I gained 80lbs on the same diet I'd lost … J Vet Pharmacol Ther. LEV (Keppra Solution, UCB Pharma) was given as an oral solution to ensure precise dosage administration. However, it needs to be considered that in our study, one of the eight seizure-free dogs on LEV had a follow up of less than 6 months and five dogs of less than 1 year. In one clinical trial, ZNS was found to decrease seizure frequency by at least 50% in 7 of 12 dogs with refractory idiopathic epilepsy. In six of the 7 responder dogs, phenobarbital was reduced by an average … With epilepsy, seizures can occur as singular incidents or in groups. Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, AL97TA, UK, Rowena MA Packer, George Nye, Sian Elizabeth Porter & Holger A Volk, You can also search for this author in Keppra (levetiracetam) is mostly excreted by the kidneys are is one of the safest drugs speaking in terms of therapeutic vs. toxic blood concentrations. Based on veterinary care, the incidence rate of both idiopathic (genetically based) and symptomatic cases of epilepsy is estimated to be 18 per 10,000 dog years at risk. In our former study [14] we used a previously described strategy to overcome tolerance [35]. 2011;169(2):48. Male dogs are more commonly affected than females. 2012;26(2):334–40. Levetiracetam safety profiles and tolerability in epilepsy patients. 2010;121(2):83–8. The more heterogeneous population in this study could explain the higher long-term success rate. All tests were used two-sided with P < 0.05 being considered statistically significant. Common Questions and Answers about Side effects of keppra in dogs. Diagnosing refractory epilepsy: response to sequential treatment schedules. For cats and dogs experiencing seizures that cannot be controlled by bromides or phenobarbital, Levetiracetam is an add-on drug option. In a separate study 64% of the epileptic dogs presented at a UK referral hospital had cluster seizures [28]. Zonisamide has a high margin of safety in dogs. Manage cookies/Do not sell my data we use in the preference centre. Löscher W, Brandt C. High seizure frequency prior to antiepileptic treatment is a predictor of pharmacoresistant epilepsy in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Other causes include liver disease, kidney failure, brain tumors or trauma, and environmental toxins. The electronic database of a UK based referral hospital was searched for LEV usage in dogs with seizures. Lynch BA, Lambeng N, Nocka K, Kensel-Hammes P, Bajjalieh SM, Matagne A, et al. Another former study showed a good initial response, which decreased over time [14]. Despite their lack of control during each episode, dogs can appear normal between seizures. 1997;38(1):7–14. Factors other than tolerance have to be considered for the return of poor seizure control, such as progression of epilepsy, poor owner compliance, placebo effect of using a novel AED, natural fluctuations of seizure frequency, regression to the mean and acquired drug resistance mediated by mechanisms other than tolerance [35,37]. J Small Anim Pract. Mild side effects were experienced by 46% of dogs and a significantly higher number of these dogs were in the pulse treatment group. The synaptic vesicle protein SV2A is the binding site for the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam. 2010;24(1):166–70. “I'll be more aggressive.” ... Levetiracetam has a frequent honeymoon effect. Give as directed by your veterinarian. , remain calm. Seizure. Levetiracetam is an anticonvulsant medication sometimes used to control seizures in household pets including dogs. In another study entailing dogs with cluster seizures or status epilepticus, LEV was superior compared to a placebo group in controlling seizure activity [23]. Zonisamide therapy for refractory idiopathic epilepsy in dogs. The dog owners reported that their dog’s seizure severity (maintenance treatment group, 45% (95% CI 24.7-65.3%); pulse treatment group, 43% (95% CI 20.7-65.3%)) and duration (maintenance treatment group, 7% (95% CI 0–17.4%); pulse treatment group, 30% (95% CI 9.4-50.6%) improved during LEV treatment. 2000;342(5):314–9. Seizures are a frequently reported neurological condition in dogs. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-015-0340-x, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-015-0340-x. Furthermore, pharmacodynamic tolerance is not an uncommon clinical occurrence. French J, di Nicola S, Arrigo C. Fast and sustained efficacy of levetiracetam during titration and the first 3 months of treatment in refractory epilepsy. The majority of epileptic dogs have their first seizure between 1 and 5 years of age, and dogs in that age range are more likely to be diagnosed as idiopathic epileptics, although about … Exceptions to this are if the dog's first seizure was a status epilepticus event or if the dog is an at-risk breed (like a border collie or Australian shepherd). It does, however, require a higher dosage than other medicines. As aforementioned most dogs also had cluster seizures. Other drugs include zonisamide, potassium bromide, etc. California Privacy Statement, There was no significant difference in the number of responders between the maintenance and the pulse treatment group (≥50% seizure frequency reduction, 66% (95% CI 46.6-85.4%) vs. 74% (95% CI 54.3-93.7%); free of seizures, 7% (95% CI 0–17.4%) vs. 26% (95% CI 6.3-45.7); P > 0.05). Löscher W, Honack D, Rundfeldt C. Antiepileptogenic effects of the novel anticonvulsant levetiracetam (ucb L059) in the kindling model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Dewey CW. Most authors recommend dosing every eight … Concurrent PB administration to LEV can increase the clearance of LEV significantly in dogs [36]. J Am Vet Med Assoc. How it works. Levetiracetam is given by mouth or injection and is used off label to treat seizures and epilepsy. A main predictor for drug-resistance is a high seizure frequency prior to treatment [25,30,42,43]. All the dogs in the pulse treatment group experienced cluster seizures and cluster seizures were reported in 83% (95% CI 67.7-98.4%) of the dogs in the maintenance treatment group (P = 0.04). It is possible that the number of seizure-free dogs might decline should the follow-up period be extended. Vet Rec. LEV treatment resulted in 69% of dogs having a 50% or greater reduction of seizure frequency whilst 15% of all the dogs were completely free from seizures. Govendir M, Perkins M, Malik R. Improving seizure control in dogs with refractory epilepsy using gabapentin as an adjunctive agent. Long-term toxicity studies revealed that LEV in dogs is extremely safe [38]. Beghi E. Efficacy and tolerability of the new antiepileptic drugs: comparison of two recent guidelines. Seizure. Briggs DE, French JA. There is no doubt that double-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trials are of pivotal importance to establish efficacy and safety of novel AEDs, however, in recent years studies assessing the use of AEDs in practice are increasingly accepted to provide additional useful data in human medicine. For some, one is not enough and they need 2, 3, or 4 … This means that they works well in most dogs for a while, but then may become less effective. In addition to its seizure-suppressing activity, previous experiments in chronic epilepsy models in rodents suggested that LEV might also possess anti-epileptogenic or disease-modifying activity [18-21]. Clinical, epidemiological and treatment results of idiopathic epilepsy in 54 labrador retrievers: a long-term study. Stephen LJ, Kelly K, Parker P, Brodie MJ. Your vet can work with you to adjust dosage should this be the case. The study was approved by the Animal Care and Ethics committee of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC 2012/P129). Long seizures can be fatal. The drug is commonly sold under the name Keppra, and works by suppressing electrical activity in the brain. Prolonged treatment with LEV has also been shown to induce tolerance in rodent epilepsy models [ 35 ]. LEV appears to be effective and well tolerated for reduction of seizures. But I have to tell you that keppra … Levetiracetam is often used with phenobarbital when phenobarbital alone does not provide adequate benefits. Note it, though, and report the episode to your veterinarian, being sure to record the date, time, and duration. Idiopathic epilepsy, a common cause of seizures in dogs, is an inherited disorder. One dog in the current study also had an episode of vomiting and diarrhoea, which the owner associated with the LEV administration. the honeymoon phase is basically a phase of where one can get away with having no seizures for a while but will come back again is my understanding of it. PubMed  Bydogtime, and Dogtime. Epilepsia. French JA, Kanner AM, Bautista J, Abou-Khalil B, Browne T, Harden CL, et al. LEV was prescribed for all dogs to improve seizure control apart from one case for which it was prescribed to shorten the post-ictal phase and in five cases it was used as a result of side-effects attributable to KBr and/or PB use (pancreatitis, marked behaviour change, severe ataxia). It is generally accepted that cluster seizures are more challenging to control and therefore referral to a specialist hospital could be more likely. Neuro-behavioural problems, such as aggression occur mainly in children with a former psychiatric history [39,40]. Correspondence to . Levetiracetam (keppra, keppra) 250 mg, tablets are debossed with pfizer on one side and vgr25. A large percentage of dogs respond to one anti-seizure medication. Dog Diagnosed with Epilepsy It was only a month after his adoption that Troy started having seizures. However, it is interesting that despite studying a heterogeneous population, potentially useful data was gathered which showed that LEV has a good tolerability and is potentially efficacious in treating epilepsy in the dog. There are indications that some animals may develop a "tolerance" to levetiracetam and, after the initial honeymoon, the seizure frequency may rebound. The side effects reported in humans with LEV are similar to those seen in the dog such as sedation, restlessness, gastrointestinal irritations, ataxia, and neuro-behavioural problems in a small percentage [5,39,40]. i was supposed to give her another medication to help with her stool at 8 but i di … Keppra seems to be the new favorite in our clinic. Zonisamide and Keppra both work very well against seizures, although Keppra in particular is subject to a “honeymoon period” of seizure-free activity that can wear off. Regesta G, Tanganelli P. Clinical aspects and biological bases of drug-resistant epilepsies. The authors also would like to thank the research office for assessing the manuscript according to the Royal Veterinary College’s code of good research practice (Authorisation Number – VCS_00436). Despite the aforementioned evidence of LEV’s efficacy and tolerability for acute seizures and chronic epilepsy further studies are needed to evaluate LEV’s long-term efficacy and tolerability in canine epilepsy. volume 11, Article number: 25 (2015) et al. Packer, R.M., Nye, G., Porter, S.E. Your vet can work with you to adjust dosage should this be the case. However, it is known from epidemiological studies in human medicine that only very few patients will respond to a third AED, if they have not responded adequately to two standard AEDs [25]. The hospital’s electronic records were searched for the terms ‘levetiracetam’, ‘dog’ and ‘epilepsy’ or ‘seizure’ between February 2006 and February 2012. Keep your hand out of your dog’s mouth; you may be bitten. Mike smiled at the officer hopefully. Remove nearby sharp or hard objects like tables or chairs which could hurt your dog. This could be secondary to the threefold initial LEV dose (60 mg/kg). PubMed  Characteristics of epileptic episodes in UK dog breeds: an epidemiological approach. The cluster seizure population in this retrospective study is higher than previously reported and it can be assumed that the clinicians in this study used LEV mainly for dogs presenting with cluster seizures. , brain tumors or trauma, and environmental toxins. It can be used alone, or in conjunction with other anticonvulsants such as. Epilepsia. Tags: keppra for dogs, keppra for dogs side effects. 2004;101(26):9861–6. Keppra dosage: how much to give to dogs Consult your vet first and follow the dosage accordingly. “How to Manage Epilepsy in Dogs Using Conventional and Holistic Treatments.” Care.com, Accessed 29 Nov. 2017. As with any anticonvulsant medication, Keppra should never be cut off suddenly. Holger A Volk. Google ScholarÂ. 2011;34(1):31–34. There are many causes of seizures in dogs. Levetiracetam monotherapy–outcomes from an epilepsy clinic. Seizures were classified according to the former guidelines of the International League Against Epilepsy, modified for veterinary patients [26,27]. Levetiracetam is a white to off-white crystalline powder with a faint odor and a bitter taste. Acta Neurol Scand. It’s never easy to imagine your beloved pup could be affected by a convulsion or fit. Short AD, Dunne A, Lohi H, Boulton S, Carter SD, Timofte D, et al. In a former study, eight dog owners documented that their dogs became more lively and interactive on LEV treatment [14]. The percentage of dogs having cluster seizures increased prior to LEV treatment from 50% (95% CI 36.4-63.6%) to 90% (95% CI 81.9-98.2%) (P = 0.02), which was also significant in the pulse treatment group (from 39% (95% CI 17.1-60.9%) to 100%; P = 0.02) but not in the maintenance treatment group (from 59% (95% CI 38.9-79.1%) to 83% (95% CI 67.7-98.4%); P > 0.05). Dewey CW, Guiliano R, Boothe DM, Berg JM, Kortz GD, Joseph RJ, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. No one expects that "honeymoon" period to be cut short by a health problem. 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