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Originally Posted by ladyjane  Again, before I would consider ANY type of treatment on any of my pups for a seizure disorder, I would have a board certified internest and/or neurologist evaluate him/her. I really believe that more testing is in order beyond a simple exam and blood work. |
I couldn't agree more. Mikki hasn't even had a bile acid test yet, right?
A diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy is only made
after all other causes for seizures have been ruled out.
I would absolutely urge you to get a second opinion from an internal medicine vet. Since epilepsy is usually a progressive disease if not treated, it can be dangerous not to medicate a dog who is having seizures as frequently as Mikki is.
What is kindling?
A. Kindling is the experimental phenomenon whereby repeated stimulation of the brain can eventually induce a chronic epileptic state that persists after the stimulation is stopped.
The underlying mechanisms of kindling are incompletely understood but involve changes in the electrical behavior of a group of brain cells. This may be related to alterations of chemical receptors (specifically what are called NMDA subtype of glutamate receptors) and changes in how these brain cells connect with each other through structures called synapses.
In a sense, by having repeated seizure the brain "learns" how to have seizures. Think about how a young child learning to write their name has to concentrate when printing each letter. After doing this over and over, we become able to quickly write our name without even thinking about the intricate hand movements involved. Obviously there is some change in our brain that allows this to happen, but it does not have to be a structural lesion.
I think of kindling as something similar. The brain is doing what it is designed to do...learn. It is just learning to do something harmful like have a seizure.
WB Thomas, DVM
Dipl. ACVIM (Neurology)
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN Canine Epilepsy-Frequently asked questions about the diagnosis, treatment and management of seizures in dogs