27 May 2020
“Many of our findings echo what is seen in human epilepsy patients and add evidence to support the presence of prodromal pre-seizure periods in dogs as well as people” – RVC.
James Westgate
Job Title
Image © Lindsay_Helms / Adobe Stock
A new RVC study could help owners more easily identify behavioural changes in their dogs just prior to an epileptic seizure and provide more information on what triggers the event.
The research – carried out by PhD student Sarah Finnegan and a multidisciplinary team of neurologists, behaviourists and biologists – found nearly two thirds of owners reported pre-seizure changes in their dog (65%).
Most commonly these changes were clinginess, excessive energy and unsettled sleep, but signs varied between dogs, with other common changes including clumsiness, excessive panting, becoming withdrawn or quiet, and lacking energy.
A high percentage of owners (43%) also reported seizure triggers – including loud noises, fireworks, storms, household products (cleaning products and air freshener), and preventive health care, including flea and worming products and vaccinations.
More than half of owners (60%) believed they were able to predict an upcoming seizure in their dog by using a combination of pre-seizure changes and recognising triggers.
Nearly half of these owners were able to do so 30 minutes or more before the seizure commenced.
Rowena Packer, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council research fellow and research lead in canine epilepsy at the RVC, said: “Many of our findings echo what is seen in human epilepsy patients and add evidence to support the presence of prodromal pre-seizure periods in dogs as well as people.
“Collecting further objective data to confirm these findings and explore ways to proactively utilise this period for seizure management are of priority for future research.”
Dr Packer added: “This study also highlights how crucial it is that owners of dogs with epilepsy keep good records, not just of their dog’s seizures, but also of changes in behaviour and exposure to potential triggers, to gain a better picture of patterns in their dog’s seizure activity.
“The RVC Pet Epilepsy Tracker app allows owners to keep records, which can also be shared electronically with their vet and with the RVC for further research.”
