Emergency Approach to Acute Seizures in Dogs and Cats

Simple Summary Seizures are commonly noted in dogs and cats and should prompt immediate veterinary assessment and care in first time seizure patients or patients with multiple or ongoing seizures. All animals presenting for seizures should be evaluated to ensure they are not in imminent danger of death, to confirm that the episode noted at home was a seizure, and to look for the underlying causes of seizures. In certain situations, animals with seizures require immediate anticonvulsant medications and possibly in-hospital therapy and monitoring. This review presents a stepwise approach for veterinarians evaluating patients presenting for seizures.Abstract Seizures are a common presentation seen in small animal practices. Seizures require prompt management including initial interventions for triage, stabilization, and treatment with first-line anticonvulsant (AC) drugs like benzodiazepines. Concurrently, ruling out metabolic or extracranial causes with point-of-care diagnostics can help guide further diagnostics and treatments. Analysis of the history and a physical exam are also necessary to rule out common "look-alikes" that require specific diagnostic workup and treatments. Typically, causes of seizures can be grouped into intracranial and extracranial causes, with the latter being easier to diagnose with commonly available tests. This review presents a systematic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of single seizures, cluster seizures, and status epilepticus in dogs and cats.