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Review
. 2024 Jun 17;11(6):277.
doi: 10.3390/vetsci11060277.

Emergency Approach to Acute Seizures in Dogs and Cats

George G Munguia  1 , Aimee C Brooks  1 , Stephanie A Thomovsky  1 , Elizabeth J Thomovsky  1 , Andrea Rincon  1 , Paula A Johnson  1
Affiliations
Review

Emergency Approach to Acute Seizures in Dogs and Cats

George G Munguia et al. Vet Sci. .

Abstract

Seizures are a common presentation seen in small animal practices. Seizures require prompt management including initial interventions for triage, stabilization, and treatment with first-line anticonvulsant (AC) drugs like benzodiazepines. Concurrently, ruling out metabolic or extracranial causes with point-of-care diagnostics can help guide further diagnostics and treatments. Analysis of the history and a physical exam are also necessary to rule out common "look-alikes" that require specific diagnostic workup and treatments. Typically, causes of seizures can be grouped into intracranial and extracranial causes, with the latter being easier to diagnose with commonly available tests. This review presents a systematic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of single seizures, cluster seizures, and status epilepticus in dogs and cats.

Keywords: benzodiazepines; cats; cluster; dogs; levetiracetam; phenobarbital; seizure; status epilepticus; veterinary neurology.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart demonstrating the use of anticonvulsant drugs in patients with cluster seizures and status epilepticus [12].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Neurologic sign severity according to major differential diagnoses of seizures in dogs and cats. Image adapted from Neurological Examinations: Localization and Grading [26].
Figure 3
Figure 3
A left lateral thoracic radiograph showing the classic caudodorsal interstitial-to-alveolar pulmonary pattern of a patient with neurogenic pulmonary edema.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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