22 Post-ictal behaviour change INITIAL PRESENTATION Multiple seizures, behaviour change. INTRODUCTION Status epilepticus is defined as repeated seizure activity without an intermission or seizure activity lasting more than 5 minutes, or two or more seizures with incomplete recovery between seizures. It is generally not known why it happens to some and not other animals. A low serum drug level was responsible in only 5.7% of dogs in one study. Side-effects include neuronal injury, hyperthermia, hypoxia, acidosis, hypotension, renal failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation and cardiopulmonary failure. Animals may have a personality change lasting approximately 1–2 weeks post-ictally. SIGNALMENT A 3-year-old neutered male Jack Russell terrier. CASE PRESENTING SIGNS Behaviour change following multiple seizures. CASE HISTORY A single seizure had been noted 1 month prior to referral. The dog had been resting when it stiffened in its basket, and began to paddle the limbs and salivate and urinate while remaining unresponsive to voice or touch. The recovery period lasted half an hour, during which time the dog appeared agitated and paced around the house. This passed and the dog returned to normal. Multiple seizures occurred during the 4 days prior to referral. Since then the dog had been urinating in doors, pacing, twitching, was disinterested in the owners’ presence and did not appear frightened of loud noises as he normally was. CLINICAL EXAMINATION The dog paid attention to the environment but was less responsive to the owners than usual. His gait was normal as he continuously walked about the room. The menace response was intermittently present. The rest of the examination was normal. NEUROANATOMICAL LOCALIZATION The lesion was localized to the cerebrum because of the seizures and menace deficit. The latter may be absent if the animal is not normally responsive or is mentally depressed as the menace response is not a reflex. The gait is generally normal in cases of cerebral disease. The change in behaviour is also suggestive of cerebral derangement. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS The age of onset suggests: • Idiopathic epilepsy • Portosystemic shunt • Encephalitis • Hydrocephalus. Lead toxicity is more common in young dogs. Cerebral haemorrhage secondary to ingesting Angiostrongylus vasorum in snails was possible. Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Related Related posts: Metabolic encephalopathy: hepatic encephalopathy Meningioma Idiopathic epilepsy LMN paresis and paralysis: Brachial plexus avulsion Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel Join Tags: Saunders Solutions in Veterinary Practice Small Animal Neurology Sep 3, 2016 | Posted by admin in SMALL ANIMAL | Comments Off on Post-ictal behaviour change Full access? Get Clinical Tree
22 Post-ictal behaviour change INITIAL PRESENTATION Multiple seizures, behaviour change. INTRODUCTION Status epilepticus is defined as repeated seizure activity without an intermission or seizure activity lasting more than 5 minutes, or two or more seizures with incomplete recovery between seizures. It is generally not known why it happens to some and not other animals. A low serum drug level was responsible in only 5.7% of dogs in one study. Side-effects include neuronal injury, hyperthermia, hypoxia, acidosis, hypotension, renal failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation and cardiopulmonary failure. Animals may have a personality change lasting approximately 1–2 weeks post-ictally. SIGNALMENT A 3-year-old neutered male Jack Russell terrier. CASE PRESENTING SIGNS Behaviour change following multiple seizures. CASE HISTORY A single seizure had been noted 1 month prior to referral. The dog had been resting when it stiffened in its basket, and began to paddle the limbs and salivate and urinate while remaining unresponsive to voice or touch. The recovery period lasted half an hour, during which time the dog appeared agitated and paced around the house. This passed and the dog returned to normal. Multiple seizures occurred during the 4 days prior to referral. Since then the dog had been urinating in doors, pacing, twitching, was disinterested in the owners’ presence and did not appear frightened of loud noises as he normally was. CLINICAL EXAMINATION The dog paid attention to the environment but was less responsive to the owners than usual. His gait was normal as he continuously walked about the room. The menace response was intermittently present. The rest of the examination was normal. NEUROANATOMICAL LOCALIZATION The lesion was localized to the cerebrum because of the seizures and menace deficit. The latter may be absent if the animal is not normally responsive or is mentally depressed as the menace response is not a reflex. The gait is generally normal in cases of cerebral disease. The change in behaviour is also suggestive of cerebral derangement. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS The age of onset suggests: • Idiopathic epilepsy • Portosystemic shunt • Encephalitis • Hydrocephalus. Lead toxicity is more common in young dogs. Cerebral haemorrhage secondary to ingesting Angiostrongylus vasorum in snails was possible. Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Related Related posts: Metabolic encephalopathy: hepatic encephalopathy Meningioma Idiopathic epilepsy LMN paresis and paralysis: Brachial plexus avulsion Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel Join
