If your dog has ever experienced seizures, you may have heard the term idiopathic epilepsy. While the name might sound complex, it simply means your dog is having repeated seizures without an identifiable cause or visible brain abnormality. It’s the diagnosis in nearly half of all canine epilepsy cases—the other half typically results from structural issues like brain tumors or trauma.

As Dr. Stephanie Montgomery, CEO of the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), explains, “It is a seizure disorder with no known cause. The brain looks normal, and your dog seems perfectly healthy between seizures.”

For dog owners, that uncertainty can be deeply frustrating. Seizures are unpredictable and distressing, and current treatment often means daily anti-epileptic medications. Unfortunately, these drugs don’t work for every dog, and they don’t address the underlying cause of the disease.

That’s why innovative science is so important.

Dr. Philippa Johnson at Cornell University is taking a fresh approach to studying idiopathic epilepsy in dogs. Traditional MRI scans typically show no abnormalities in these cases. Dr. Johnson’s team is using an advanced imaging method called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine how water molecules move through canine brain tissue.

In human epilepsy studies, DTI has revealed subtle abnormalities that standard scans can’t detect. Inspired by this, Dr. Johnson began a CHF-funded study in 2022 to apply this technique to canine patients.

Early Findings Show Promising Connections
In a recent update, Dr. Johnson’s team reported increased fractional anisotropy (an-i-sa-tro-pee), which is a measure of white matter, in the brains of dogs with epilepsy. White matter is the part of the brain that contains nerve fibers that carry messages between different brain areas and to the rest of the body. Changes in white matter might indicate that the brain is trying to adapt or cope with ongoing seizures.

Interestingly, similar findings have been reported in children with epilepsy. In those cases, researchers suspect this change might be a compensatory mechanism, especially when medication isn’t fully effective.

This kind of cross-species insight is at the heart of translational medicine – or as we like to call it: One Health – using cross-species discoveries to connect science and clinical care to advance both human and animal health. Studies like this are vital for reshaping our understanding of long-term, One Health, diseases that require ongoing care, like epilepsy. They pave the way for treatments that go beyond managing symptoms—and instead, address the root causes.

CHF is proud to support Dr. Johnson’s work and others like it. Together, we’re committed to helping dogs live longer, healthier lives through the power of science.