Seizure‐precipitating factors in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy

BACKGROUND: Stress, sleep deprivation, and infectious diseases are important seizure‐precipitating factors in human epilepsy patients. However, these factors have not been thoroughly studied in epileptic dogs. OBJECTIVE: Seizure‐precipitating factors are common in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and the occurrence of these factors associate with the dogs' signalment, personality, and epilepsy‐related factors. ANIMALS: Fifty dogs with diagnosed idiopathic epilepsy from the hospital populations of University Veterinary Teaching Hospital of University of Helsinki and Referral Animal Hospital Aisti. METHODS: In a retrospective cross‐sectional observational study, owners were interviewed about their dogs' possible seizure‐precipitating factors according to a predefined questionnaire. The dogs were identified and selected by searching the medical records of the participating animal hospitals. RESULTS: The prevalence of seizure‐precipitating factors in the study population was 74% (37/50). The most frequently reported factors included stress‐related situations, sleep deprivation, weather, and hormonal factors. In dogs with focal onset seizures, the number of precipitating factors was 1.9 (95% CI 1.1‐3.4) times higher compared to dogs with generalized seizures. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Seizure‐precipitating factors are common in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy, and the nature of these factors is consistent with those of human patients. Aside from antiepileptic medication, acknowledging and avoiding seizure‐precipitating factors could help veterinarians achieve better treatment outcomes.