Epilepsy In Cats
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Can cats get epilepsy?
Feline Epilepsy is a condition that is characterised by recurrent seizures. It is rare in cats, but cats like dogs, can experience seizures and be diagnosed with epilepsy.
Idiopathic cat epilepsy is a diagnosis sometimes given for cats when there is no apparent structural cause for the pet's seizures.
What causes seizures in cats?
- Disease within the cat's brain
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More brain tumours in older cats
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FIP virus – in younger cats
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After middle ear infections
Intracranial Causes - Within The Brain
Intracranial causes of seizures can arise from structural diseases within the cat's brain such as a tumor, inflammation of the brain, an infection (encephalitis), brain malformation, head trauma, or stroke, or from functional issues within the brain (primary epilepsy). Symptoms of intracranial seizures in cats can include circling, restlessness or lethargy.
Primary Epilepsy
If your cat is diagnosed with primary epilepsy it means that your cat's seizures are due to functional problems in the brain, rather than structural issues. This means that there is a chemical imbalance within your cat's brain between the excitatory signals and inhibitory signals. Cats with primary epilepsy will often begin to have seizures when they reach young adulthood.
Extra-Cranial Causes - Outside of The Brain
If the cause of your cat's seizures is diagnosed as stemming from an extra-cranial condition then your cat's seizures are being caused by something outside of the brain. The most common causes of extra-cranial seizures in cats are toxins, poisons or metabolic diseases such as diabetes. Infectious central nervous system diseases including feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), toxoplasmosis, feline leukemia virus (FeLV), cryptococcus and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) can also lead to seizures in cats.
Reactive Epileptic Seizures
If your cat's brain is healthy, seizures may be caused due to a reaction to poisons and toxins, or due to changes in blood composition stemming from metabolic conditions such as diabetes or liver and kidney disease. If the cause of your cat's seizure is due to exposure to a toxin, there will typically only be a single seizure.
What are the symptoms of epilepsy in cats?
Seizures in cats typically only last a couple of minutes although in some cases animals can experience cluster seizures where there are multiple seizures over the course of a few hours or a few days. If your cat is having a seizure their symptoms will depend upon whether the seizure is generalized or partial.
Partial Seizures
Signs of a partial seizure include uncharacteristic behavior, abnormal posture, unusual vocalizations, drooling or twitching.
Generalized Seizures
Generalized seizures in cats often (but not always) begin with behavioral changes quickly followed by symptoms such as convulsions, loss of consciousness, chewing, twitching, salivating, defecation or urination.
How is epilepsy in cats diagnosed?
Diagnosis is essential when it comes to seizures in cats, due to the many possible causes. Diagnostic testing can include blood tests, urinalysis, spinal fluid testing, x-rays, CT scans or MRIs.
The goal of testing and diagnosis is to pinpoint the underlying cause of your cat's seizures in order to determine the best possible treatment.
How is epilepsy in cats treated?
Anti-epileptic drugs like Diazepam and Keppra and Phenobarbital
When beginning treatment for epilepsy in cats patience is essential! It can take some time to determine the right medication for controlling your cat's seizures and the best dosage for your cat.
Successful treatment of epilepsy is a reduction in the number of seizures, and their severity rather than a complete absence of seizures. Total seizure prevention is rarely achieved. That said, even with occasional seizures your cat can go on to have a good quality of life.