My dog had his first seizure. When is an MRI or CT scan needed?

Question

My dog had his first seizure.should we do a mri or catscan? Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Male | unneutered | 4 years and 9 months old | 80 lbs

Makenzie Kurth, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear about Jake’s seizure- that can be very scary to watch. The real answer to you question is: it depends. For many young, otherwise apparently healthy dogs who see me on emergency for a first time seizure, I do not push for advanced imaging. I do usually advise bloodwork to screen for tick-borne illnesses, liver problems, and local fungal diseases that can cause seizures and are treatable. You should also know that many dogs will have a seizure once and then never again- we have no idea why this happens. However, if the seizures recur frequently, and especially I’d there are other neurological signs (mental dullness, loss of vision, head tilt, abnormal pupil or eye movements), I do offer the MRI or CT scan. Jake is the right age to have idiopathic epilepsy (seizure disorder of no known cause. Usually starts between 2 and 5 years of age) In the case of idiopathic epileptics, the MRI/CT comes back normal. Many people do not have the funds for these tests and so, if they are the right age and have no other signs and normal bloodwork, we presume this diagnosis. I hope this helps clarify a few things but please reach out to myself or your vet for any clarification or further questions. Best of luck to you and Jake.

My dog had his first seizure. When is an MRI or CT scan needed?

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