EPILEPSY in hunting dogs it is a neurological disorder characterized by sudden and recurrent attacks of muscular, sensory and psychic dysfunctions, with or without convulsions and loss of consciousness.
We know the terminology in a seizure of your hunting dog friend:
Un EPILEPTIC SEIZURE produces involuntary muscle contractions in hunting dogs. The attacks may originate from abnormal electrical activity in the brain from tumors, blood clots, or brain tissue, or may be the result of chemical imbalances caused by drugs, low blood sugar levels, or by drugs that stimulate the nerves . An attack can affect all skeletal muscles or be localized to a single muscle band. When we see an athlete fall, who then stretches and massages the calf muscle during a cramp… .. that muscle is having an "attack". This is due to a growth of lactic acid caused by the reduced availability of oxygen within the muscle itself.
Un SEVERE EPILEPTIC ATTACK (called grand mal) produces violent and widespread contractions of the skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles are generally those that attach themselves to the bones and are guarantors of body movement; there are smooth muscles that don't stick to the bones that aren't usually involved in a seizure. These muscles reside mainly in the intestinal tract and in specific organ tissues. The heart muscle is different from both skeletal and smooth muscles. Severe seizures are quite shocking to watch.
Un Mild seizure (called petit mal) is the least severe form of epileptic seizure. The patient still has partial voluntary control of the movement but some muscles "do what they want" and the electrical activity of the brain is slightly uncoordinated. Episodes of vertigo-non-balance, "staring" and other forms of non-coordination may be visible to an observer.
An CONVULSION it usually involves a severe seizure. Sometimes all of these terms are inaccurately referring to any epileptic episode. We could say that a patient is having "an epileptic fit", or "a fit" or "a twinge". However you describe it, it will always be unpleasant for the victim and the observer!
Lo STATE EPILEPTIC eni hunting dogs refers to a very dangerous situation in which severe epileptic attacks occur in rapid succession without pauses or muscle relaxation. This state requires prompt medical attention.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
True epileptic episodes, those in which the mechanism is not due to poisoning, hypoglycemia or other chemical stimulants, originate within the brain tissue. Researchers think there is a place (point or area of the brain) where brain nerve tissue is abnormal or damaged. This small area causes no consequences 99.9% of the time. But for various reasons, food, pharmacological or even psychological, this tiny "place" of abnormal tissue decides to start emitting signals. Normal nerve cells adjacent to it are affected by these impulses and respond to them. This response then activates other nearby nerve cells and the result of this chain reaction is the total loss of coordination.
The nerves in the brain that stimulate the body's voluntary muscles (called motor nerves) continue to tell the muscles to work but, without proper supervision and control, the different muscle groups contract without built-in coordination. Think of this as an orchestra where all the musicians are playing the same melody without the conductor being present. Each musician starts and stops at their own discretion regardless of what any other musician is doing. It is certainly not a pleasant result ... ... harmony, coordination and melody no longer integrate into the music. The same happens with EPILEPSY.
If this happens to your pet, the first reaction is to run to the phone and call the vet. Fortunately, most epileptic episodes are short-lived: usually 1 to 3 minutes. For episodes that last from 5 to 10 minutes, a more serious duration range is entered, while for those that exceed 10 minutes, medical intervention is generally required.
A typical severe seizure can manifest itself in the following way: The dog appears perfectly normal when, without warning, he begins to stagger as he walks. It seems that he does not have the strength, he sits on his hind legs and the facial muscles and eyelids begin to twitch in spasms. (This is called "fascicular muscle contraction"). Often the jaw muscles also contract and it will appear that the dog is biting itself by drooling. The breath will be forced and if the jaw is in the closed position this will turn the saliva into foam. The dog will appear to be producing white foam from the mouth.
In other cases, if the jaw is open, the dog will appear to be about to swallow something or will appear to be trying to yelp without any sound being emitted. This can truly be a terrifying and unpleasant experience for both the dog and its owner! If the event continues, the dog may roll over to one side, stiffen legs and neck, roll its eyes up, drool from the mouth and enter a stiff state. It may even appear that the dog is not breathing due to the severe muscle contractions and stiff posture.
After a few seconds (which, however, appear very long!) The dog begins to relax, the breathing returns to normal and voluntary movement occurs. Here is an interesting phenomenon: if the breathing is interrupted to the point that the dog begins to lose consciousness, the lack of oxygen in the brain stops the attack! So, just when we think our dog is dying, the attack stops! Even those who watch the event return to normal breathing! Shortly thereafter, the dog will sit up, shake himself and return to his normal activities, just a little groggy, but how does he mean “What happened?”. start to finish the whole episode can last anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes… in time to call the vet and tell him that your dog is dying. Usually, he will be calmer and quieter for about an hour after the attack. Before you have finished describing what happened on the phone, the dog will already be back on its paws, looking for the toy it was playing with before it was interrupted. The vet will tell us to describe what happened and then tell us what to do.
And that is to have the dog examined… maybe not necessarily right away. But certainly any dog that has had attacks of this type must be examined and subjected to some blood tests to ascertain the physical and biochemical state.
EXAMS
During the full visit, the vet will want to carefully evaluate the heart and neurological reflexes. Often the physical examination is normal… During the visit, the vet will take blood samples to evaluate in the laboratory the invisible metabolic mechanisms of your dog.
THE BLOOD CHAMPIONS
Blood samples are a key tool in determining whether chemical imbalances are at the root of epileptic episodes. For example, the liver is responsible for thousands of functions, and if any are not properly performed or regulated, effects on the nervous system can occur leading to an attack. Blood sugar concentrations must be regulated within certain limits, in order not to cause neurological or other problems. And electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus must be present in a balanced way. If the vet discovers an imbalance in blood values, a more thorough examination usually follows which will lead to the diagnosis of what caused the attack.
THE URINE SAMPLES
A urine sample taken from your hunting dog can reveal urinary tract infections although urinary tract infections rarely affect the neurological system. Regarding seizures, urinalysis can reveal sugar in the urine, which could suggest an existing diabetes condition. Ketones can be found in the urine, suggesting excessive use of protein, instead of carbohydrates and fat, for energy. Any abnormal factor in the urine is a sign that something in the animal's body chemistry is wrong and requires further investigation. But which ones?
More than 99% of dogs suffering from epileptic episodes will have NORMAL blood and urine values. This is at least what vets expect when examining a dog with suspected epilepsy. They just want to make sure everything is working properly with the aforementioned exams.
Now you ask yourself "but if all the tests are normal, what causes epilepsy?". Veterinarians have a diagnosis for these cases too… in fact they will tell you with confidence that your dog has IDIOPATHIC EPILEPSY. "Oh" the owner will reply "What does this mean?" And the vet will reply "It means we don't know the cause".
Researchers think that if we could look inside the brain with a powerful microscope, we would surely find a tiny fraction of altered nerve cells. These stimulate other nearby cells, triggering a cascade that upsets the electrical harmony of the whole brain and as a consequence an attack is produced.
WHAT CAUSES EPILEPSY IN THE FIRST PLACE?
What causes that set of rebellious nerves? One of the various theories argues that a trauma (even a minor one) to the head may have caused a small cerebral hemorrhage. Although the blood clots break down and are reabsorbed, there may still be a small area of damaged tissue that disrupts the integrity of the neurons. Even small tumors can cause abnormal nerve activity. This is why cases of epilepsy that appear to be progressively worsening may have brain tumors among the triggering causes, especially in the case of epileptic episodes in middle-aged or elderly subjects.
A genetic predisposition to epileptic activity has been shown in some dog breeds. However, the exact mechanism by which genetic determiners affect nerve cells remains to be discovered.
Psychological stimuli can also play a role. I am aware of a case in which the dog was stressed so much every time his owner went on a trip, leaving him at home, that he provoked a real attack!
An unusual food allergy can also be called into question. However, to establish an epilepsy-food relationship, an excellent and skilled diagnostician is really needed, acting in cooperation with very helpful owners.
PREVENTION
What can be done to prevent epilepsy? The answer depends on several variables. If the dog has had a single episode of epilepsy and if physical examinations and laboratory tests are normal and if the diagnosis is IDIOPATHIC EPILEPSY (cause unknown) no treatment is currently required. If the dog, on the other hand, begins to experience relapses of the episode, say every 3 - 4 weeks, the possibility of starting with low doses of medicine to inhibit these attacks may be considered.
It is very important to develop a close bond of trust with your veterinarian as to whether or not to initiate a treatment. Other possible eventualities:
If the dog, on the other hand, has a two-minute attack every six months, do you think he should still be prescribed daily care? In this case it is advisable to take some notes: write down the date, time of day, related environmental factors, the length of the epileptic episode and the severity of the attack.
If the attacks are mild (petit mal) and last only a few seconds, even if their frequency is quite frequently, should the dog be treated daily as a preventive measure?
You see… we can't predict when these episodes happen so preventative care is a definitive matter. If we knew that every Saturday at 5 o'clock the dog had a seizure, we could start the treatment 12 hours earlier and then stop it until the following week. Unfortunately this is not the case. Either the care is given daily for a set period of time, or it is not given at all. Some patients, after many months or years of treatment, are slowly withdrawn from medication and never suffer from seizures again.
TREATMENT / CARE
Fortunately, most cases of epilepsy can be controlled. Curated? Probably not, until the internal mechanism behind it is discovered and corrected. Furthermore, if an attack is due to a tumor, attempts to control the attacks are unlikely to be effective for long. Many cases of epilepsy in dogs still require medical treatment. Repetition of the haematological tests at time intervals is recommended
established to make sure that adequate doses of drugs are administered and that too much altered values do not occur, especially in the liver. Fortunately, many dogs treated for epileptic episodes over a period of time may be gradually withdrawn from medication, without requiring additional medication. (Never abruptly eliminate epilepsy medications! This would result in a long and severe seizure).
Phenobarbital (barbiturate from the common name of Gardenale, Luminale) is the most commonly used drug for the treatment of epilepsy in dogs. When given in the minimum dosages required to keep attacks under control, it can be a very useful drug with low side effects. Many dogs treated with phenobarbital lead happy, normal lives. Some owners are against giving their dog a "medicine" for long periods and think that the condition of having a pet "constantly on medication" is unacceptable. Fortunately, the majority of these owners will soon change their minds given the few, if any, side effects caused by the treatment.
Also worth mentioning is a substance called Dilantina (phenytoin) which has been used for years but always as a secondary choice to phenobarbital.
In some cases, Diazepam (Valium) can also be used, if Phenobarbital cannot be used or if a combination of drugs is prescribed.
Potassium Bromide (KBr) is used in some dogs if and when the response to traditional medicine is not satisfactory. This drug has been used in the treatment of human epilepsy for a long time. It can be the anticonvulsant chosen for those dogs, suffering from liver, where Phenobarbital would worsen the liver picture. Sometimes vets prescribe Bromide along with Phenobarbital for dogs that don't respond to Phenobarbital alone. Bromide is not easily obtainable and it may happen that the pharmacist has to prepare the small doses necessary in relation to the weight of the dog himself.
The brain must be in harmony with the rest of the body, so we must seek a balance in the treatment of epilepsy. Too many medications are not good unless we want a dog with blurred senses.
Any dog receiving anti-epileptic treatment should have periodic check-ups and as many drugs are eliminated from the body through the liver, it is a priority to keep liver function under control.
WHAT TO DO DURING AN ATTACK
If you happen to witness an attack, there is not much you can do to control it. Try to move any object that is in the area and with which the dog can injure himself. Do not try to open your dog's mouth and pull out his tongue. While this can happen, it is extremely rare for your dog to "swallow his tongue" and choke. Furthermore, the strength of the dog's jaws will make any attempt to open his mouth to inspect the area useless.
NOTE: If your dog was actually chewing on something and drooling and has difficulty breathing, you need to intervene instead. If so, inspect the mouth for "objects".
It may be helpful to speak kindly to the dog and put him “at ease” during the attack, by covering him with a blanket or petting him. If you try to lift the dog, you have to be very careful because the dog will move a lot and you risk dropping him. Try to turn down the loud music and pay attention to other possible stimuli such as high lights or screaming children. During attacks, we always say “Do something! Do something!" but all you can do is wait.
The worst thing you can witness happens before a severe attack (grand mal). The dog stiffens, stops breathing, and as soon as you think he is dead, the dog relaxes and starts breathing again.
The fact is that epilepsy, although a critical condition in dogs, can be treated successfully in most cases. Curated… no, but controlled… yes. Since each animal is unique, epilepsy should be treated on an individual basis. Some cases will never have an attack, some only and only one, others will have predictable intervals between chronic attacks, still others debilitating repeated and incurable attacks. None of these will be exactly the same.
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