The terms convulsion, seizure, and epilepsy have over time
become interchangeable. The primary meaning of convulsion is a
sudden uncontrollable attack. In the context of seizures it
should be understood as violent uncontrollable contractions of
muscles. The medical term for recurrent and unprovoked seizures
is termed as epilepsy but seizures may also occur in dogs that
do not have epilepsy. Simple convulsions thus need to be
understood as symptoms of epilepsy. Feline and canine seizures
are common occurrences that are more of a canine problem than
feline. Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system
marked by loss of consciousness. Convulsions caused by epilepsy
are the most common type of convulsions seen in dogs and cats.
Both canine and feline epilepsy can be idiopathic, genetic or a
result of a known underlying metabolic disease, toxicity or
degenerative and developmental disorders. The disturbance in
neuronal activity that is actually behind the occurrence of
convulsions in dogs may be caused by