Alternative Therapeutic Options for Medical Management of Epilepsy in Apes

Phenobarbital has been the primary antiepileptic drug used in primates, but the dosage required for seizure control is frequently associated with significant side effects. Newer antiepileptic drugs and adjunctive therapies currently being used in human medicine provide additional options for treatme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine 2011-06, Vol.42 (2), p.291-294
Main Authors: Gerlach, Trevor, Clyde, Victoria L, Morris, George L, Bell, Barbara, Wallace, Roberta S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anticonvulsants
Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use
antiepileptic drug
Ape Diseases - drug therapy
Apes
bonobo
CASE SERIES/REPORTS
Dosage
Epilepsy
Epilepsy - drug therapy
Epilepsy - veterinary
Female
gorilla
Gorilla gorilla
Male
Oral contraceptives
Ovulation
Pan paniscus
Primates
Seizures
Side effects
Zoos
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Summary:Phenobarbital has been the primary antiepileptic drug used in primates, but the dosage required for seizure control is frequently associated with significant side effects. Newer antiepileptic drugs and adjunctive therapies currently being used in human medicine provide additional options for treatment of nonhuman primates. This report describes different drug regimes used for control of epileptic seizures in apes at the Milwaukee County Zoo (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA), including the addition of acetazolamide to phenobarbital, levetiracetam, carbamazepine, and the use of extended cycle oral contraceptives to assist seizure control in female apes with catamenial epilepsy.
ISSN:1042-7260
1937-2825
DOI:10.1638/2010-0184.1