Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with lupus-like illness after phenobarbital stopped after drug
By Phillips, Erin et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2023·Department of Clinical Studies, Canada·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Presumptive phenobarbital-induced systemic lupus erythematosus in a domestic dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3.5-year-old poodle was brought to the vet for seizures and was treated with phenobarbital. After starting the medication, the dog developed a fever, low blood cell counts, and protein in the urine, which led to a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, likely caused by the drug. The vet stopped the phenobarbital and switched to levetiracetam, providing supportive care. Within three months, all symptoms resolved, and the dog returned to good health without needing immunosuppressive drugs.
People also search for: dog fever after phenobarbital · poodle seizures treatment · dog lupus symptoms · phenobarbital side effects in dogs
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe a case of presumptive acquired systemic lupus erythematosus secondary to phenobarbital administration in a dog, which resolved with withdrawal of the drug. CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 3.5 year-old poodle presented to a veterinary teaching hospital for Tier 1 idiopathic epilepsy and was treated with phenobarbital. The dog experienced fever, multiple cytopenias, and proteinuria in conjunction with a positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) titer. DIAGNOSTICS: Serial CBCs, urine protein : creatinine ratios, and sternal bone marrow aspirates were performed to evaluate improvement. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Phenobarbital was withdrawn and levetiracetam initiated. All abnormalities resolved with supportive care, without initiation of immunosuppressive drugs. All cytopenias and proteinuria resolved and ANA test results became negative within 3 months. The patient recovered and did well clinically. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Systemic lupus erythematosus is a disease of multiple autoimmune syndromes occurring concurrently or sequentially in conjunction with the presence of circulating ANA. It has been well described in dogs as an idiopathic condition, but in human medicine may occur secondary to drug reactions (drug-associated lupus) including as a reaction to phenobarbital. The findings in our case are consistent with the criteria for drug-induced lupus in humans and we suggest it as the first report of phenobarbital-induced lupus in a dog.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37737539/