Idiopathic Epilepsy - Physical and Neurological Exam

Once your veterinarian has a detailed history, they will perform a physical and neurological examination of your dog. This helps to rule out other possible causes of seizures or conditions that only look like seizures. This can include systemic issues, such as cancer, bleeding disorders, trauma, infection, or show evidence suggestive of other neurological conditions, other than idiopathic epilepsy, such as structural causes like tumors. These assessments provide valuable clues as to whether the seizures are caused by epilepsy or another underlying condition. Note that while the history and exam findings can increase your veterinarians suspicion of specific neurological causes, we can only make presumptive diagnoses. We will talk about how veterinarians definitively diagnose various conditions in our next module.

This is a short clip of a pet undergoing the cranial nerve portion of the neurological exam. During the exam, your veterinarian will assess multiple aspects of your dog's neurological system. Some parts of the neurological exam include:

Reflexes: Checking for any abnormal reflexes that might indicate brain or spinal cord issues.

Gait and Coordination: Watching your dog walk and move can reveal subtle signs of neurological dysfunction.

Cranial Nerves: These nerves control functions like blinking, swallowing, and eye movement, and testing them can help localize any potential brain problems.