Epilepsy, which is defined as repeated seizures, is one of the most common neurologic diseases in dogs. Dogs can have symptomatic epilepsy, meaning the disease has a specific cause such as a brain tumor or brain injury, or idiopathic epilepsy, meaning the cause is unknown. Often, idiopathic epilepsy is hereditary. It usually develops at one to three years of age but sometimes doesn't appear until later in life. No tests are yet available to identify carriers of epilepsy so it's a good idea to ask breeders if any of the dogs they've bred have developed epilepsy. Work is ongoing to develop a DNA test for epilepsy.

Diagnosing epilepsy is a process of elimination. Since there's no way to predict when a seizure will occur, your veterinarian will usually have to rely on your description of the episode. It helps if you can videotape it so the veterinarian can see exactly what happens during the seizure. If that's not possible, take notes on what the seizure looks like. Knowing the type of seizure is important to a good diagnosis. A physical exam, blood work, and a neurologic exam to test behavior, coordination, reflexes, and nerve function can help rule out other conditions that might cause seizures.

While there's no cure for epilepsy, medication can help control seizures. Treatment with medication is successful in more than two-thirds of dogs with epilepsy, but it can take time to get the type of medication and the dose right. Be aware that dogs can still have seizures while on medication; the important thing is to reduce the number and severity of seizures. Keeping a record of seizure occurrences will help your veterinarian judge the effectiveness of treatment. Take your dog to the veterinarian any time a seizure lasts longer than five to ten minutes or if he has three or more seizures in a day.

Always check with your veterinarian before changing or discontinuing antiseizure medication. Just because your dog isn't having seizures doesn't mean it's okay to take him off the medication. Sudden withdrawal of antiseizure medication can make the problem worse. Your dog will need to take it for the rest of his life.

Like any dog, dogs with epilepsy should be kept at a healthy weight. The stress that obesity puts on the body isn't good for them. Your dog's medication needs can also change throughout his life, so annual follow-up visits are important. Regular blood work may be necessary to ensure that liver function isn't affected by the medication. See Appendix A for information on the Canine Epilepsy Project.