NCSU evaluates new off-label seizure treatment

Cleveland -Researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee are looking for a better way to treat canine seizures by looking at human health treatment options.

Dr. Karen Munana, associate professor of neurology at NCSU, is the prime investigator in finding new ways to control idiopathic epilepsy. Phenobarbital can damage the liver while potassium bromide can have a sedation-effect, leaving practitioners to choose the lesser of two evils.

As many as 30 percent of idiopathic epilepsy cases do not respond to standard treatments, Munana says.

The double-blind, three-year study is investigating the effectiveness of Keppra (levetiracetam) in canines.

This drug was recently approved for humans, Munana explains. Levetiracetam works well for people who haven't responded to conventional seizure medications. Munana says it is also beneficial because it has few interactions with other drugs.

"Any client-owned dogs that are currently taking phenobarbital or potassium bromide and still have at least four seizures per month can be included in the study," says Dr. Julie Nettifee-Osborn of NCSU's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Nettifee-Osborne says less than half of all epileptic dogs are able to maintain a seizure-free status without drug intervention.

The study involves dogs proven to have high counts of epilepsy. Dogs making six to seven clinical visits during a nine to 10 month time were used in the study.

Owners were asked how long seizures lasted and their severity. Case study dogs were placed on the new drug for a four-month time frame, then given four months of placebo.

"Owners can be very biased toward the treatment working, because they have already been through so much with their pets," Munana says.

If levetiracetam proves to be effective, the cost of the drug may make pet owners reluctant to use. The drug would cost $200 a month for a 50-pound dog, Munana says.

Seizures are the most common neurologic disorder found in small animal practices, Nettifee-Osborne says.

"We want to make the quality of life better for these dogs and their owners, by better seizure control," Nettifee-Osborne says.

Munana says the drug looks promising, but more data is needed to see how effective it is before recommending it to clients as a treatment option.

The Morris Animal Foundation is funding the $90,000 study, and UCB Pharma Inc., the makers of Keppra, has donated the drug for testing.

To include a canine in the study, contact Neurology Services at NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine at (919) 513-6692.