Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force consensus proposal: medical treatment of canine epilepsy in Europe.
- Journal:
- BMC veterinary research
- Year:
- 2015
- Authors:
- Bhatti, Sofie F M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In Europe, there are now more medications available to treat epilepsy in dogs, but many important questions about treatment still need answers. These include when to start medication, which drug to use first, what to do if the first drug doesn’t work well, and when to change treatments. This proposal aims to provide clear guidelines based on the latest research and the legal rules for prescribing medications in Europe. It emphasizes that for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (epilepsy with no known cause), the goal is to manage the condition effectively, while for dogs with structural epilepsy (epilepsy caused by a specific issue), medications are necessary alongside treating the underlying problem. Overall, the proposal seeks to standardize how veterinarians approach treating epilepsy in dogs.
Abstract
In Europe, the number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) licensed for dogs has grown considerably over the last years. Nevertheless, the same questions remain, which include, 1) when to start treatment, 2) which drug is best used initially, 3) which adjunctive AED can be advised if treatment with the initial drug is unsatisfactory, and 4) when treatment changes should be considered. In this consensus proposal, an overview is given on the aim of AED treatment, when to start long-term treatment in canine epilepsy and which veterinary AEDs are currently in use for dogs. The consensus proposal for drug treatment protocols, 1) is based on current published evidence-based literature, 2) considers the current legal framework of the cascade regulation for the prescription of veterinary drugs in Europe, and 3) reflects the authors' experience. With this paper it is aimed to provide a consensus for the management of canine idiopathic epilepsy. Furthermore, for the management of structural epilepsy AEDs are inevitable in addition to treating the underlying cause, if possible.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26316233/