Seizures and epilepsy

Epilepsy is repeated seizures with no cause that can be found. In UK practices about 0.6 percent of dogs carried the diagnosis, males had higher odds than females, and the Border Terrier and German Shepherd Dog were at increased odds compared with crossbreds¹. Inherited epilepsy is documented in many pedigree breeds². The International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force sets the terms vets use: idiopathic epilepsy, structural epilepsy caused by a brain lesion, and epilepsy of unknown cause³.

A first seizure in a senior dog is treated differently from one in a young dog, because in older animals a new seizure is more likely to have a structural cause such as a tumour or a metabolic problem, and the vet will want bloodwork and possibly imaging³. Any seizure lasting more than a few minutes, or seizures coming one after another, is an emergency.

For a dog already on treatment, Oldie's medication reminders and supply tracking exist for exactly this: doses given on time, refills ordered before they run out. Note the date, length and any trigger of every seizure in the care history for the vet.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Your vet knows your dog.

Sources

1. Prevalence and risk factors for canine epilepsy of unknown origin in the UK (Kearsley-Fleet L et al.). Veterinary Record 172(13):338, 2013 (peer reviewed). Accessed 2026-09-22.
2. International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force's current understanding of idiopathic epilepsy of genetic or suspected genetic origin in purebred dogs (Hulsmeyer VI et al.). BMC Veterinary Research 11:175, 2015 (International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force). Accessed 2026-09-22.
3. International veterinary epilepsy task force consensus report on epilepsy definition, classification and terminology in companion animals (Berendt M et al.). BMC Veterinary Research 11:182, 2015 (International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force). Accessed 2026-09-22.