Idiopathic epilepsy

Background: About epilepsy in dogs

Epilepsy should be considered a symptom rather than a disease, as there may be various underlying causes for why a dog has a seizure. A seizure is always triggered by the brain, and is often referred to as a seizure threshold. If this threshold is exceeded, the individual will have a seizure.

There are many reasons why a dog may have a seizure. Diseases in the body can lower the normal seizure threshold, resulting in epileptic seizures. We see this, for example, in cases of low blood sugar. Changes in the brain such as scarring, tumors, or inflammation can also cause epileptic seizures.

There are also different types of epileptic seizures, but we usually talk about two types: partial and generalized seizures. In a partial seizure, there is a discharge of brain cells in a small part of the brain, which can manifest itself, for example, in the dog twitching one paw. During a generalized seizure, there is a discharge throughout the brain, meaning that the entire dog lies down and convulses. Some dogs may also have partial seizures that turn into generalized seizures.

Participation

We are keen to obtain blood samples from dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and healthy control dogs of the above breeds. Here is the sampling and invoicing information for veterinarians:

The dog must be a purebred dog with a known pedigree. If the dog is not registered with the SKK (or NKK), both parents must be registered. The dog must have had epileptic seizures on at least two different occasions (two different days) in its life.

The dog owner must fill out a health form that includes information such as age of onset, type of seizure, frequency of seizures, and medication. The dog owner must sign a biobank consent form. If the dog has been examined by a veterinarian after the onset of epilepsy, copies of medical records (including any results from blood tests, X-rays, and the like) from these veterinary visits must be made.

HEALTH CHECK

The dog must be a purebred dog with known ancestry. If the dog is not registered with the SKK (or NKK), both parents must be registered. Healthy control dogs must be at least 7 years old at the time of testing.

The dog's “life history” from when it was a puppy must be known to the owner, and the owner must never have seen any signs of epilepsy or other diseases that manifest themselves in the form of seizures during that time.

The dog owner must sign a biobank consent agreement.

Forms for both cases and checks can be found here.

BREEDS IN THE PROJECT

• Rottweiler
• Småland Hound
• Belgian Shepherd Dogs
• Jämthund
• Keeshond
• Giant Schnauzer