tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183957703077342201.post964195936160536020..comments2024-03-20T17:32:35.238+00:00Comments on Pedigree Dogs Exposed - The Blog: Truffle hound helps root out childhood epilepsy geneJemima Harrisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05092892697145388048noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183957703077342201.post-80180786621111762512011-08-06T05:00:53.749+01:002011-08-06T05:00:53.749+01:00To Heather Houlahan's question . . . around 3%...To Heather Houlahan's question . . . around 3% of Labs were found to be epileptic in Denmark. 70% of the dogs found to be epileptic had partial seizures. . . Reference below. I think they've barely scratched the surface in understanding epilepsy.<br /><br /><br />J Vet Intern Med. 2002 May-Jun;16(3):262-8.<br />A cross-sectional study of epilepsy in Danish Labrador Retrievers: prevalence and selected risk factors.<br />Berendt M, Gredal H, Pedersen LG, Alban L, Alving J.<br />Source<br /><br />Department of Clinical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University of Copenhagen, Denmark. meb@kvl.dk<br />Abstract<br /><br />The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and selected risk factors of epilepsy, the proportion of dogs with epilepsy in remission, and the types of seizures in Danish Labrador Retrievers. A prospective cross-sectional study of epilepsy was conducted in 1999-2000. The study was carried out in 2 phases in a reference population consisting of 29,602 individuals. In phase 1, 550 dogs were selected by random sampling stratified by year of birth. A telephone interview was used to identify dogs with possible epilepsy. In phase 2, dogs judged during phase 1 as possibly suffering from epilepsy were further subjected to physical and neurologic examination, CBC, blood chemistry, and a questionnaire on seizure phenomenology. Seventeen dogs were diagnosed with epilepsy, yielding a prevalence of 3.1% (95% CI 1.6-4.6%) in the Danish population of Labrador Retrievers. A diagnosis of epilepsy was 6 times more probable in dogs >4 years (born before 1995) than in younger dogs (born between 1995 and 1999) (P = .004, relative risk = 6.5). No significant difference in risk between genders was observed, nor could any effect of neutering be proven statistically. The frequencies of primary generalized seizures and partial seizures (with or without secondary generalization) were 24 and 70%, respectively. The type of seizures could not be classified in 6%. In conclusion, the 3.1% prevalence of epilepsy in Danish Labrador Retrievers is higher than the 1% prevalence of epilepsy described in the general canine population, establishing that this breed is at increased risk.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14389321571689128858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183957703077342201.post-31077407815783299442011-08-01T15:21:37.768+01:002011-08-01T15:21:37.768+01:00Or the seizures were triggered in a predisposed an...Or the seizures were triggered in a predisposed animal by the anesthesia?Heather Houlahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13891198124130533198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183957703077342201.post-6876783875706107842011-08-01T04:50:31.272+01:002011-08-01T04:50:31.272+01:00Interesting about the data on neutering as a possi...Interesting about the data on neutering as a possible risk factor for seizures. I am not able to access the research report. Do you know if they looked at the possibility that some of these dogs may have been neutered BECAUSE they were epileptic? Or did the seizures begin after neutering?Liberty Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01177305529757660312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183957703077342201.post-8858276634827551812011-08-01T04:26:04.412+01:002011-08-01T04:26:04.412+01:00Also, I wouldn't make much of the preponderanc...Also, I wouldn't make much of the preponderance of epilepsy cases represented by members of only a few breeds. I'm sure it is very nearly true that the proponderance of dogs in Britain are of the very same breeds. Without a sense of what percentage of the dog population is accounted for by, say Labradors, the figures are uninformative.<br /><br />In the US, it would not be out of the question that Labradors and "Labradors" are 11% of all dogs.<br /><br />There are some rarer breeds in which epilepsy is an acknowledged scourge, but they won't ping the radar looked at this way, as their absolute numbers are so relatively low.Heather Houlahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13891198124130533198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183957703077342201.post-46552033845842485272011-08-01T00:00:27.746+01:002011-08-01T00:00:27.746+01:00Having lived with a severely epileptic Dalmatian, ...Having lived with a severely epileptic Dalmatian, Emma I agree with Heather. It is amazing how far down in the sand, breeders heads are over inherited epilepsy. I was the DCA's director of the Epilepsy study groupfor 12+ years until I left because of the unethical behaviour over the regisration of the Low Uric Acid Dalmatians ( we won by the way ) Epilepsy is one of the most devastating diseases especially for the owner.<br /><br /><br />Also I was interested in <br />"Effects of essential fatty acid supplementation in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy"<br /><br />I am not sure if they were trying to accomplish something similar to the ketogenic diet which works for children but not for dogs. In the USA a dog food company ran a study to see if a high fat diet could help the seizures. The research was discontinued after it was found it didn't work The reason is dogs are more resistant to ketosis induced by starvation, compared to people. As carnivores, dogs are adapted to relatively long periods of time between meals. Therefore, diets that induce ketosis in people may not do so in dog.Marion Mitchellhttp://www.canine-epilepsy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183957703077342201.post-86801275094882565672011-07-31T15:48:51.233+01:002011-07-31T15:48:51.233+01:00It is probably true that the "don't breed...It is probably true that the "don't breed relatives of affected dogs" advice would doom this breed, but the instance of a heterozygous affected dog is certainly troubling. A working breed ripe for some judicious outcrossing?<br /><br />On one level I agree that an issue that reliably self-resolves should not be in the first column of genetic disease concerns. But the seizures themselves alter brain function, and may damage the dog neurologically permanently. Has anyone followed up on the comparative neurological function of puppies who seized v. those that did not?<br /><br />Not to mention the simple animal welfare concern for the poor puppies. Seizures are no picnic.Heather Houlahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13891198124130533198noreply@blogger.com