Table 3.
Summary of survey responses and relevant medical records sent by participating DVMs
| Zoo | # of Cases | Species | Age (yr), sex | Semiology | Diagnostic work up, if any | Treatments tried, if any |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Ring-tailed lemur | 8 F | 5+ seizures with loss of consciousness and cramps | Dexamethasone injections, effect unknown | |
| Ring-tailed lemur | 13 F | 3+ seizures associated with fall and unresponsiveness | Neoplasia suspected (animal had abdominal mass) | Etelefrine, effect unknown | ||
| Ring-tailed lemur | 15 M | 2 seizures with cramps lasting a few minutes | ||||
| Vervet monkey | 5 M | 1 episode with fall from tree and twitching | ||||
| 2 | 7 | Black and white ruffled lemur | 4 M | 1 seizure triggered by ketamine | ||
| Red ruffled lemur | 10 M | 1 seizure with hypersalivation while recovering from anesthesia | ||||
| Angola Colubus | 10 M | 1 seizure associated with ketamine, years later multiple seizures with confusion/disorientation | MRI revealed right-sided dural mass | Diazepam given to break seizures | ||
| Black and white Colobus | <1 M | Multiple seizures associated with anesthesia | Diazepam given to break seizures | |||
| Black and white Colobus | 1 F | 1 seizure following arrest and resuscitation during surgery | Diazepam given to break seizures | |||
| Bearded emperor tamarin | 4 F | Several grand mal seizures following fight with sibling | Bloodwork unrevealing, on necropsy found to have large subdural hemorrhage | Seizures did not respond to diazepam, animal arrested | ||
| Sumatran Orangutan | 31 F | 2 petit mal seizures involving head and arm | Radiographs revealed a fetus with head down lodged in the pelvis Found to have islet cell tumor on necropsy |
Vets removed fetus, animal arrested shortly afterwards | ||
| 3 | 0 | |||||
| 4 | 0 | |||||
| 5 | 0 | |||||
| 6 | 2 | Unspecified | Details of this case privileged | |||
| Red ruffled lemur | 24 F | Unknown | Unknown | Phenobarbital with good effect | ||
| 7 | 2 | Western Lowland Gorilla | <1 M | Many left focal seizures over lifetime with collapse and shaking of arms and legs, post-ictal lethargy | MRI and CT at 10yrs showed R frontal atrophy and calcified gyri; Serum and CSF antibody titers to HSV1 and EBV were consistently elevated; necropsy revealed cerebrovascular disease and infarction of R cerebral hemisphere and thalamus | Initially controlled with phenytoin, later switched to phenobarbital due to severe gingival hyperplasia, then switched to VPA due to drowsiness Acyclovir was given for possible encephalitis |
| Western Lowland Gorilla | 42 M | Many seizures, initially presented with status epilepticus, subsequently had behavioral changes (aggression) | Elevated serum toxoplasma and HSV titers; MRI with left temporal lobe encephalomalacia | Phenobarbital, gabapentin later added for better behavioral and seizure focus control Acyclovir was given for possible encephalitis | ||
| 8 | 3 |
Bonobo | 36 F | Multiple seizures occurring during menses | Bloodwork and CSF studies unrevealing; CT with several mineralized foci in cerebrum and cerebellum | Phenobarbital; acetazolamide; OCP |
| Bonobo | 36 F | Multiple seizures occurring on days of ovulation | CT and MRI grossly normal | Phenobarbital, later changed to keppra due to adverse effects; OCP | ||
| Western Lowland Gorilla | <1 M | Multiple seizures occurring every 1–4 hours | Bloodwork unrevealing, CT with hydrocephalus | initially treated with phenobarbital and dilantin, later switched to carbamazepine | ||
All animal care facilities who participated in our study will remain anonymous
Number of cases refers to the known number of nonhuman primates with history of observed seizures in each facility. Cases may be from animals currently at the facility or from animals who were previously at the facility.
Age pertains to age at onset of first observed seizure
MRI magnetic resonance imaging; CT computerized tomography; CSF cerebrospinal fluid; HSV herpes simplex virus; EBV Epstein-Barr virus; VPA valproic acid; OCP oral contraceptive pill