Advancements in the Diagnosis of Canine and Feline Idiopathic Epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological conditions encountered in small animal practice. Despite its prevalence, the diagnosis and management of epilepsy in dogs and cats remain challenging due to the variability in seizure manifestation and response to treatment. Traditional diagnostic tools, such as conventional MRI, provide limited insight into the disease processes at a cellular level. However, recent advances in neuroimaging techniques as well as the investigation of biomarkers, both in imaging and biologic tissues, may provide further insight into the disease process at the cellular level. Harnessing these novel techniques may bridge the gap between symptom observation and cellular pathology, leading to more targeted and effective therapies.


The primary challenges in the diagnosis and management of canine and feline epilepsy involve the limitations of conventional diagnostic methods, which fail to capture the cellular and molecular underpinnings of the disease. These limitations result in diagnostic ambiguity and less effective treatment plans. The main purpose of this Research Topic is to spotlight the advances in diagnostic methodologies for canine and feline epilepsy, including but not limited to innovative imaging techniques, the investigation of novel biomarkers, and methods to improve determining seizure semiology.


This Research Topic welcomes submissions on various studies, including but not limited to:

• Comparative studies between traditional MRI and advanced neuroimaging techniques in epilepsy diagnosis.

• Investigation of metabolic alterations in epilepsy through biomarkers.

• Therapeutic implications of advanced neuroimaging findings.

• Case studies demonstrating clinical outcomes related to novel diagnostic techniques.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: canine epilepsy, feline epilepsy, idiopathic epilepsy, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Magnetic Resonance Elastography, Neuroimaging, Veterinary Neurology

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.