CHAPTER 195 Juvenile Idiopathic Epilepsy in Arabian Foals of Egyptian Lineage
Seizure disorders are relatively uncommon in horses compared with other species. Seizures in foals can be caused by neonatal septicemia, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, metabolic disturbances such as hypoglycemia and electrolyte abnormalities, bacterial meningitis or abscess, viral encephalitis, medications, liver failure, traumatic injury, and congenital anomalies. Epilepsy is rare in horses. Epilepsy refers not to a specific disease, but to a heterogeneous group of chronic disorders characterized by recurrent seizures without precipitating factors. Idiopathic epilepsy refers to recurrent seizures that begin early in life, have no specific cause, and have a genetic etiology. Macroscopically and histologically, affected individuals have a normal brain, respond favorably to treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and have a favorable prognosis. Idiopathic epilepsy is classified as primary epilepsy. Secondary epilepsies are classified as symptomatic and cryptogenic. Symptomatic epilepsies are characterized by having an onset at any age and an association with pathologic brain conditions (e.g., congenital anomalies, trauma, infection, masses) and have more variable response to AEDs and prognosis. In cryptogenic epilepsies, the cause is not identified. Suspected idiopathic epilepsy in foals was first reported in 1983. Since then only two other publications specifically addressed idiopathic epilepsy in Arabian foals.
