Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Clinical use of an herbal-derived compound (Huperzine A) to treat putative complex partial seizures in a dog.
- Journal:
- Epilepsy & behavior : E&B
- Year:
- 2009
- Authors:
- Schneider, Barbara M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Clinical Sciences Department · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A Bernese mountain dog was diagnosed with complex partial seizures, which caused unusual behaviors like staring into space, snapping at imaginary flies, licking, chewing without purpose, and showing signs of anxiety. The dog was treated with Huperzine A, a natural compound that can help with seizures, and this treatment worked well for several months. However, when the dog was given tramadol for joint pain, the seizures returned, and Huperzine A was no longer effective. Eventually, the veterinarian started the dog on phenobarbital, a common seizure medication, which led to significant improvement in the dog's condition.
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: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19616481/