Behavioural changes in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy

Abstract

BackgroundBreed-specific and broader cohort studies have shown behavioural changes in dogs following the onset of idiopathic epilepsy (IE).MethodsA cross-sectional, case–control questionnaire study was carried out to strengthen this body of evidence. Owners of eight breeds of dog completed an online questionnaire about their dogs’ behaviour; once for control dogs and twice for dogs with IE, for both pre-IE and post-IE onset behaviour.ResultsNinety-six (24.74 per cent) dogs with IE and 292 (75.26 per cent) age and breed-matched control dogs met the inclusion criteria. Control dogs had significantly higher ‘Trainability’ scores than dogs with IE (P=0.04). After IE, dogs had significantly higher ‘Dog-Directed Fear or Aggression’ (P=0.02), ‘Non-Social Fear’ (P=0.01), ‘Attachment/Attention-Seeking Behaviour’ (P=0.04), ‘Attention-Deficit’ (P=0.02) and significantly lower ‘Trainability’ (P=0.02) than prior to the onset of IE. Medication status did not significantly affect any behavioural factor, but drug-resistant dogs had significantly less ‘Trainability’ than drug-responsive (P=0.04) and partially drug-responsive dogs (P=0.03).ConclusionBehavioural differences related to cognitive function are seen between dogs with IE and controls. Behavioural changes related to anxiety, attention and cognition are seen in dogs following the onset of IE. The ability to clinically define and diagnose behavioural comorbidities in dogs is much needed from both a clinical and research perspective.

Research priorities for idiopathic epilepsy in dogs: Viewpoints of owners, general practice veterinarians, and neurology specialists

“…Dogs with IE are not only affected by the ictal (seizure) episode itself, but can also experience a pre‐ictal “prodromal” phase minutes to hours before the seizure, 5 and a post‐ictal phase, lasting minutes to days after the seizure 6 . In addition to these peri‐ictal changes, recent evidence suggests that many dogs with IE exhibit inter‐ictal behavioral comorbidities including anxiety and fear, 7‐9 and ADHD‐like behavior 10,11 . Furthermore, there are cognitive impairments in dogs with IE, particularly related to learning and memory 12‐15 .…”

Impact of canine epilepsy on judgement and attention biases

“…In addition to seizure activity, therapeutic attempts to reduce their frequency and/or severity may further impair QOL due to common aversive side-effects of anti-seizure drugs (ASDs); indeed, the side effects ataxia and lethargy are associated with a reduced owner-reported QOL 13 . IE is also associated with negative perturbations in behaviour and cognition, including decreased trainability 14 , signs of cognitive impairment 15,16 , increased attention seeking 17 , aggression 18 and ADHD-like behaviours e.g. behaviours associated with high excitement and/or poor impulse control 19,20 .…”

“We have a ticking time bomb”: a qualitative exploration of the impact of canine epilepsy on dog owners living in England

“…The dog-owner bond could also be influenced by the presence of neurobehavioural comorbidities. Dogs with idiopathic epilepsy can demonstrate increased fear and anxiety [28,29], and owners of dogs with increased social fear have previously been found to perceive their relationship with their dog to be closer than owners of less fearful dogs [30]. Similar findings were also reported in a recent qualitative study regarding pets with behavioural problems, where a close pet-owner bond was noted by some owners despite them feeling a variety of negative emotions such as stress, fear and anxiety as a result of their pet's problem [25].…”