Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with epilepsy developed bromide poisoning from kidney failure
By Nichols, E S et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1996·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Bromide toxicosis secondary to renal insufficiency in an epileptic dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old Labrador Retriever with epilepsy was brought in showing signs of hind limb weakness, unsteady movements, and confusion. The dog had been treated with potassium bromide, but due to kidney problems, it developed bromide toxicosis (poisoning). The veterinarian stopped the bromide treatment and gave the dog fluids, which quickly improved its symptoms. However, the dog experienced seizures again as the bromide levels dropped. This case suggests that while fluids can help, stopping bromide and using careful fluid management might be better for dogs with epilepsy.
People also search for: dog hind limb weakness · Labrador Retriever seizure treatment · bromide poisoning in dogs · kidney problems in dogs · dog epilepsy medication side effects
Abstract
Bromide toxicosis was diagnosed in an 8-year-old Labrador Retriever that had been treated for epilepsy with potassium bromide, at a dosage of 29 mg/kg of body weight/d. Clinical signs included hind limb weakness, ataxia, and disorientation. Renal insufficiency, diagnosed by determination of endogenous creatinine clearance, was believed to be responsible for the development of bromide toxicosis in this dog. Diuresis with physiologic saline solution and discontinuation of bromide and phenobarbital treatment resulted in rapid resolution of abnormal neurologic signs; however, serum bromide concentrations decreased dramatically during diuresis and seizures recurred. Although saline diuresis has been recommended for the treatment of bromide intoxication in human beings, more conservative measures, such as discontinuation of bromide and short-term fluid administration, may be more appropriate for epileptic dogs.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8567378/