Neurology Resident NC State Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Presentation Description / Summary: This lecture will be delivered in Spanish and will review advances in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in dogs, focusing on three main goals. The first is to recognize comorbidities frequently associated with epilepsy, such as anxiety and sleep disturbances, and to understand how these conditions influence seizure control and overall quality of life. The second is to review treatment strategies for long-term management, including pharmacologic therapies as well as non-pharmacologic options such as dietary modification, microbiome-based approaches, and neuromodulation techniques. The third is to discuss current protocols for the management of cluster seizures, one of the most urgent and challenging aspects of clinical practice.
In addition to summarizing clinical approaches, I will present ongoing research from our laboratory. We have recently shown an association between epilepsy and poor sleep quality in dogs, underscoring the importance of incorporating sleep evaluation into patient care. Current projects also include assessing different methods of administering levetiracetam for cluster seizures and a randomized trial comparing levetiracetam with clorazepate as rescue therapies.
The goal of this lecture is to integrate clinical experience with new research, providing veterinarians with evidence-based strategies to improve seizure management and enhance the quality of life of dogs living with epilepsy.
Learning Objectives:
Recognize comorbidities associated with canine epilepsy, such as anxiety and sleep disturbances, and describe their impact on seizure expression and patient quality of life.
Review treatment strategies for the long-term management of epilepsy in dogs, including pharmacologic options and non-pharmacologic interventions such as dietary modification, microbiome therapies, and neuromodulation techniques.
Discuss and apply current protocols for the management of cluster seizures in dogs, with attention to practical implementation in clinical practice.
