title: Seizures in cats.
abstract: Seizures in cats are caused by active structural disease or secondary epilepsy. The most common structural causes are inflammatory diseases, many of which are probably viral (non-FIP) in origin. Toxoplasmosis, FIP, FeLV, and FIV are rare causes of recurrent seizures in cats. The incidence of primary epilepsy is unknown; it is unlikely to occur in domestic cats. The pattern (type and frequency) of the seizures and the age at onset of the seizures are important factors in establishing a differential diagnosis. More than 50% of cats with seizures experience nonconvulsive (mild generalized or partial complex) seizures. Though many cats experience severe cluster seizures and status epilepticus, severity of seizures is not a good predictor of outcome. Many cats stop having seizures or are controlled well with AEDs regardless of the severity of their seizure activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, Canada.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Parent
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Quesnel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002415:Cats; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000502:physiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants