Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
German shepherd dog had seizures from temporary high ammonia levels
By Lobetti, R G et al.·Published in Journal of the South African Veterinary Association·1997·Department of Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Transient hyperammonaemia in an adult German shepherd dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old male German shepherd was brought in for severe seizures that lasted for about six weeks. Tests showed he had high levels of ammonia in his blood, which can be harmful and is often linked to liver problems or other health issues, but no specific cause was found. Fortunately, the dog's condition improved on its own without any specific treatment. This case suggests that some dogs can experience a temporary increase in ammonia levels, similar to a condition seen in humans, even into adulthood.
People also search for: German shepherd seizures · high ammonia levels in dogs · transient hyperammonaemia treatment
Abstract
A 3-year-old male German shepherd dog was presented with severe generalised seizures. The dog was protein-intolerant and showed severe hyperammonaemia on ammonia stimulation. The hyperammonaemic state was present for at least 6 weeks and then spontaneously resolved. No obvious cause (liver disease, portocaval shunts, urea cycle enzyme deficiencies, drug therapy or urinary tract obstruction) could be identified. It is possible that this dog had a variation of transient hyperammonaemic syndrome, described in man and recently in a juvenile Irish wolfhound, that extended into adulthood.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9291077/