title: Pregabalin as an adjunct to phenobarbital, potassium bromide, or a combination of phenobarbital and potassium bromide for treatment of dogs with suspected idiopathic epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess tolerability and short-term efficacy of oral administration of pregabalin as an adjunct to phenobarbital, potassium bromide, or a combination of phenobarbital and potassium bromide for treatment of dogs with poorly controlled suspected idiopathic epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open-label, noncomparative clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  11 client-owned dogs suspected of having idiopathic epilepsy that was inadequately controlled with phenobarbital, potassium bromide, or a combination of these 2 drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs were treated with pregabalin (3 to 4 mg/kg [1.4 to 1.8 mg/lb], PO, q 8 h) for 3 months. Number of generalized seizures in the 3 months before and after initiation of pregabalin treatment was recorded. Number of responders (>or= 50% reduction in seizure frequency) was recorded, and seizure frequency before and after initiation of pregabalin treatment was compared by use of a nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seizures were significantly reduced (mean, 57%; median, 50%) after pregabalin administration in the 9 dogs that completed the study; 7 were considered responders with mean and median seizure reductions of 64% and 58%, respectively. Adverse effects for pregabalin were reported in 10 dogs. Mean and median plasma pregabalin concentrations for all dogs were 6.4 and 7.3 microg/mL, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregabalin may hold promise as a safe and effective adjunct anticonvulsant drug for epileptic dogs poorly controlled with the standard drugs phenobarbital or potassium bromide. Adverse effects of pregabalin appeared to be mild. Additional studies with larger numbers of dogs and longer follow-up intervals are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. cwd27@cornell.edu
authors.forename: Curtis W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Dewey
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cerda-Gonzalez
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: Britton L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Badgley
authors.forename: Julie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ducoté
authors.forename: Gena M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: Jocelyn J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Rebecca A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Packer
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lavely
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001965:Bromides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001965:Bromides; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C039004:potassium bromide; D010634:Phenobarbital