Epilepsy is one of the most serious neurological conditions in dogs. Seizures are distressing for both the dog and the owner, and in one in three epileptic dogs medication remains insufficiently effective. A first epidemiological study from the University of Helsinki investigated whether diet during the puppy phase is associated with this.
Raw food with fish and omega-3 from animal sources
EPA and DHA intact · No ultra-processed carbohydrates
Epilepsy in dogs: how common is it?
Epilepsy affects an estimated 0.6 to 0.75% of all dogs, comparable to the prevalence in humans. It is a multifactorial condition in which genetics, environment, and development all play a role. Treatment typically consists of medication, but in approximately one third of patients epilepsy remains insufficiently controlled as a result.
This has led to growing interest in diet as a supplementary factor. High-fat, low-carbohydrate diets are being studied in the broader epilepsy literature as a supportive treatment in humans and dogs - this is separate from the research that is the focus of this blog.
Canine epilepsy shows strong similarities to human epilepsy: comparable prevalence, disease course, and medication. Dogs are therefore considered a valuable translational model for epilepsy research.
The study: 108 epileptic dogs, DogRisk Helsinki
DogRisk - University of Helsinki
Hemida et al. (2023) used the DogRisk food frequency questionnaire to investigate whether fat sources in the diet of puppies (2-6 months old) are associated with the occurrence of epilepsy in adulthood.
This was a nested case-control study with a relatively small sample: 108 epileptic dogs versus 397 non-epileptic control animals, matched by breed, sex, and age.
Epilepsy was in many cases established on the basis of owner reporting, not veterinarily verified. The researchers analysed multiple fat sources and combined fish, fish oil, and mixed fats into one total fish source variable.
What the numbers show
Regular feeding of fish fats - at least once a week - during the puppy phase was associated with a lower risk of epilepsy later in life. This association was statistically significant in two of the three models. In the fully adjusted model, the association was no longer statistically significant.
Hemida et al., 2023 |
Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Vol. 10, Art. 1227437 — First epidemiological study into the association between puppy diet and epilepsy risk in dogs. n=505 (108 cases, 397 controls). DogRisk FFQ, University of Helsinki. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1227437 |
Background: what earlier research suggests about omega-3 and neurology
EPA and DHA, the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from fish, have been associated with neurological health in earlier studies. According to that literature, they support the cell membrane fluidity of neurons, are involved in myelination and neural growth, and have anti-inflammatory properties. These mechanisms were not investigated in this study, but provide the biological context within which the findings are interpreted.
Earlier research, supported by prior literature but not confirmed in this study, suggests that a deficiency of essential fatty acids during early development is associated with delayed myelination and a higher risk of certain forms of epilepsy.
The relationship between high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets and reduced seizure frequency comes from the broader epilepsy literature on ketogenic diets - this too is separate from the findings of this specific study.
Scientifically honest
This is a hypothesis-generating study - the first of its kind for dogs. The sample is relatively small (108 cases). In the fully adjusted model, the association was not statistically significant. Epilepsy diagnoses are largely based on owner reporting. The EPA/DHA mechanisms come from prior literature and were not investigated in this study. The authors explicitly state that follow-up research is needed, preferably randomised, controlled dietary intervention studies. Wolfork does not claim on the basis of this study that raw food prevents epilepsy.
Wolfork and the researched dietary pattern
The association investigated in the study concerned regular feeding of fish fats during the puppy phase. Wolfork contains fish as an ingredient and supplies EPA and DHA from animal sources, intact because the food is not heated. The macronutrient ratio of Wolfork - high in animal fat, low in carbohydrates - fits within the dietary pattern studied in this research.
Whether this makes a difference for your individual dog cannot be determined on the basis of this study. That is precisely why the authors recommend follow-up research.
What this means in practice
The first epidemiological study into puppy diet and epilepsy risk in dogs, conducted by the DogRisk group in Helsinki with which Wolfork collaborates, found an association between regular fish fats in the puppy phase and a lower epilepsy risk later. The association was significant in two of the three models. The study is hypothesis-generating, the sample relatively small, and follow-up research is needed. Wolfork fits within the researched dietary pattern - more than that cannot be concluded on the basis of this study.
Raw food with fish - aligned with the researched pattern
No grains · EPA and DHA directly from animal sources · Delivered chilled to your door
Source
Hemida, M., Rosendahl, S., Jokinen, T.S., Moore, R., Vuori, K.A., Anturaniemi, J. & Hielm-Björkman, A. (2023). Assessing the association between supplemented puppyhood dietary fat sources and owner-reported epilepsy in adulthood, among Finnish companion dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10:1227437. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1227437