Abstract
Cluster seizures (CS), two or more seizures within a 24-hour period, are reported in 38–77% of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Negative outcomes associated with CS include a reduced likelihood of achieving seizure freedom, decreased survival time and increased likelihood of euthanasia. Previous studies have found factors including breed, sex and neuter status are associated with CS in dogs with IE; however, only one UK study in a multi-breed study of CS in IE patients exists to the author's knowledge, and thus further data is required to confirm these results. Data from 384 dogs treated at a multi-breed canine specific epilepsy clinic were retrospectively collected from electronic patient records. 384 dogs were included in the study, of which nearly half had a history of CS (49.1%). Dogs with a history of CS had a younger age at onset than those without (p=0.033). In a multivariate model, three variables predicted risk of CS: a history of status epilepticus (p=0.047), age at seizure onset (p=0.066) and breed (German Shepherd Dog) (p<0.001). Dogs with a history of status epilepticus and dogs with an older age at seizure onset were less likely to be affected by cluster seizures. German Shepherd Dogs (71% experiencing CS) were significantly more likely to suffer from CS compared to Labrador Retrievers (25%) (p<0.001). There was no association between sex, neuter status, body size and CS. Further studies into the pathophysiology and genetics of CS are required to further understand this phenomenon.
Highlights
To the author’s knowledge, only one study has examined Cluster seizures (CS) in a population of dogs solely diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) (Monteiro et al, 2012), and this study aimed to describe a further population of dogs with IE, to identify similarities and differences between risk factors for CS in these populations
A recent multi-breed study found that German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) and Boxers were more likely to suffer from CS than Labrador Retrievers (Monteiro et al, 2012)
To the author’s knowledge, only one study has examined CS in a population of dogs solely diagnosed with IE (Monteiro et al, 2012), and this study aimed to describe a further population of dogs with IE, to identify similarities and differences between risk factors for CS in these populations
Summary
To the author’s knowledge, only one study has examined CS in a population of dogs solely diagnosed with IE (Monteiro et al, 2012), and this study aimed to describe a further population of dogs with IE, to identify similarities and differences between risk factors for CS in these populations. Cluster seizures (CS), defined as two or more epileptic seizures within a 24-hour period in which the patient regains consciousness between epileptic seizures (Patterson, 2014; Thomas, 2010) are a common and distressing occurrence in many dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE), with reports of 38% to 77% of dogs with epilepsy experiencing CS (Fredso et al, 2014; Monteiro et al, 2012; Short et al, 2011). A recent multi-breed study found that German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) and Boxers were more likely to suffer from CS than Labrador Retrievers (Monteiro et al, 2012).
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