Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How dog owners use supplements for epilepsy in dogs
By Berk, Benjamin Andreas et al.·Published in Research in veterinary science·2018·Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Investigating owner use of dietary supplements in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Many dog owners with pets diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) are turning to dietary supplements to help manage their dog's seizures. In a survey of 297 dog owners, over two-thirds reported changing their dog's diet after the diagnosis, and nearly half were giving supplements, with coconut oil being the most popular choice. Owners often believe these supplements can reduce the frequency and severity of seizures and protect against side effects from medications. It's important for pet owners to discuss any dietary changes or supplements with their veterinarian to ensure safe and effective management of their dog's epilepsy.
People also search for: dog epilepsy diet · coconut oil for dog seizures · dietary supplements for dogs with epilepsy
Abstract
Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological disorder in dogs. Some diets have been shown to have a positive impact upon the seizure activity in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE), while other diets and dietary supplements (DS), although marketed as providing health benefits, lack conclusive scientific evidence on their actual beneficial effects. A web-based owner questionnaire was designed to assess how and why owners of dogs with IE use different dietary regimes and DS. The study cohort, with 297 valid responses, consisted mainly of pure-breed (82.5%) male neutered (52.9%) dogs. Over two-thirds of owners (67.7%) changed their dog's diet after their dog received a diagnosis of IE. Nearly half of the owners (45.8%) reported giving DS, the most common being coconut oil or derived medium-chain triglyceride oil (71.3%). Some owner justifications of DS use included improvement of seizure frequency (88.2%), seizure severity (61.8%) and protection from potential drug side effects (62.5%). Many owners give DS to their dog with IE. The pharmacokinetic properties of anti-epileptic drugs, such as efficacy, absorption and clearance can be influenced by other medications, diets and possibly by DS. We propose that use of DS should be considered and monitored by veterinary surgeons in epilepsy management.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30064067/