Seizures in dogs under primary veterinary care in the United Kingdom: Etiology, diagnostic testing, and clinical management.

BACKGROUND: Although seizures are common in dogs, limited published information is available on the classifications of seizures, diagnostic approaches, or clinical management of seizure-affected patients in the veterinary primary care setting. OBJECTIVES: Explore seizure etiology, diagnostic testing, and clinical management of seizure-affected dogs in the primary care veterinary setting. ANIMALS: A total of 455 553 dogs in VetCompass. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis by cohort clinical data. RESULTS: From 2834 incident seizure cases, we identified 579 (20.5%) dogs with epilepsy based on the International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force (IVETF) classification system, including 484 (17.1%) with idiopathic epilepsy, 95 (3.4%) with structural epilepsy, and 179 dogs (6.3%) with reactive seizures. In their clinical first opinion records, 245 (8.6%) cases were recorded with epilepsy. Overall, 1415 (49.9%) cases received diagnostic evaluation equivalent to or higher than IVETF Tier 1 diagnostic testing. Being <12 years of age and being insured were risk factors for receiving IVETF Tier 1 or higher diagnostic evaluation among seizure cases. Anti-seizure drug (ASD) treatment was not prescribed for 1960/2834 (69.2%) dogs in association with the incident seizure event. Of the remainder, 719 (25.3%) dogs received 1 ASD, whereas 155 (5.5%) an ASD combination. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The differences between seizure classifications in the clinical records and those retrospectively assigned by the researchers support the need for clearer diagnostic guidelines in clinical practice. Insured dogs and dogs <12 years of age were more likely to receive advanced diagnostic evaluation, suggesting that financial and perceived prognostic factors influence case management.

Seizure occurrence in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK: prevalence and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Primary-care veterinary clinical records can offer data to determine generalizable epidemiological data on seizures occurrence in the dog population. OBJECTIVES: To identify and examine epidemiologic characteristics of seizure occurrence in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK participating in the VetCompass™ Programme. ANIMALS: 455,553 dogs in VetCompass™'. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis estimated the 1-year period prevalence and risk factors for dogs with seizures during 2013. RESULTS: The overall 1-year period prevalence for dogs having at least one seizure during 2013 was 0.82% (95% CI 0.79-0.84). Multivariable modelling identified breeds with elevated odd ratios [OR] compared with the Labrador Retriever (e.g. Pug OR: 3.41 95% CI 2.71-4.28, P < 0.001). Males had higher risk for seizures (Male/Entire OR: 1.47 95% CI 1.30-1.66; Male/Neutered OR: 1.34 95% CI 1.19-1.51) compared to entire females. Age (3.00 - ≤ 6.00 OR: 2.13 95% CI 1.90-2.39, P < 0.001, compared to animals aged 0.50-≤ 3.00 years), and bodyweight (≥ 40.00kg, OR: 1.24 95% CI 1.08-1.41, P = 0.002, compared to animals weighing < 10.0 kg) were identified as risk factors for seizures. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Seizures are a relatively common clinical finding in dogs. The results for breed, age, sex and bodyweight as risk factors can assist veterinarians in refining differential diagnosis lists for dogs reported with behaviors that may have been seizures. In addition, the prevalence values reported here can support pharmacovigilance with baseline data from the overall population.

[Relationship and repeatability of body condition scoring and backfat thickness measurement in dairy cows by different investigators]. / Korrelation und Vergleich der Wiederholbarkeit von Body Condition Scoring und Rückenfettdicken-Messung unterschiedlicher Untersucher bei Milchkühen.

The determination of the body condition of dairy cows is a helpful instrument to assess the energy situation of individual cows and herds. Two methods for determining the body condition are well established in bovine practice, body condition scoring (BCS) and measurement of backfat thickness (BFT). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the repeatability of BCS on a five-point scale with 0.25-points increments and the measurement of BFT by ultrasound (5 MHz linear probe) as well as the repeatability of measuring BFT at both sides of the cows back. Five investigators with different experience with BCS and BFT assessed a total of 94 cows repeatedly, resulting in 1806 BCS-measurements and 1723 (left) and 1733 (right) BFT-values. Weighted kappa coefficient was used to evaluate the agreement of repeated measurements and correlations were calculated for linear associations. Within-observer agreement of BCS and BFT was good for both methods (K = 0.67 and 0.78, respectively). Agreement was moderate to substantial for BCS and BFT depending on the investigator. Within-observer agreement of BFT at the right and left body side was substantial (K = 0.75). There was a high correlation between repeated measurements of BCS and BFT (r = 0.93 and r(c) = 0.91, respectively), and between BFT measured at the left and right body side (r(c) = 0.90). The correlation between BCS and BFT was moderate (r = 0.67). Overall, both methods demonstrated good repeatability applied by different investigators. In summary, BCS and BFT measurements are practical tools to contribute beneficially to herd health management.