![]() ![]() Ischemic cerebrovascular events do not have strong breed, sex, or age correlation but been observed more commonly in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Greyhounds.Intracranial neoplasia has been shown to have breed correlation: there is a higher incidence of meningioma in older (> 8 years) dolichocephalic breeds and Boxers while gliomas are more common in middle age to older (> 5 years) brachycephalic breeds such as Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, and Boxers.Multiple studies, however, have found a large population of dogs in older age groups also being diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy in these groups the terms epilepsy of unknown origin or cryptogenic epilepsy have been used to note the higher concern for underlying but undetectable structural or metabolic disease. Idiopathic epilepsy is a common cause of seizures in animals between six months to six years.Meningoencephalitis tends to occur most commonly in young to middle age dogs while neoplasia is more commonly found in dogs > 5-7 years of age and cats greater than 10 years of age.Age and breed have been shown to be correlated with prevalence of certain disease types. SignalmentĪn accurate and complete history is essential to guide clinical reasoning. See Table 1 for a differential list for seizure etiology according to age group. The goal of this article is to outline a practical approach to examination and treatment of senior animals presenting for new onset seizures. ![]() 2015) Diagnostics therefore are important in these cases to determine the underlying cause and most appropriate treatment.Īge may also affect the prevalence of co-morbidities, the degree to which clients are willing to pursue diagnostics, and treatment strategies. In fact, studies have reported anywhere between 23-45% of cases of new onset seizures in senior dogs will be diagnosed with primary epilepsy. It is important to remember, however, that an equally large portion of this population can also have idiopathic or primary epilepsy. In senior pets over seven years of age, this question becomes increasingly important due to a higher prevalence of intracranial neoplasia within this population. The answer will help guide decision making regarding further diagnostics and treatment. In any patient presenting for recent onset seizure activity, there is one critical question that should be answered during initial evaluation: “Are there any signs of reactive or structural brain disease?”. In broad terms, the etiology of a seizure falls into three general groups: idiopathic (sometimes referred to as ‘primary epilepsy’), reactive (in response to a metabolic disturbance or toxin), and structural (cause by cerebral pathology). Seizures are a common clinical sign in many diseases of the brain. ![]()
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