Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Risk factors for cluster seizures in dogs with epilepsy
By Packer, Rowena M A et al.·Published in Research in veterinary science·2016·Department of Clinical Science and Services, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Risk factors for cluster seizures in canine idiopathic epilepsy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that nearly half of the dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (a type of epilepsy with no known cause) experienced cluster seizures, which are two or more seizures within a 24-hour period. German Shepherds were particularly affected, with 71% experiencing these cluster seizures, compared to only 25% of Labrador Retrievers. Factors like a history of severe seizures (status epilepticus) and the age when seizures first started also played a role in predicting the likelihood of cluster seizures. Understanding these risk factors can help veterinarians better manage epilepsy in dogs.
People also search for: dog cluster seizures treatment · German Shepherd epilepsy symptoms · why does my dog have multiple seizures in a day
Abstract
Cluster seizures (CS), two or more seizures within a 24-hour period, are reported in 38-77% of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Negative outcomes associated with CS include a reduced likelihood of achieving seizure freedom, decreased survival time and increased likelihood of euthanasia. Previous studies have found factors including breed, sex and neuter status are associated with CS in dogs with IE; however, only one UK study in a multi-breed study of CS in IE patients exists to the author's knowledge, and thus further data is required to confirm these results. Data from 384 dogs treated at a multi-breed canine specific epilepsy clinic were retrospectively collected from electronic patient records. 384 dogs were included in the study, of which nearly half had a history of CS (49.1%). Dogs with a history of CS had a younger age at onset than those without (p = 0.033). In a multivariate model, three variables predicted risk of CS: a history of status epilepticus (p = 0.047), age at seizure onset (p = 0.066) and breed (German Shepherd Dog) (p < 0.001). Dogs with a history of status epilepticus and dogs with an older age at seizure onset were less likely to be affected by cluster seizures. German Shepherd Dogs (71% experiencing CS) were significantly more likely to suffer from CS compared to Labrador Retrievers (25%) (p < 0.001). There was no association between sex, neuter status, body size and CS. Further studies into the pathophysiology and genetics of CS are required to further understand this phenomenon.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27033922/