Thankfully, while epilepsy in dogs is one of the most common neurological illnesses reported, the coton de tulear breed is not one of the most likely breeds to exhibit this.

Breeds Prone To Seizures

Among the most affected breeds are:

• Golden Retrievers 
• Labrador Retrievers
• Bernese Mountain Dogs 
• Shetland Sheepdogs 
• Saint Bernards 
• Border Collies 

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic diseases in dogs (about 4%). It describes a range of brain disorders where abnormal electrical activity scrambles messages from the nerves to the muscles.

This “electrical storm” produces uncoordinated muscle activity and disruption in mental awareness. These recurrent episodes are called seizures. 

General Categories Of Epilepsy In Dogs

Generally, epilepsy is diagnosed by the elimination of other causes through exam and lab testing. There are many causes of chronic recurrent seizures in dogs. These are broken down into two general categories:

1) Idiopathic or primary epilepsy

Idiopathic (the cause is unknown) epilepsy usually first occurs between the ages of one and five years of age. In several breeds, including the Beagle, Belgian Tervuren, Keeshond, Dachshund, British Alsatian, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, and Collie a genetic abnormality is suspected. This genetic abnormality may be polygenetic.

2) Symptomatic 

In this case, the cause is known, and the seizures are due to an underlying disease. Approximately 30% of dogs between 1 – 5 yrs old have been found to have a specific underlying illness causing epilepsy. Some possible diseases are:

• Congenital hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) 
• Hypothyroidism
• Infections causing brain inflammation and damage (such as canine distemper) 
• Ingestion of toxins (such as lead paint chips, insecticides) 
• Brain tumors 
• Portosystemic shunts (improperly routed intestinal blood vessels bypass the liver
• Vaccinations

If the recurrence of seizures is rapid, they can be categorized as:

Status epilepticus can occur as one continuous seizure lasting 10 minutes or more or as a series of multiple seizures in a short time. There is no period of ordinary consciousness intervening, which may be life-threatening.

Cluster Seizures are multiple seizures occurring all within 24 hours, which may also be life-threatening.

Types And Subtypes of Seizures

Seizures can be broken into various types and subtypes:

• Generalized Seizures (the electrical storm occurs everywhere in the brain at once). The generalized seizures can be broken down further into:
• Tonic-clonic seizure formerly called grand mal. It is what most of the public recognizes. Symptoms can include during the tonic phase: Loss of consciousness, contraction of all skeletal muscles, involuntary vocalization, facial twitching, drooling, urination, having a bowel movement, or elimination of anal glands. During the clonic phase that follows, symptoms can include clamping of the jaws, running movements of the legs. (not to be confused with a sleeping dog who quickly wakes up.
• Tonic Seizures describe symptoms that are limited to only what is seen in the tonic phase.
• Clonic Seizures describe symptoms that are limited to only what is seen in the clonic phase. 
• Petit mal, also known as absence seizures, is presently unknown if dogs have true petit mal seizures. A petit mal seizure is when the individual has very little activity or movement but simply seems to be unaware of the environment. (Think: “the lights are on, but no one is home”)
• Partial seizures are also called focal seizures or sometimes erroneously called petit mal. In these seizures, abnormal electrical impulses begin in a small area and may or may not expand to the whole brain, then becoming a generalized seizure. They are broken down into two types:
• Simple partial where the dog remains conscious, but the face has unilateral twitching or blinking. 
• Complex partial (also called psychomotor) causes a change in behavior. Some examples are unprovoked aggression, extreme fear, senseless, or repetitive actions. These include a dog snapping at the air as if biting at imaginary flies around his head.

Stages Of A Seizure

There are generally four stages to a seizure:

• Prodrome is a change in mood or behavior that can last hours or days before the actual seizure.
• Aura signals the start of a seizure. Nervousness, whining, trembling, salivation, affection, wandering, restlessness, hiding, and apprehension are all signals.
• Ictus is the actual seizure. The seizure can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. 
• Post Ictus is after the seizure. During this time, behavior can be bizarre, with the dog running around, bumping into things, and appearing either temporarily blind or deaf. They may act excessively hungry or thirsty. Seizures can cause lowered blood sugar. Therefore, the general advice is to offer a small amount of food high in real sugar, honey, or corn syrup once the dog is conscious and able to swallow. 

Treatment For Epilepsy In Dogs

Epilepsy cannot be cured. The treatment is aimed at controlling the number and severity of the seizures.

Drugs used in the treatment of epilepsy either independently or in conjunction with others include: 

• Phenobarbital 
• Potassium Bromide
• Diazepam
• Gabapentin
• Felbamate
• Topiramate

Some medications can cause initial sedation in a dog, but symptoms usually subside with continued use. Occasionally, a dog will have the opposite response and become agitated and restless. Another common side effect is increased thirst (and therefore increased need to go outside to urinate) as well as increased appetite.

More severe side effects can be liver or bone marrow damage.

Other non-pharmacological treatments are anecdotal and include, among other protocols, a ketogenic diet, or ice packs applied to the small of the spine at the onset of a seizure.