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Clear answers to the questions owners ask me most often, based on the international veterinary neurology guidelines.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy · 10 minEpilepsy in dogsEpilepsy in dogs is a brain disorder that causes repeated epileptic seizures with no trigger outside the brain. A dog is considered to have epilepsy after at least two unprovoked seizures more than 24 hours apart. In most dogs it cannot be cured, but with the right diagnosis and carefully monitored treatment the seizures can be controlled and the dog can have a good life.Epilepsy · 5 minTypes of epileptic seizures in dogs and catsEpileptic seizures fall into three main types: focal (starting in one area of the brain and affecting one part of the body), focal seizures that spread to the whole body, and generalised (involving both hemispheres from the start). In dogs, the most common is a focal seizure that becomes generalised. Whatever the type, two situations are emergencies: cluster seizures and status epilepticus.Epilepsy · 6 minCauses of epileptic seizures and how the diagnosis is madeEpileptic seizures in dogs and cats have three kinds of cause: problems outside the brain (reactive seizures, for example low blood sugar or poisoning), lesions in the brain (structural epilepsy) and idiopathic epilepsy, where no cause is found. The diagnosis is built up in stages: history and video, neurological examination, blood and urine tests, then MRI, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis and, where needed, EEG.Epilepsy · 6 minSeizure or fainting?Fainting (syncope) is usually brief, lasting a few seconds, with a floppy body and a quick recovery, and no confusion afterwards. A generalised epileptic seizure usually involves a stiff or jerking body, can last 1-3 minutes and is followed by a period of confusion. The difference is confirmed at the consultation, and a video of the episode helps more than anything else.Epilepsy · 6 minEpilepsy in catsEpileptic seizures in cats often look different from those in dogs: twitching of the face or ears, drooling, chewing at nothing, a sudden dash across the room for no reason, sometimes followed by a generalised seizure. Compared with dogs, cats more often turn out to have a specific cause in the brain, so investigations matter all the more. Many cats respond well to treatment, and some even go into remission.Epilepsy · 6 minDog breeds predisposed to epilepsyIdiopathic epilepsy can affect any dog, pedigree or crossbreed, but in studies some breeds show a much higher frequency than the average of roughly 0.6-0.75%. They include the Belgian Shepherd, Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, Labrador and Golden Retriever, Border Terrier, Italian Spinone and Lagotto Romagnolo. The first seizures usually appear between 6 months and 6 years of age.
Living with epilepsy
Living with epilepsy · 5 minWhat to do when your dog or cat has an epileptic seizureDuring a seizure, stay calm, move away anything your pet could hit, do not put your hand or any object in its mouth, time the seizure and, if you can, film it. Once a seizure has started, the owner cannot stop it, and most end on their own within 1-2 minutes. If it lasts longer than 5 minutes, or seizures follow one another without recovery, go straight to the nearest emergency vet clinic that is open now.Living with epilepsy · 8 minLiving with an epileptic dogA dog with epilepsy can have a good life if the medication is given at the same times every day, the recommended check-ups are kept and there is a clear plan for seizures at home. Treatment is usually lifelong, and its realistic aim is for seizures to become rare and milder, with as few side effects as possible.
Neurology
Neurology · 7 minNeurological symptoms in dogs: when to see a neurologistSee a veterinary neurologist when your dog has seizures, loses his balance, holds his head tilted, walks in circles, becomes weak or paralysed in the legs, trembles for no reason or suddenly changes in behaviour. Some of these signs are emergencies and mean going straight to the nearest emergency vet clinic. The others are worked out at a neurological examination, which shows which part of the nervous system the problem is in.Neurology · 9 minSlipped disc in dogsA slipped disc happens when material from one of the discs between the vertebrae presses on the spinal cord. The signs range from back or neck pain to paralysis of the legs, and the outlook depends mainly on how severe the injury is and how quickly the dog is assessed. If your dog suddenly cannot walk, go straight to the nearest emergency vet clinic that is open now.Neurology · 6 minVestibular syndrome in dogsVestibular syndrome is a sudden loss of balance: the dog holds its head tilted, its eyes flick rhythmically, it falls to one side or walks in circles, and it may feel sick. In older dogs the most common cause is the idiopathic form, meaning no cause is found, which usually improves within a few days and resolves in 2-4 weeks. The same signs can, however, come from the ear or the brain, which is why your dog needs to be examined.Neurology · 6 minWhy is my dog shaking?Most often a dog shakes because it is cold, frightened, excited or in pain, and the shaking stops once the cause goes away. Shaking that starts suddenly and affects the whole body, especially with drooling, vomiting, dilated pupils or an unsteady gait, may be poisoning and is an emergency. Tremors that go on for days with no obvious cause need a vet's examination, because they may be a treatable neurological syndrome.Neurology · 6 minMyasthenia gravis in dogsAcquired myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the receptors that carry the signal from nerves to muscles. The dog tires after a few steps and recovers after a rest, and many dogs bring food back up because of a widened oesophagus (megaoesophagus). The diagnosis is confirmed with a blood test and the disease can be treated, and many dogs go into remission, but aspiration pneumonia makes it dangerous.
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