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Survival in feline epilepsy: the long and short of it
Author(s) -
Packer Rowena M. A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.j5025
Subject(s) - citation , library science , psychology , medicine , computer science
Both quality and quantity of life are of importance to the owners of companion animals,1 and in ideal circumstances, each veterinary treatment would ensure high quality of life and increase longevity.2 Understanding which disease- and treatment-related factors influence survival in diseased animals may help guide their management; for example, whether a treatment that compromises quality of life provides sufficient additional lifespan to justify its use.In animals with life-limiting diseases, mismatches may exist between owners’ expectations of survival versus reality. For example, in a study of dog and cat owners’ perceptions of medical treatment for cancer, a mismatch was observed between the number of owners expecting treatment to extend their pet’s lifespan (87.0 per cent) and the actual number that experienced this (60.9 per cent).3 As such, robust estimates of survival time are potentially valuable statistics for guiding owner expectations after diagnosis. Indeed, in a study of owner perceptions of quality versus quantity of life for dogs with heart disease, owners’ reported high levels of concern regarding their inability to know how long their pet was going to live.2Survival analysis was developed to examine mortality data and risks associated with time until death, and allows for censoring where the outcome (usually death or euthanasia) is not recorded at a point in time for a particular subject. Canine epilepsy is a common, chronic neurological disorder in dogs and survival analyses have demonstrated that it can significantly reduce lifespan.4Epileptic seizures are also a common presenting complaint in …