Diagnosis of rapid eye movement sleep disorder with electroencephalography and treatment with tricyclic antidepressants in a dog.

A 9-month-old, female Labrador retriever mix was presented for two types of seizure-like episodes, one of which occurred only during sleep. The two types of episodes were morphologically distinct. An electroencephalogram (EEG) demonstrated that the sleep-associated episodes occurred during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, supporting a diagnosis of a REM behavior disorder.

Results of cerebrospinal fluid analysis, neurologic examination findings, and age at the onset of seizures as predictors for results of magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in dogs examined because of seizures: 115 cases (1992-2000).

Objective: To determine whether neurologic examination findings, results of CSF analysis, or age at the onset of seizures could be used to predict whether results of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would be normal or abnormal in dogs with seizures.

Design: Retrospective study.

Animals: 115 dogs.