Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Toxoplasma and Neospora infections linked to epilepsy in dogs
By Morganti, G et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2024·Department of Veterinary Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infection in epileptic dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at 128 dogs, half with epilepsy and half without, to see if two parasites, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum, were linked to seizures. They found that about 27% of the epileptic dogs tested positive for T. gondii, while 13% tested positive for N. caninum. However, the rates were similar in the non-epileptic group, suggesting that these parasites are not likely causing epilepsy in dogs. This means that if your dog has seizures, it may not be related to these infections.
People also search for: dog seizures causes · Toxoplasma gondii in dogs · Neospora caninum and epilepsy in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Studies in humans have demonstrated the role of Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite, in epileptic seizures. This study aimed to investigate the serological correlation between T. gondii and N. caninum and epilepsy in dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical record database of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Perugia, was searched for dogs serologically tested by IFAT for T. gondii and N. caninum and following specific inclusion criteria. Dogs were stratified by having a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or suffering different conditions. RESULTS: One-hundred and twenty-eight dogs were included, 64 with epilepsy and 64 without clinical signs of epilepsy. Seventeen of the 64 epileptic dogs (26.6%; 95% CI: 15.7% to 37.4%) and twenty-one of the 64 non-epileptic dogs (32.8%; 95% CI: 21.3% to 44.3%) tested positive for T. gondii. Eight of the epileptic dogs (12.5%; 95% CI: 4.4% to 20.6%) and three of the non-epileptic dogs (4.7%; 95% CI: 0% to 9.9%) tested positive for N. caninum. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of T. gondii or N. caninum seroreactivity between epileptic and non-epileptic dogs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The results obtained do not seem to support the role of T. gondii and N. caninum as causative agents of dog epilepsy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38757475/