Comparing the effects of first-line antiepileptic drugs on the gait of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy

Idiopathic epilepsy (IE) is a common chronic neurological disease of the dog. Previous studies of anti-epileptic drug (AED) treatment have indicated that acceptable AED adverse effects are as important to owners as reductions in seizure frequency. AEDs in both dogs and human beings are frequently as...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary record 2016-06, Vol.178 (26), p.652-652
Main Authors: Suiter, E. J., Packer, R. M. A., Volk, H. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adverse effect
Animals
Anti epileptic drug
Anticonvulsants - adverse effects
Anticonvulsants - pharmacology
Ataxia
Ataxia - chemically induced
Ataxia - veterinary
Cameras
Case-Control Studies
Convulsions & seizures
Dog Diseases - drug therapy
Dogs
Drugs
Epilepsy
Epilepsy - drug therapy
Epilepsy - veterinary
Gait - drug effects
Imidazoles - adverse effects
Imidazoles - pharmacology
Phenobarbital - adverse effects
Phenobarbital - pharmacology
Seizures
Spinal cord injuries
Treatment Outcome
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Idiopathic epilepsy (IE) is a common chronic neurological disease of the dog. Previous studies of anti-epileptic drug (AED) treatment have indicated that acceptable AED adverse effects are as important to owners as reductions in seizure frequency. AEDs in both dogs and human beings are frequently associated with the adverse-effect ataxia. The aim of this study was to compare ataxia levels in dogs with IE treated chronically with phenobarbitone or imepitoin, the two currently available first-line AED treatments. The gait of 6 imepitoin-treated dogs, 8 phenobarbitone-treated dogs and 10 age-matched healthy control dogs were compared. Fifty strides from a walking gait were analysed for each dog, quantifying ataxia via the variability in six established gait parameters. Three variables differed significantly between groups: lateral distance between (i) pelvic paw placements, (ii) thoracic paw placements and (iii) stance time, which were significantly more variable in the phenobarbitone-treated dogs than imepitoin-treated or control dogs. These results indicate that dogs treated with phenobarbitone experience ataxia compared with controls and imepitoin-treated dogs. Conversely, there was no difference between imepitoin-treated dogs and controls. These results along with further research are needed to quantify AEDs adverse effects, to help vets and owners make more informed drug-choices.
ISSN:0042-4900
2042-7670
DOI:10.1136/vr.103736