A research project led by Dr. Ümit Özcan of the Department of Internal Medicine at Ondokuz Mayıs University’s (OMU) Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has been selected for funding under the TÜBİTAK 3501 Career Development Programme.

The project, titled “Evaluation of Electroencephalography Findings and Electrodermal Activity Data in Dogs with Idiopathic Epilepsy,” also involves Dr. Zeynep Nurselin Kot as a researcher and doctoral student Şamil Buğra Köse as a scholarship recipient.

Idiopathic epilepsy, which can persist throughout a dog’s lifetime, requires seizures to be monitored objectively. The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment depends directly on the accurate assessment of seizure frequency, duration, and severity.

The project aims to determine the relationship between electroencephalography (EEG) findings, which reflect electrical activity in the brain, and electrodermal activity (EDA) data, which measure changes in the skin’s electrical response.

Using electrodermal activity data, the researchers aim to provide dog owners with objective information about the frequency, duration, and severity of seizures, including those that occur when the animals are not under direct observation.

This approach is expected to support additional clinical interventions during treatment planning and enable dog owners to monitor treatment effectiveness using scientifically obtained data. The project ultimately seeks to improve both animal welfare and the quality of life of dog owners.

The findings are expected to represent an initial scientific step towards using electrodermal activity monitoring as a wearable technology for dogs. The planned sensor may be developed in the form of a chest harness, collar, or paw-worn device, giving the project considerable potential for commercial application.