Canine Epilepsy Research

Gary Johnson, DVM, PhD
University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine

Ned Patterson, DVM
University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine

The Canine Epilepsy Project is a collaborative study into the causes of epilepsy in dogs. It is supported by grants from the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), individual breed clubs and private donations.

Our goal is to find the genes responsible for epilepsy in dogs so that wise breeding can decrease the incidence of the disease in dogs. We also hope that knowing what genes regulate epilepsy in dogs may help us better tailor our therapy to the specific cause.

The objectives of our investigations into hereditary canine epilepsy are:

  1. Recruit samples from a large number of affected individuals and their immediate family members (siblings, parents, and grandparents), from many breeds of dogs.
  2. Evaluate the genotype of selected families to search for linkage between DNA markers and clinical epilepsy, then use this information to identify the causative mutation or mutations.
  3. Devise a DNA marker test that detects and distinguishes normal and mutant (epilepsy-causing) alleles, and make this test available to dog breeders so that they can produce epilepsy-free dogs.

Progress to Date

As of October 31, 2013, samples from 10,482 dogs representing 122 different breeds have been submitted for epilepsy research. Included in this total are 1861 epilepsy-affected dogs. As samples arrive, families are assembled and data compiled. Some of the breeds with extended family groups sampled, and a minimum of 20 "sib pairs" (an affected dog paired with it's normal sibling) in the collection, have been or soon will be included in mapping experiments. For family groups that have been mapped, if there are potential areas of interest on specific chromosomes, those areas are being further examined. Although a few genes have been discovered in a few breeds for specific rare diseases that include seizures as one of many symptoms of the disease, at present there are no genes identified for "classic" epilepsy in any breed. The tools available for genetic studies are better than they have ever been, and research is ongoing wherever it appears that progress is possible. Samples from potentially useful families of any breed are still needed, and we encourage owners to participate by sending samples from epilepsy-affected dogs and their normal close relatives (see SAMPLE SUBMISSION page for instructions and forms).

 

Breed Total Sampled Total Males Total Females Affected Total Affected Males Affected Females
Akbash Dog 15 7 8 1 1 0
Alaskan (Racing) Husky 11 4 7 3 1 2
Alaskan Malamute 233 115 118 11 3 8
American Water Spaniel 268 128 140 28 17 11
Anatolian Shepherd Dog 14 6 8 1 1 0
Australian Shepherd 1212 527 665 162 83 79
Beagle 11 3 8 8 3 5
Bernese Mountain Dog 20 12 8 5 3 2
Bloodhound 75 29 46 6 2 4
Border Collie 159 82 74 39 24 15
Border Terrier 195 85 110 73 34 39
Borzoi 21 13 8 2 1 1
Boxer 22 8 14 14 7 7
Brittany 41 18 22 10 5 5
Bulldog (English Bulldog) 10 6 4 3 2 1
Bullmastiff 21 10 11 1 1 0
Canaan Dog 26 14 12 9 5 4
Cardigan Welsh Corgi 18 9 9 1 0 1
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 46 24 22 11 7 4
Chesapeake Bay Retriever 87 33 54 24 16 8
Chinook & Chinook cross 311 144 167 40 20 20
Cocker Spaniel (American) 133 45 85 38 20 18
Collie 132 64 70 31 18 13
Curly Coated Retriever 75 20 34 12 5 7
Dachshund 85 32 53 16 7 9
Dalmatian 103 46 57 37 15 22
English Shepherd 39 14 25 8 3 5
English Springer Spaniel 936 407 513 104 52 52
Field Spaniel 116 52 63 9 3 6
Finnish Spitz 80 40 37 16 7 9
Fox Terrier (Wire) 15 6 9 4 3 1
German Pinscher 36 18 18 4 2 2
German Shepherd Dog 65 34 27 46 29 17
German Shorthaired Pointer 65 27 38 17 8 9
Giant Schnauzer 65 36 29 4 3 1
Golden Retriever 71 27 23 24 16 8
Great Dane 33 19 14 6 4 2
Great Pyrenees 25 12 13 7 1 6
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog 1336 673 672 91 61 30
Ibizan Hound 108 49 58 20 10 10
Irish Setter 259 129 129 70 52 18
Irish Water Spaniel 310 139 160 41 22 19
Italian Greyhound 54 23 31 21 9 12
Jack Russell Terrier 33 12 20 14 5 9
Komondor 48 19 29 1 0 1
Labrador Retriever 380 103 137 206 58 46
Mastiff 27 11 16 5 4 1
Newfoundland 14 1 2 2 1 1
Norwich Terrier 97 26 33 9 6 3
Otterhound 332 181 146 43 29 14
Papillon 21 10 11 4 2 2
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen 80 34 46 21 12 9
Pointer 398 169 215 28 16 12
Pomeranian 34 16 18 11 7 4
Poodle - Miniature 26 13 13 11 5 6
Poodle - Standard 236 96 89 66 35 31
Pyrenean Shepherd 26 7 17 7 2 5
Rottweiler 20 9 11 6 4 2
Saint Bernard 410 125 165 41 23 18
Saluki 10 5 5 3 2 1
Samoyed 18 12 6 1 1 0
Schipperke 57 25 32 21 8 13
Shetland Sheepdog 49 18 31 19 8 11
Siberian Husky 100 43 57 28 17 11
Silky Terrier 26 10 13 10 5 5
Spinone Italiano 32 16 16 10 6 4
Standard Schnauzer 183 93 78 17 15 2
Tibetan Mastiff 25 8 17 4 2 2
Vizsla 286 61 83 30 14 16
Weimeraner 24 11 13 7 5 2
Welsh Springer Spaniel 243 122 120 25 17 8
Welsh Terrier 47 26 20 12 8 4
mix/cross-bred dogs 62 34 28 27 13 14
Other* (under 10 sampled) 152 71 64 68 40 26
TOTALS (10-31-13) 10453 4576 5224 1835 956 775
*includes less that 10 dogs per breed of the following:
  Akita, American Bulldog, Australian Terrier, Basenji, Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Tervuren, Bichon
  Frise, Black Russian Terrier, Bluetick Coonhound, Boston Terrier, Briard, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chinese
  Crested, Chinese Shar-Pei, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, English Cocker Spaniel, English Setter, English Toy Spaniel,
  Flat-Coated Retriever, French Bulldog, Irish Wolfhound, Keeshond, Leonberger, Mi-Ki, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling
  Retriever, Old English Sheepdog, Papillon, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Pit Bull Terrier, Poodle-Toy, Portuguese Water
  Dog, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound, Scottish Terrier, Small Munsterlander, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tibetan Terrier, Whippet

 

The level of participation by any breed should not be interpreted as an indication of the frequency of this problem within the breed, but can serve to demonstrate the commitment by fanciers of that breed to help researchers solve this problem.

PUBLISHED RESEARCH

Dr Patterson is the lead author on an article that appeared in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, May-June 2003 issue. Following is the abstract from this article:

Clinical characteristics and inheritance of idiopathic epilepsy in Vizslas.

Patterson EE, Mickelson JR, Da Y, Roberts MC, McVey AS, O'Brien DP, Johnson GS, Armstrong PJ.

Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.

Medical record, seizure survey, and telephone interview information was obtained for 29 Vizslas with idiopathic epilepsy (IE), 74 unaffected siblings, and 41 parents to determine the common clinical characteristics and most likely mode of inheritance. IE was diagnosed on the basis of the age of seizure onset, laboratory results, and neurologic examination findings. Computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis was required for the inclusion of dogs with an age of seizure onset of < 6 months or > 5 years. Simple segregation analysis was performed with an ascertainment correction and chi-square analysis. IE appeared to be familial in these pedigrees, with 79% of affected Vizslas exhibiting partial onset seizures. Partial seizure signs included a combination of limb tremors, staring, pupillary dilatation, or salivation without loss of consciousness in > 50% of the dogs with partial signs. The estimated segregation frequency of P = .22 (95% CI, P = .08 to .36) was consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance; however, polygenic inheritance could not be excluded as a possibility. Simulated linkage with FASTSLINK estimated that the average logarithm of odds (LOD) score would be 3.23 with a 10-centimorgan (cM) whole-genome scan for these families, indicating that these families would be useful for a whole-genome scan to potentially find the chromosomal segment(s) containing the epilepsy gene or genes. We conclude that IE in Vizslas appears to be primarily a partial onset seizure disorder that may be inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.

J Vet Intern Med. 2003 May-Jun;17(3):319-25.

How can I help?

If you have an epileptic dog, you can supply samples and information for the project.

Participation by the owners of affected dogs and their relatives is essential to the success of this project. Researchers need DNA samples from dogs who have experienced seizures, and immediate relatives, both normal and affected. Specifically, we need samples from all available siblings, parents, and grandparents. If the affected dog has been bred, all offspring and mates should be sampled as well. Useful research families are explained in more detail here. Participation in this research project is confidential - the names of individual owners or dogs will not be revealed. Data and sample collection instructions and sample submission forms are available to download here.

Dog clubs can contribute to the success of this project by making their members aware that this research is underway, and encouraging those who have affected dogs or relatives to participate.

Your financial support makes this project possible.

You can continue to help through donations to any of the following funds:

AKC Home Page AKCCHF Home Page
American Kennel Club       Canine Health Foundation

The Canine Epilepsy Research Consortium is a group of scientists who have agreed to:

  • share DNA samples, phenotype data, and genotype data
  • share credit for scientific contribution by co-authoring manuscripts
  • agree that discoveries will be put into public domain.
  • The group currently includes:
    MU-CVM Home Page University of Missouri
  • Gary Johnson, DVM, PhD
  • Dennis O'Brien, DVM, PhD
  • Joan Coates, DVM, MS
  • Liz Hansen
  • UM-CVM Home Page University of Minnesota
  • James Mickelson, PhD
  • Ned Patterson, DVM
  • AHT Home Page
    Animal Health Trust
  • Matthew Binns, PhD
  • Cathryn Mellersh, PhD

  • CERC Information Exchange