Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How dog owners use emergency seizure medicine at home
By Kähn, Charlotte et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2023·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Out-of-hospital rescue medication in dogs with emergency seizure disorders: an owner perspective.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A survey of dog owners found that many successfully used rescue medications at home for dogs experiencing emergency seizures. Most owners reported using diazepam or midazolam, with midazolam being seen as more effective and easier to administer. In fact, 97% of owners who used intranasal midazolam said it worked well, compared to 63% for rectal diazepam. This suggests that having the right rescue medication on hand can be crucial for managing seizure emergencies in dogs, helping to stop seizures quickly and effectively.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emergency seizure disorders such as status epilepticus and cluster seizures are unlikely to cease spontaneously while prolonged seizure activity become progressively more resistant to treatment. Early administration of rescue medication in canine epileptic patients, in particular benzodiazepines, at seizure onset by the owners can be life-saving and brain protecting. Clinical studies in dogs evaluating the use of rescue medication in hospital environment exist, however, the owner perspective has not been assessed to date. HYPOTHESIS OR OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the use of rescue medication in dogs with seizure emergencies by the owner at home. METHOD: Observational study based on online surveys of owners of dogs with emergency seizure disorders. RESULTS: The questionnaire was answered by 1,563 dog owners, of which 761 provided complete and accurate answers suitable for analysis. Of these, 71% administered diazepam, 19% midazolam, 6% levetiracetam, 3% lorazepam, and 4% more than one rescue or other medication. Overall, the success rates based on owners' perspective for intranasal midazolam and rectal diazepam were 97 and 63%, respectively. Owners reported a compliance level of 95 and 66% for intranasal midazolam and rectal diazepam administration, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Even though rectal diazepam was the most used rescue medication in this survey population, intranasal midazolam was perceived by the owners as a better option regarding effectiveness, time to seizure cessation and owner compliance.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37850066/