Neurological Problems in Pets: What’s Really Going On?

One of the scariest things a pet owner can see is a seizure, especially for the first time. It can be devastating to watch your dog or cat writhe in pain or struggle to walk. When this happens, consulting a veterinary neurologist can be one of the most stressful days of your life. However, that visit can be the key to addressing neurological problems in pets.

This blog will walk you through two of the most common conditions a CARE neurologist encounters: intervertebral disc disease and seizures.

Intervertebral disc disease

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is the most common spinal cord disorder in dogs. Dachshunds account for about half of all cases. However, French bulldogs, beagles, Pekingese, toy and miniature poodles, German shepherds, and Doberman pinschers are also genetically predisposed.

The intervertebral disc sits between almost every vertebra in the spinal column, helping to absorb the impacts and forces of everyday activity. Visualize the intervertebral disc as a jelly donut. The disc has an outer fibrous layer (the donut itself) called the annulus fibrosus. Inside that donut is the filling, the nucleus pulposus.

In breeds prone to IVDD, the “filling” degenerates and mineralizes early. On average, symptoms appear around age six, though French bulldogs often show signs closer to age four. Not all dogs with degenerative discs develop symptoms—some have mineralized discs visible on X-rays yet remain pain-free.

When the disc material herniates, the jelly shooting out of the donut, it compresses the spinal cord, and that’s when dogs start to show symptoms of IVDD. These include pain, incoordination, weakness, even paralysis.

IVDD can occur in the neck or back, and a neurological examination will identify where your pet needs to be imaged. Advanced imaging, usually an MRI, lets doctors see the herniated disc material, the spinal cord, and any bleeding, swelling, or inflammation the disc herniation has caused in and around the spinal cord.

Once a neurologist has located the herniated disc, surgery can remove the compressive material. Unlike doctors working on humans, veterinary neurologists don’t need to fuse the disc or place implants in your pet. Most animals do well after recovery, though some go away with residual abnormalities in how they walk — “a hitch in the giddy-up,” as we say in the trade.

Seizures

When considering neurological problems in pets, seizures are the second most common condition neurologists encounter. They’re caused by abnormal activity in the front part of the brain, called the forebrain or cerebrum. Many things cause seizures, including effects outside of the brain: changes in electrolytes, low blood sugar, certain medications and certain toxins. Yet seizures can also be caused by abnormalities in the brain: strokes, traumatic injury, tumors, even inflammation.

The most common cause of seizures in dogs is idiopathic epilepsy. Idiopathic epilepsy occurs in approximately 0.5-1.5 percent of dogs in the United States, and it’s diagnosed only by ruling out all the other causes of seizures with blood work, an MRI and a spinal tap.

This condition is probably genetic, but doctors have not yet been able to identify which gene or genes are responsible in most breeds of dogs. However, certain breeds (Siberian husky, Labrador retriever, Australian shepherds, border collies, German shepherds and many more) commonly develop this form of epilepsy, and CARE treats many of them without an MRI.

Dogs with idiopathic epilepsy have their first seizure between the ages of 6 months and 6 years, though they always have normal neurological examinations between seizures.

Treatment and Goals

Most pets with seizures will never be seizure-free, even with treatment. So, regardless of the cause, the goal of treatment for neurological problems in pets is to reduce the frequency and severity of seizures.

Ideally, pets will have one seizure or fewer every six to eight weeks with treatment. Some animals never achieve that level of control, however, especially if they have multiple seizures per month before starting medications. In those cases, we try to reduce seizure frequency by 50%.

There’s one piece of good news: All seizures are scary, but not every seizure means the pet has to see a veterinarian or be taken to the ER at CARE. Seizures become emergencies when one of three criteria is met:

1. A pet has more than two in 24 hours.
2. A seizure lasts longer than five minutes.
3. An animal does not return to its normal level of responsiveness between seizures.

If any of those things happen, your pet should be taken to the nearest veterinarian for further attention.

Trust CARE for Emergency or Specialty Care

Charlotte Animal Referral and Emergency (CARE) operates like a medical center for humans and stays open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It provides a wide range of treatment, from emergency room attention to board-certified specialty care, after you get a referral from your primary care veterinarian. You can take a tour of the practice at carecharlotte.com/tour.