Clinical Management of Seizures in Avian Patients

An avian patient with a history of seizure activity presents a therapeutic and diagnostic challenge to veterinary practitioners. Understanding the stages and types of seizures can aid in differentiating seizures from other types of neurologic abnormalities (e.g., syncope, narcolepsy, vestibular disease). Principal causes of seizure activity in birds include nutritional, traumatic, toxic exposure, cardiovascular, neoplastic, metabolic, and idiopathic. The key to developing an effective treatment plan is to determine the underlying etiology of the seizure activity. Treatment of status epilepticus and idiopathic epilepsy are discussed along with client education and communication, which both serve as cornerstones of successful avian seizure therapy.