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Idiopathic Epilepsy
  • Description
  • Signalment
  • Clinical Features
  • Neurolocalization
  • Genetics
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Epilepsy is recurrent seizures regardless of cause. This disease can be broadly divided into idiopathic (primary; genetic) and acquired (secondary to another primary disease; cryptogenic) forms. Multiple breeds have a known genetic predisposition to seizures. In these breeds, an alteration to their neuronal excitation/inhibition balance predisposes them to seizure activity.
Age of Onset: Any age of animal can be affected. Dogs typically have their first seizure between 6 months - 4 years of age.
Sex Predisposition: Any sex of animal can be affected
*Some reports suggest there may be an increased prevalence of idiopathic epilepsy in males compared to females (Kearsley‐Fleet et al., 2013)
Clinical Course:
​Clinical signs are variable and may worsen over time
Clinical Signs:
Behavioral/Mental Awareness
Anxious
Behavior changes
“Gazing”
Unresponsive
Seizures

Posture and Appearance
“Shaking”
Muscle “shivering”
With grand mal seizures often will assume a lateral recumbent position

Movement
Circling
Falling
“Stiffness” in neck and legs
Turning head to one side
Vigorous peddling/paddling of limbs

Cranial Nerves
Blindness
Contracting facial muscles
Dilated pupils
Nystagmus

Special Functions (e.g. respiration; urination)
Salivation
Defecating
Urinating
Vomiting

Other
Chewing
Intracranial- forebrain
Unknown
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