Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Herbal Huperzine A helped control seizures in a Bernese mountain dog
By Schneider, Barbara M et al.·Published in Epilepsy & behavior : E&B·2009·Clinical Sciences Department, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical use of an herbal-derived compound (Huperzine A) to treat putative complex partial seizures in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A Bernese mountain dog was experiencing complex partial seizures, which showed up as unusual behaviors like "star gazing," fly snapping, and excessive licking. Initially, the dog was treated with Huperzine A, a natural compound that helped reduce these seizure symptoms for several months. However, after starting tramadol for joint pain, the seizures returned, and Huperzine A was no longer effective. The veterinarian then switched to phenobarbital, which significantly improved the dog's condition.
People also search for: dog complex partial seizures treatment · Bernese mountain dog seizure symptoms · Huperzine A for dog seizures · phenobarbital for dog seizures
Abstract
A Bernese mountain dog was diagnosed with complex partial seizures that were supported by electroencephalographic findings. Clinical signs of the problem included "star gazing," fly snapping, licking, vacuous chewing, and ongoing anxiety. Treatment with Huperzine A, a compound isolated from Chinese club moss with NMDA receptor blocking activity, anticholinesterase activity, and anticonvulsant properties, produced useful suppression of the abnormal behavior for more than months. A relapse occurred when the dog was treated with tramadol for joint pain and the improvement that had been made was not recaptured with Huperzine A. At this stage, phenobarbital therapy was instituted and the dog improved greatly. The role of Huperzine A in controlling seizures is discussed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19616481/