Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Zonisamide treatment for dogs with hard-to-control epilepsy
By Dewey, Curtis W et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2004·Department of Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Zonisamide therapy for refractory idiopathic epilepsy in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Twelve dogs with uncontrolled seizures due to idiopathic epilepsy were given a medication called zonisamide to see if it could help reduce their seizure frequency. After starting the treatment, about 58% of the dogs showed improvement, with an average reduction in seizures of over 81%. However, five dogs experienced more seizures instead of fewer. Some dogs had mild side effects like sedation, unsteady walking, and vomiting. Overall, zonisamide helped many dogs, but it didn't work for everyone.
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Abstract
Twelve dogs with poorly controlled idiopathic epilepsy were entered into a prospective, open-label, noncomparative study. Oral zonisamide was administered as an additional therapy at a dosage adequate to achieve serum drug concentrations of 10 to 40 microg/mL. Seizure frequency before and after initiation of zonisamide therapy was recorded. A dosing interval of q 12 hours was sufficient to maintain serum zonisamide concentrations within the therapeutic range. The mean dosage of zonisamide required was 8.9 mg/kg q 12 hours. Seven (58%) dogs responded favorably, experiencing a mean reduction in seizures of 81.3%. Five dogs had an increase in seizure frequency. Mild side effects (e.g., transient sedation, ataxia, vomiting) occurred in six dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15238558/