Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Levetiracetam added to treat hard-to-control epilepsy in dogs
By Muñana, K R et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2012·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of levetiracetam as adjunctive treatment for refractory canine epilepsy: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 34 dogs with epilepsy that didn't respond to standard medications were given either levetiracetam (LEV) or a placebo for 16 weeks to see if it could help reduce their seizures. While the dogs showed a decrease in seizure frequency during the LEV treatment compared to their baseline, it wasn't significantly better than the placebo. Most dogs tolerated the treatment well, although some experienced mild coordination issues. Owners reported that their dogs had a better quality of life while on LEV. More research is needed to fully understand how effective LEV is for treating epilepsy in dogs.
People also search for: dog epilepsy treatment · levetiracetam for dogs · dog seizure medication side effects
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is little evidence-based information available to guide treatment of refractory epilepsy in dogs. The antiepileptic drug levetiracetam (LEV) is administered to dogs, although its safety and efficacy are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of LEV as adjunctive therapy for refractory epilepsy in dogs. ANIMALS: Thirty-four client-owned dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. METHODS: Randomized, blinded trial involving dogs resistant to phenobarbital and bromide. Dogs received LEV (20 mg/kg PO q8h) or placebo for 16 weeks, and after a 4-week washout were crossed over to the alternate treatment for 16 weeks. Owners kept records on seizure frequency and adverse events. Hemogram, chemistry profile, urinalysis, and serum antiepileptic drug concentrations were evaluated at established intervals. RESULTS: Twenty-two (65%) dogs completed the study. Weekly seizure frequency during the 1st treatment period decreased significantly during LEV administration relative to baseline (1.9 ± 1.9 to 1.1 ± 1.3, P = .015). The reduction in seizures with LEV was not significant when compared to placebo (1.1 ± 1.3 versus 1.5 ± 1.7, P = .310). The most common adverse event was ataxia, with no difference in incidence between LEV and placebo (45 versus 18%, P = .090). No changes in laboratory parameters were identified and owners reported an improved quality of life (QOL) with LEV compared to placebo (QOL score 32.7 ± 4.3 versus 29.4 ± 4.5, P = .028). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Adjunctive treatment with LEV appears safe in epileptic dogs. Efficacy of LEV over placebo was not demonstrated, although the power of the study was limited. Further evaluation of LEV as treatment for epilepsy in dogs is warranted.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22295869/