Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurrent seizures — convulsions that are set off by abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain. It's one of the most common neurologic diseases in dogs, and some forms are heritable. Inherited epilepsy is referred to as idiopathic, meaning the cause is unknown. Labs are one of the breeds prone to idiopathic epilepsy.

The length of epileptic seizures can range from a few seconds to a few minutes. In rare cases, they can continue for an hour or more. Mild forms of epilepsy can be treated with medication to control the seizures. There's no screening test for epilepsy, and it often doesn't appear until a dog is older. The incidence of epilepsy can be reduced through selective breeding, however. The breeder should be able to tell you the frequency of epilepsy in his or her dogs.