group. In our Boxer population, 81.8% of the patients had a suspected intra-axial tumor and 22.7% of dogs with an intracranial pathology nevertheless had a normal neurological examination. In conclusion, in the majority of boxer patients the cause of epilepsy is a suspected intracranial neoplasia regardless of the age at presentation. Considering the finding in this study of a low prevalence of presumed idiopathic epilepsy in the Boxer breed, it is recommended that patients who satisfy Tier I confidence level of the "International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force" (IVETF) also undergo an MRI study of the brain.
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/36061109/