title: Anticonvulsant therapy in small animals.
abstract: Successful control of seizures with anticonvulsant drugs reflects a balance in achieving seizure control while minimizing undesirable drug side effects. Variability in the disposition of anticonvulsants and interaction among them are important confounders of successful therapy. This article will provide a review of selected anticonvulsants, focusing on drugs most likely to control seizures in small animals. The proper use of anticonvulsants will be discussed, with emphasis on differences in individual drug disposition, detection of these differences, and rational approaches to responding to these differences by dose modification. The primary target of discussion will be treatment of generalized, tonic clonic seizures, the most common type afflicting small animals. Opinions regarding anticonvulsive therapy vary among clinicians. Most of the comments and recommendations offered in this discussion reflect observations made from our therapeutic drug monitoring service and completed and ongoing clinical trials that focus on the use of anticonvulsants used either alone or in combination with phenobarbital.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Boothe
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000588:Amines; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001965:Bromides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003009:Clorazepate Dipotassium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000078328:Felbamate; D000077206:Gabapentin; D008617:Mephenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011324:Primidone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001965:Bromides; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D011324:Primidone; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D002998:Clonazepam; D014635:Valproic Acid; D010672:Phenytoin; D003009:Clorazepate Dipotassium; D000077206:Gabapentin; D010424:Pentobarbital; D003975:Diazepam; D008617:Mephenytoin; D000078328:Felbamate; D010634:Phenobarbital