TY - JOUR

T1 - Risk factors for survival in a university hospital population of dogs with epilepsy

AU - Andersen, Nadia Fredsø

AU - Koch, B. C.

AU - Toft, N.

AU - Berendt, Mette

N1 - Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - BACKGROUND: Although a common neurological disorder in dogs, long-term outcome of epilepsy is sparsely documented.OBJECTIVES: To investigate risk factors for survival and duration of survival in a population of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy or epilepsy associated with a known intracranial cause.ANIMALS: One hundred and two client owned dogs; 78 dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and 24 dogs with epilepsy associated with a known intracranial cause.METHODS: A retrospective hospital based study with follow-up. Dogs diagnosed with epilepsy between 2002 and 2008 were enrolled in the study. Owners were interviewed by telephone using a structured questionnaire addressing epilepsy status, treatment, death/alive, and cause of death.RESULTS: Median life span was 7.6 years, 9.2 years, and 5.8 years for all dogs, and dogs with idiopathic epilepsy or dogs with epilepsy associated with a known intracranial cause (P < .001), respectively. Survival time for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy was significantly (P = .0030) decreased for dogs euthanized because of epilepsy (median: 35 months) compared to dogs euthanized for other reasons (median: 67.5 months). Neutered male dogs with idiopathic epilepsy had a significant (P = .031) shorter survival (median: 38.5 months) after index seizure compared to intact male dogs (median: 71 months). Treatment with two antiepileptic drugs (AED's) did not negatively influence survival (P = .056).CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Dogs with idiopathic epilepsy can in many cases expect a life span close to what is reported for dogs in general. In dogs where mono-therapy is not sufficient, the need for treatment with two AED's is not linked to a poor prognosis.

AB - BACKGROUND: Although a common neurological disorder in dogs, long-term outcome of epilepsy is sparsely documented.OBJECTIVES: To investigate risk factors for survival and duration of survival in a population of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy or epilepsy associated with a known intracranial cause.ANIMALS: One hundred and two client owned dogs; 78 dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and 24 dogs with epilepsy associated with a known intracranial cause.METHODS: A retrospective hospital based study with follow-up. Dogs diagnosed with epilepsy between 2002 and 2008 were enrolled in the study. Owners were interviewed by telephone using a structured questionnaire addressing epilepsy status, treatment, death/alive, and cause of death.RESULTS: Median life span was 7.6 years, 9.2 years, and 5.8 years for all dogs, and dogs with idiopathic epilepsy or dogs with epilepsy associated with a known intracranial cause (P < .001), respectively. Survival time for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy was significantly (P = .0030) decreased for dogs euthanized because of epilepsy (median: 35 months) compared to dogs euthanized for other reasons (median: 67.5 months). Neutered male dogs with idiopathic epilepsy had a significant (P = .031) shorter survival (median: 38.5 months) after index seizure compared to intact male dogs (median: 71 months). Treatment with two antiepileptic drugs (AED's) did not negatively influence survival (P = .056).CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Dogs with idiopathic epilepsy can in many cases expect a life span close to what is reported for dogs in general. In dogs where mono-therapy is not sufficient, the need for treatment with two AED's is not linked to a poor prognosis.

U2 - 10.1111/jvim.12443

DO - 10.1111/jvim.12443

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25252168

VL - 28

SP - 1782

EP - 1788

JO - Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine

JF - Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine

SN - 0891-6640

IS - 6

ER -