Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Idiopathic epilepsy in dogs and cats and how it's
By Thomas, William B·Published in The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice·2010·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Idiopathic epilepsy in dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
A dog or cat with idiopathic epilepsy (a brain condition causing seizures) can be managed effectively with the right diagnosis and medication. For dogs, the initial treatment often involves phenobarbital or bromide, while phenobarbital is preferred for cats. Newer medications like zonisamide and levetiracetam are also becoming popular due to their fewer side effects. Most pets respond well to treatment, allowing them to live a good quality of life despite their condition.
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Abstract
Idiopathic epilepsy is the most common brain disease in dogs and also occurs in cats. Optimal management entails an accurate diagnosis and appropriate drug therapy. In dogs, either phenobarbital or bromide is appropriate as initial therapy. Phenobarbital is the drug of choice for cats. Several other drugs including zonisamide and levetiracetam have the advantage of fewer side effects and are being increasingly used in veterinary medicine. Treatment is successful in most cases, allowing the pet and client to enjoy a good quality of life.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19942062/