Epilepsy, a neurological condition characterized by seizures, can be a daunting experience for pet parents. As a pet parent to Twix, an epileptic cat, I've navigated this journey firsthand. In this article, I want to shed light on epilepsy in our beloved dogs and cats, providing insights to demystify this condition.
What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy triggers seizures due to electrical storms in the brain, yet its underlying cause remains unknown. While prevalent in young dogs, it's less common in cats, typically affecting pets aged 6 months to 6 years.
Recognizing Seizures
Seizures vary, but common signs include limb paddling, stiffness, frothing at the mouth, and wee'ing or poo'ing during the event. Partial seizures may manifest as facial twitching or disorientation.
Understanding Seizure Phases
Seizures typically comprise the ictal phase, marked by the seizure, followed by the post-ictal phase, characterised by confusion, disorientation, vision loss, light sensitivity and even excessive hunger. This phase can last 10 minutes up to an hour.
Diagnosing Epilepsy
The tricky thing about this disease, is it's a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning we need to run a bunch of tests and hope everything comes back negative. Confusing right? There is no test for epilepsy. You need to rule out all other potential causes of seizures to confirm the diagnosis of epilepsy.
Causes of seizures:
Outside the brain (extra-cranial)
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liver disease or dysfunction
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toxicity (in particular xylitol which is an artificial sweetener found sugar-free in sweets, ice creams and gum)
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hormonal diseases
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electrolyte problems (in particular to do with sodium and calcium)
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low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)
Inside the brain (intra-cranial)
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epilepsy - most common cause of seizures in young animals
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stroke-like event
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inflammatory brain problems
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meningitis
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brain cancer
Your vet will start with basic blood tests to rule out other causes of seizures. If all those tests are normal, the next step, would be to do brain imaging which is usually an MRI and sometimes a spinal tap. These tests need to be performed under anaesthesia. If the MRI and spinal tap are normal, then epilepsy is the diagnosis.
Not everyone will go down the pathway of brain imaging so your vet may make a 'suspected' diagnosis of epilepsy if all the blood tests are normal, given epilepsy is the most common cause of seizures in younger animals.
Twix, my little Tortoiseshell cat, was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 2 after having a prolonged seizure. We did a range of blood tests and everything was normal. She had an infectious disease panel, as fungal and viral causes are more common in cats than dogs, and it was all normal. Her MRI scan was completely normal as well. So...epilepsy was the diagnosis.
Treatment Approaches
While epilepsy has no cure, the goal is to manage the seizures and try and reduce their frequency, while minimising side effects of anti-seizure medication. This will take time as every animal will need a different 'cocktail' of medication. Don't expect your pet to never seizure - this is unrealistic! Once you come to terms with this, it will be easier to accept this disease.
Managing Epilepsy in Your Pet
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Maintain a seizure diary to track episodes and if you notice an increase in the frequency of the seizure or the recovery part (post-ictal phase) is getting longer and longer, then please make an appointment with your vet
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Ensure consistent medication administration (Twix gets medicate 7am and 7pm or 8am and 8pm depending on our work schedule)
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Schedule regular veterinary check-ups (every 3-6 months)
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Prepare for emergencies by creating a safe environment (more about this in my Pet First Aid Course!)
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Accept the chronic nature of epilepsy and prioritise your pet's quality of life.
Now from an owner's point of view...
Yes, witnessing a seizure in your own pet is scary but having an emergency plan in place will help you navigate these stressful situations (I will discuss this further in my Pet First Aid Course)
Yes, you and the people in your household will have to get used to giving your pet twice daily medication
Yes, things can become overwhelming and emotions may get the better of you (especially when the diagnosis is still quite new), that's normal
Yes, it may be difficult at times, but if you work together with your vet, then you're giving your pet the best chance possible to have good quality of life & be a happy dog or cat
Charlie, the gentle-giant rescue Greyhound with my beautiful aloof epileptic cat, Twix
I hope this has provided you with valuable insights into epilepsy in our pet patients. Remember, if you have a pet with epilepsy, you're not alone in this journey. Your veterinary team will be there to support you every step of the way!