Managing epilepsy in dogs from a welfare perspective, including medication, lifestyle, and the role of responsible breeding.
Epilepsy creates welfare challenges across the full management spectrum, from the seizures themselves through the post-ictal period and the anxiety that frequent uncontrolled seizures create for both dogs and their owners. Dogs with well-controlled epilepsy on appropriate medication can have good quality of life, making accurate diagnosis and appropriate anticonvulsant selection critically important welfare interventions. The welfare cost of undertreated epilepsy is significant: frequent seizures cause neurological damage, post-ictal distress is prolonged and frightening, and cluster seizures or status epilepticus are acute welfare emergencies. Breed-level welfare improvement requires responsible breeding programs using genetic testing where available to reduce frequency of hereditary epilepsy. Breed clubs and registries that incorporate epilepsy health testing into breeding recommendations make a genuine welfare contribution to future generations.