7 Dec 2021
“Any vet who has recently treated dogs with idiopathic epilepsy in primary care is invited to respond” – Sebastian Griffin, study lead.
James Westgate
Job Title
A survey of primary care vets has been launched to learn more about the management of canine idiopathic epilepsy (IE) in primary care.
The anonymous survey closes on 15 January 2022, and has been created to help inform and support educational strategies for the management of canine epilepsy in primary care.
The survey is part of a study being undertaken by a group of clinical experts at Linnaeus, led by Sebastian Griffin, an advanced practitioner in small animal medicine at Vet4life in London.
Dr Griffin is collaborating with Fabio Stabile, a veterinary neurologist at Southfields Veterinary Specialists in Essex, and Luisa De Risio, clinical research and excellence director at Linnaeus, and a specialist in veterinary neurology.
IE is the most common chronic neurological disease found in dogs and can significantly impact the quality of life for pets and their owners. Affecting many breeds of dog, this complex condition is often lifelong, and remission is rare.
IE can include recurrent epileptic seizures and behavioural and cognitive co-morbidities. While IE can lead to a shortened lifespan, effective treatment can prolong life expectancy in many cases.
Dr Griffin said: “There is so much more to learn about canine idiopathic epilepsy to ensure that vets, pets and their owners have the best possible support when dealing with this disorder. We want to offer a more targeted, clinically applicable, and relevant approach to its diagnosis and treatment.
“Any vet who has recently treated dogs with idiopathic epilepsy in primary care is invited to respond. The survey only takes 5 to 10 minutes, but provides us with invaluable information that will help to inform and develop best practice. We are planning to share the results, along with educational resources and evidence-based guidelines, with our peers across the industry next year.”
Dr De Risio added: “At Linnaeus we’re committed to delivering research that can make a real difference to pet health and quality of life. This study will help to provide guidance on how best to treat a condition that can be very distressing for dogs and their owners.”
The online survey and further information can be found online [https://bit.ly/3mfwVRe].
The study and survey results are due to be published in an open access peer-reviewed scientific journal by the end of 2022.
