Epilepsy is just another name for fits or seizures and it occurs in the dog more frequently than you might think. Although your dog is having a very small actual fit { Petite Mal } he will get the post fit depression. Bear this in mind when you read the following.
Causes: There are basically two forms of epilepsy, one is the inherited form which is common in some breeds this is also called idiopathic epilepsy and the other is epilepsy which is secondary to some other disease situation or factor. Inherited epilepsy is present in certain dog breeds and in particular strains within those breeds. There is quite a list of susceptible breeds, I have commonly seen it myself in Alsatians and Golden Retrievers for example but as I said it is present in quite a few breeds. The secondary form could occur in situations such as brain cancers, trauma to the head, liver disease, kidney disease, low blood calcium, poisonings to name just a few situations. This article mainly concerns the inherited form of the disease.
Symptoms: A classical description of an idiopathic epilepsy type fit would be as follows. There is a pre-fit period which is difficult to spot although it is said that other dogs in the house will notice it, the dog may be restless in this phase. The actual fit has a tonic phase where the dog goes all stiff, this is followed by a clonic phase where the dog paddles its feet and may salivate and whine. After the dog recovers there is normally a period of post-fit depression where the animal is sleepy and confused and may bump into things. This as I have said is the classical description but be aware this pattern may vary from dog to dog. Another feature is that the dog may have been sleeping or dreaming just prior to the onset of the fit. Once a dog has had an idiopathic type fit there is a likelihood that a pattern will develop and more fits will occur on a regular basis, say one a week or once every couple of months.
Diagnosis: In a normal vet practice Idiopathic epilepsy would be diagnosed by the clinical signs, the owner’s description and by eliminating the other possible causes by running diagnostic test such as blood assays etc.
Treatment: As an owner what you should do is call the vet immediately for advice or to arrange a visit or consultation, then keep your dog in a quiet dark place and reassure it until it recovers. You should take care not to get bitten as these dogs are not aware what is going on and may be aggressive in their panic. If the animal is still fitting when the vet arrives he may inject it intravenously with valium [diazepam] and your dog may be hospitalised if the fit is prolonged. Once the animal is stable it can then go drugs designed to prevent fits happening in the future, these drugs are called anticonvulsives a common one in veterinary practice is called phenobarbitone but your vet will sort out which is the best drug to start of on and the dose rate. The majority of dogs have a satisfactory response to anticonvulsives and go on the lead a near normal life. The downside of these drugs is that they have to be given day in day out for the rest of the dog’s life.
Prevention: There is at present no way to prevent the onset of epilepsy in a susceptible breed. You should make inquiries before you buy a pup to see if this disease can occur in your breed. Breeders should of course not breed from individuals with a history of epilepsy in their line. In the future genetic testing may pick out individuals with a predisposition for epilepsy.
The first fit is an alarming experience for the owner but most cases recover and have a reasonable quality of life thereafter on medication. Idiopathic is a word you will hear thrown about when we talk about epilepsy. An idiot knows nothing and path means disease so I guess this word means we do not have a clue what the precise cause is!
Here is a link to a web page where you can read more about epilepsy including petite mal seizures : http://www.vetontheweb.co.uk/pet-clinic-detail.asp?id=452
I hope this has been informative for you, if you would like to discuss epilepsy further do not hesitate to get in touch.
Scott Nimmo BVMS
Dog Veterinarian
I have 28 years experience in all aspects of canine medicine and surgery.