ABSTRACT
We report an evaluation of the treatment and outcome of cats with suspected primary epilepsy. Phenobarbital therapy was used alone or in combination with other anti-epileptic drugs. Outcome after treatment was evaluated mainly on the basis of number of seizures per year and categorised into four groups: seizure-free, good control (1-5 seizures per year), moderate control (6-10 seizures per year) and poor control (more than 10 seizures per year). About 40-50% of cases became seizure-free, 20-30% were considered good-to-moderately controlled and about 30% were poorly controlled depending on the year of treatment considered. The duration of seizure events after treatment decreased in 26/36 cats and was unchanged in eight cats. The subjective severity of seizure also decreased in 25 cats and was unchanged in nine cats. Twenty-six cats had a good quality of life, nine cats an impaired quality of life and one cat a bad quality of life. Despite being free of seizures for years, cessation of treatment may lead to recurrence of seizures in most cats.
Subject(s)
Cat Diseases/diagnosis , Cat Diseases/drug therapy , Epilepsy/veterinary , Animals , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Cats , Epilepsy/diagnosis , Epilepsy/drug therapy , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Male , Quality of Life , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
In the present study 125 cats with recurrent seizures were analysed. The main goal was to investigate the aetiology and compare primary epilepsy (PE) with secondary epilepsy (SE) regarding signalment, history, ictal pattern, clinical and neurological findings. Seizure aetiology was classified as PE in 47 (38%) and SE in 78 (62%) cats. SE was caused mainly by intracranial neoplasia (16), hippocampal necrosis (14), toxicosis (eight), and encephalitis (seven). A significant difference between PE and SE was found in: age, body weight, duration of seizure, occurrence of status epilepticus and neurological deficits. Status epilepticus, altered interictal neurological status and seizure onset over the age of 7 years indicated SE more frequently than PE. If the seizures occurred during resting conditions and rapid running occurred the aetiology was more likely to be PE than SE.
Subject(s)
Cat Diseases/etiology , Epilepsy/veterinary , Animals , Brain Diseases/complications , Brain Diseases/veterinary , Brain Neoplasms/complications , Brain Neoplasms/veterinary , Cats , Epilepsy/classification , Epilepsy/etiology , Female , Hippocampus/pathology , Male , Necrosis/complications , Necrosis/veterinary , Poisoning/complications , Poisoning/veterinary , Recurrence , Seizures/etiology , Seizures/veterinaryABSTRACT
In the present study, 240 cases of dogs with seizures were analysed retrospectively. The aim was to examine the underlying aetiology and to compare primary or idiopathic epilepsy (IE) with symptomatic epilepsy (SE) concerning signalment, history, ictal pattern, clinical and neurological findings. The diagnosis of symptomatic epilepsy was based on confirmed pathological changes in haematology, serum biochemistry, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis and morphological changes of the brain by CT/MRI or histopathological examination. Seizure aetiologies were classified as idiopathic epilepsy (IE, n = 115) and symptomatic epilepsy (SE, n = 125). Symptomatic epilepsy was mainly caused by intracranial neoplasia (39) and encephalitis (23). The following variables showed significant difference between the IE and SE group: age, body weight, presence of partial seizures, cluster seizures, status epilepticus, ictal vocalisation and neurological deficits. In 48% of the cases, seizures were found to be due to IE, while 16% were due to intracranial neoplasia and 10% to encephalitis. Status epilepticus, cluster seizures, partial seizures, vocalisation during seizure and impaired neurological status were more readily seen with symptomatic epilepsy. If the first seizure occurred between one and five years of age or the seizures occurred during resting condition, the diagnosis was more likely IE than SE.
