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. 2009 May 15:222–232. doi: 10.1016/B978-1-4160-3949-5.50026-1

TABLE 22-1.

Potential Causes of Seizures

CLASS OF DISORDERS EXAMPLES
Degenerative diseases

  • Storage diseases: gangliosidosis, glucocerebrosidosis, glycoproteinosis, mucopolysaccharidosis glycogenosis, ceroid lipofuscinosis, leukodystrophy

  • Diseases affecting intermediate metabolism
Anatomical anomalies

  • Hydrocephalus (primary, secondary), lissencephaly, hydranencephaly, porenecphaly

  • Vascular malformations
Metabolic disturbances

  • Hepatic encephalopathy: portosystemic shunt, acquired liver disease

  • Uremic encephalopathy

  • Hypoglycemia: see Chapters 36 and 73

  • Hypocalcemia: puerperal tetany, hypoparathyroidism

  • Hypercalcemia, hypernatremia, hyponatremia, hyperlipoproteinemia

  • Hypoxia, acid-base disturbances, polycythemia vera
Neoplasia
 Primary

  • Meningioma, meningiosarcoma, astrocytoma, glioblastoma multiforme

  • Oligodendroglioma, oligoastrocytoma, gliomatosis cerebri

  • Primitive neuroectodermal tumors, ependymoma, chorioid plexus papilloma
 Secondary

  • Metastatic neoplasia, lymphoma

  • Pituitary macroadenoma, hamartoma, suprasellar germ cell tumor
Inflammatory conditions
 Infections
  Bacterial Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Pasteurella spp., Listeria monocytogenes
  Rickettsial Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis
  Viral Rabies, canine distemper virus, canine herpesvirus
Feline infectious peritonitis, leukemia virus, immunodeficiency virus
  Fungal Cryptococcosis, blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, coccidiomycosis, phaeohyphomycosis
  Protozoal Neosporosis, toxoplasmosis
  Parasitic Dirofilariasis, toxascariasis, ancylostomiasis
 Noninfectious causes Granulomatous meningoencephalitis, necrotizing meningoencephalitis
Necrotizing leukoencephalitis, eosinophilic meningoencephalitis
Feline polioencephalomyelitis
Trauma Head trauma: automobile crashes, high-rise building syndrome, bite wounds
Toxins Organophosphates, carbamates, metaldehyde, pyrethrin (cats), ethylene glycol, bromethalin, lead
Vascular disorders Hemorrhagic or ischemic infarction
Feline ischemic encephalopathy from intracranial Cuterebra spp. larval migration