Quality of life in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and their owners with an emphasis on breed—A pilot study (original) (raw)
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Evaluation of Quality of Life in Dogs with Idiopathic Epilepsy
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2014
Background: The impact of epilepsy and its treatment on the quality of life (QoL) is considered an important part of treatment supervision in human epilepsy. Objectives: To develop a list of key questions evaluating QoL in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) and their carers. Animals: One hundred fifty-nine dogs with IE. Methods: Cross-sectional study. An online project questionnaire was developed containing 90 QoL-associated questions that were initially allocated to 14 themes representing specific areas associated with the treatment and care of an epileptic dog. Principal component analysis was applied with the aim of refining the questionnaire to the least number of questions representing useful themes without loss of descriptive value. Carers were recruited by paper mail, primary practices, and canine epilepsy websites. Data were acquired from January to November 2011. Results: Principal component analysis removed 54 questions, leaving 7 themes with 36 questions with a minimum Cronbach's alpha value of 0.7 indicating a good internal consistency: "Seizure severity and frequency", "Adverse effects of antiepileptic drug (AED)", "Restrictions on the carer's life", "Frustrations over caring for a dog with IE", "Carer distaste of AED adverse effects", "Carer anxiety around the seizure event", "Perceptions on rectal diazepam use". Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Principal component analysis successfully reduced the number of questions without loss in descriptive value. The remaining questions correlate well with each other in capturing valuable details about aspects of QoL and represent valuable key questions (EpiQoL) in the assessment of QoL for the carers of dogs with IE.
Quality‐of‐life aspects in idiopathic epilepsy in dogs
Veterinary Record, 2016
Quality of life (QoL) plays a significant role in the treatment of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE), yet is so far understudied. This study describes the outcome evaluation of an online questionnaire based on the carer's perception focusing on 62 QoL questions in 159 dogs with IE. Results showed that seizure frequency, but not seizure severity or presence of cluster seizures, was significantly associated with carer‐perceived dog's QoL. Dogs receiving third‐line antiepileptic drugs had a significantly lower perceived QoL than those that did not. Generalised linear mixed model analysis demonstrated that severity of the side effects sleeping more and ataxia were significantly associated with carer‐perceived dog's QoL, with higher severities predicting lower QoL scores. The degree of carer acceptability of seizure frequency and severity was significantly associated with the dog's reported seizure frequency and severity. Moreover, there was a significant association bet...
Evaluation of the Impacts of Epilepsy in Dogs on Their Caregivers
Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 2017
Epilepsy is a common problem in dogs, and management of this chronic disorder requires a substantial commitment on the part of the pet owner. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of epilepsy in dogs on their owners, utilizing an online survey tool. A questionnaire was developed to explore a variety of factors, including seizure history, treatment, outcome, quality of life, costs associated with therapy, and sources of support. A total of 225 responses were obtained. The majority of respondents reported positive scores for overall quality of life, although scores were significantly lower for dogs with poorly controlled epilepsy and medication-related adverse effects. The median monthly expenditure for antiepileptic medication was $51–75. Despite the considerable financial burden placed on the dog owner, monthly medication cost was not associated with quality of life score. Few published reports follow dogs with epilepsy after diagnosis, and there is a growing need to unde...
Phenotypic Characterization of Idiopathic Epilepsy in Border Collies
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
The prevalence of idiopathic epilepsy (IE) within the Border Collie (BC) dog breed is high. The aim of this retrospective study was to describe the phenotype of BCs with IE and assess correlations between phenotypic variables and owner-provided quality-of-life (QoL) scores. Data of BCs diagnosed with IE during the period of five consecutive years were retrospectively analyzed. All the dogs were presented at least once to a veterinary neurology specialist at one of three veterinary referral hospitals and most were under the continued medical care of that specialist. Owners were requested to complete a standardized online questionnaire including quality-of-life (QoL) scoring questions. Data of a total of 116 BC dogs were included for analysis. The median age at onset of the first epileptic seizure (ES) was 33.5 months (6–188). A total of 34/86 (40%) of medically treated dogs received 1 antiseizure medication (ASM) and 52/86 (60%) received ≥2 ASMs. Phenobarbital was the most commonly e...
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 2008
The Belgian shepherd Groenendael and Tervueren is believed to be at higher risk of developing epilepsy than dogs of the common population. This epidemiological study was designed to estimate the prevalence of epilepsy in the Danish population of Groenendael and Tervueren born between 1995 and 2004. Furthermore, it was the intention to describe the clinical manifestation (seizure types and phenomenology) of epilepsy and to identify risk factors for euthanasia once the dog was diagnosed as having epilepsy.
Behavioral Changes in Dogs With Idiopathic Epilepsy Compared to Other Medical Populations
Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2019
Anxiety related behaviors have been reported in humans diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) and such traits may be altered depending on seizure phase. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence and severity of anxiety related behaviors in dogs with IE compared to other medical populations, and to determine if behavioral changes were associated with seizure control. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, the owners of 102 dogs presenting for wellness examination (37), epilepsy (38), and intervertebral disc disease (27) were surveyed utilizing a questionnaire developed based on the shortened Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (mini-CBARQ), previously validated for its ability to analyze canine behavior. Veterinarians of participating dogs completed a questionnaire to verify diagnoses. Dogs with IE and IVDD had a higher likelihood of being fearful/anxious when approached by an unfamiliar dog compared to the wellness group. Dogs with IE receiving polytherapy had decreased excitement before a walk (P = 0.0007) or car trip (P = 0.027), increased fear/anxiety when groomed (P = 0.0197), and increased shaking, shivering, or trembling when left alone (P = 0.0004) compared to dogs receiving monotherapy. Polytherapy dogs had increased agitation when their owner/others showed affection toward other people/dogs during preictal (Pperson = 0.005, Panimal = 0.0083), postictal (Pperson = 0.001, Panimal = 0.0068), and interictal (Pperson = 0.0083, Panimal = 0.02) period compared to monotherapy dogs. Seizure frequency and severity was not correlated with anxiety related behavior in dogs with IE. While seizure phase was associated with behavior changes in 38% (14/37) of our epileptic population, one specific seizure phase was not more likely to produce behavior changes than another. Behavioral changes noted in dogs with IE raises further questions about how this disease affects QoL
Behavioral changes in dogs associated with the development of idiopathic epilepsy
Epilepsy & Behavior, 2011
Objectives: The aim of the study was to demonstrate behavioral changes with the development of epilepsy in dogs, a species proposed as a naturally occurring animal model for human epilepsy. Methods: Owners of dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy (n = 80) completed a modified, previouslyvalidated behavioral and seizure questionnaire. Principal axis factor analysis identified behavioral factors, the scores for which were compared before and after the development of epilepsy. Results: Drug-naïve dogs showed an increase in the behavior factors Fear/Anxiety, Defensive Aggression, and Abnormal Perception. In dogs receiving antiepileptic medication, there were still increases in Fear/Anxiety and Abnormal Perception, but no longer in Defensive Aggression. Additional increases were observed in Abnormal Reactivity, Attachment Disorder, Demented Behavior, and Apathetic Behavior. Pharmacoresistant dogs had larger increases in Controlling Aggression, Abnormal Perception, and Demented Behavior than drug responders. Conclusion: Our data suggest that dogs, like humans and rodents, exhibit neurobehavioral comorbidities with the development of epilepsy.
Prevalence of idiopathic epilepsy and structural epilepsy in 74 Boxer dogs in a referral hospital
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
The prevalence of idiopathic epilepsy and structural epilepsy in Boxer dogs is unknown. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prevalence of structural and idiopathic epilepsy in the Boxer population. A total of 74 Boxer dogs were included in the study from the database of one referral hospital and the following were recorded: signalment, history, clinical findings and results of advanced diagnostic imaging. Five dogs (6.8%) were diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy, of which one was in the <6 months age group, three were in the 6–72 months age group and one was in the >72 months age group. Sixty-nine dogs (93.2%) were diagnosed with structural epilepsy. Sixty-six had a suspected intracranial neoplasia: Eight were in the 6–72 months age group and represent 66.7% of the dogs in that age group. The other fifty-eight were in the >72 months age group and represent 96.7% of the dogs in that age group. In our Boxer population, 81.8% of the patients had a suspected ...