A Review: Emergency Management of Dogs With Suspected Epileptic Seizures

Dogs with seizure disorders are commonly presented to the general practitioner for initial evaluation. The most common diagnosis provided is idiopathic epilepsy. As witnessing seizures is often traumatic for owners, it is important for the practitioner to understand seizure classification, know when to initiate antiepileptic drug therapy and be comfortable with client education regarding seizures. This review briefly discusses the most up-to-date classification of seizures, the necessity to obtain accurate histories and complete examinations, base-line diagnostics to perform, the importance of owner education, and when to start medications. This is not intended to discuss detailed differential lists, in-depth information on antiepileptic drug therapy, long-term management of epileptics or those refractory to their current treatment.