Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common are seizures in dogs and which breeds are at risk
By Erlen, Alexander et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2018·Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Seizure occurrence in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK: prevalence and risk factors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that about 0.82% of dogs in the UK experienced at least one seizure in a year. Certain breeds, like Pugs, were more likely to have seizures, and male dogs had a higher risk compared to females. Age also played a role, with dogs aged 3 to 6 years being more prone to seizures, as well as larger dogs weighing over 40 kg. Understanding these factors can help veterinarians better diagnose and treat dogs showing signs of seizures.
People also search for: dog seizures in Pugs · why is my male dog having seizures · seizure risk factors in dogs · dog seizure treatment options · common breeds for dog seizures
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Primary-care veterinary clinical records can offer data to determine generalizable epidemiological data on seizures occurrence in the dog population. OBJECTIVES: To identify and examine epidemiologic characteristics of seizure occurrence in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK participating in the VetCompass™ Programme. ANIMALS: 455,553 dogs in VetCompass™'. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis estimated the 1-year period prevalence and risk factors for dogs with seizures during 2013. RESULTS: The overall 1-year period prevalence for dogs having at least one seizure during 2013 was 0.82% (95% CI 0.79-0.84). Multivariable modelling identified breeds with elevated odd ratios [OR] compared with the Labrador Retriever (e.g. Pug OR: 3.41 95% CI 2.71-4.28, P < 0.001). Males had higher risk for seizures (Male/Entire OR: 1.47 95% CI 1.30-1.66; Male/Neutered OR: 1.34 95% CI 1.19-1.51) compared to entire females. Age (3.00 - ≤ 6.00 OR: 2.13 95% CI 1.90-2.39, P < 0.001, compared to animals aged 0.50-≤ 3.00 years), and bodyweight (≥ 40.00kg, OR: 1.24 95% CI 1.08-1.41, P = 0.002, compared to animals weighing < 10.0 kg) were identified as risk factors for seizures. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Seizures are a relatively common clinical finding in dogs. The results for breed, age, sex and bodyweight as risk factors can assist veterinarians in refining differential diagnosis lists for dogs reported with behaviors that may have been seizures. In addition, the prevalence values reported here can support pharmacovigilance with baseline data from the overall population.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30216557/