You can give your dog phenobarbital with or without food. It should start working to fully control seizures within a few weeks, although you may begin to notice some improvement sooner than that.
It’s important not to suddenly stop phenobarbital, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms, including a return of seizures
.
How long does it take to wean a dog off phenobarbital?
The rapidity at which we decrease the phenobarbital depends on the serum levels at the time. If the levels are in the optimal range (100 to 130 umol/L) a minimum of 16 weaning weeks should be allowed. In most cases this author uses
6 to 18 months
to wean an animal off antiepileptic treatment.
Can a dog just stop taking phenobarbital?
Do not stop this medication abruptly, this medication must be tapered slowly
. At the clinic or hospital, it can also be given as an injection. This medication can take a few weeks before full effects are noted, but gradual improvements are usually noticeable after several doses.
Do you need to wean off phenobarbital?
When discontinuing phenobarbital therapy,
tapering is recommended to avoid the signs and the symptoms of phenobarbital withdrawal
. However, detailed descriptions of the design and implementation of such a taper are not easily found in the medical literature.
Can I cut phenobarbital in half?
When unacceptable side effects develop with phenobarbital use,
phenobarbital dose may be substantially cut back or even discontinued
. Potassium bromide can be used as an alternative or supplemental seizure control medication in such cases.
Is phenobarbital addictive to dogs?
Liver disease and bone marrow suppression are sometimes seen. Care should be taken with the diets of such patients to help avoid obesity. Because
phenobarbital is an addictive drug
, it should never be decreased or withdrawn suddenly.
How long can my dog take phenobarbital?
Phenobarbital can cause liver damage (such as scarring in the liver) after prolonged use (
over three months
). In rare cases, it can even cause liver failure, which is why frequent blood tests are necessary for your vet to monitor the liver function.
What happens if a dog gets too much phenobarbital?
Symptoms of over dosage of Phenobarbital are
ataxia (drunk acting), lethargy, sedation, recumbency (inability to stand), depression, hypothermia (decreased temperature), coma, and death
. In addition, there is also a concern for damage to the liver.
Will my dog still have seizures on phenobarbital?
If we assume the diagnosis is epilepsy, the most common drug used to treat epilepsy is Phenobarbital. If a dog keeps seizuring while on Phenobarbital – I’ll check a level. I try to keep the level in the therapeutic range.
If the level is therapeutic – and there are still seizures – then we generally add a second drug.
What happens when you stop taking phenobarbital?
No one should stop taking phenobarbital or change the amount they take without talking to the doctor first. Stopping any seizure medicine all at once
can cause seizures that may be life-threatening
. The risk of withdrawal symptoms with phenobarbital makes it especially important to be careful in stopping this medicine.
How much phenobarbital should my dog take?
Dosage Of Phenobarbital For Dogs
Typically, the starting dosage for dogs is
1 to 2 mg per pound of body weight given twice daily
. This can be increased up to 8 mg per pound of body weight per day based on the dog’s response.
How do dogs act on phenobarbital?
For dogs with epilepsy, many veterinarians may prescribe phenobarbital, commonly known as Luminal® or Barbita®, to control the amount and severity of seizures. This drug works by
decreasing and stabilizing neuron activity in the brain
. It also decreases the neurotransmitter Glutamate, which causes nerve stimulation.
How long can you go without phenobarbital?
The plasma half-life of phenobarbital in adults is an average of about
79 hours and 110 hours in children
. 3 That means that only half of the active ingredients have stopped exerting their effect in that time. It takes about 4 to 5 half-lives for drugs to be fully eliminated from your system.
Do dogs with seizures live long?
Approximately 40-60 percent of dogs with epilepsy have one or more episodes of cluster seizures or status epilepsy, and a
mean lifespan of only 8 years
, compared to 11 years for those with epilepsy without episodes status epilepsy.
What not to feed a dog that has seizures?
Things to Avoid
Chemical preservatives, such as BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin
may increase seizure activity, as well. At least initially, organ meats such as livers and kidneys should be avoided. An article in Whole Dog Journal suggests that the diet of a dog with seizures should be free of gluten.
What is the best anti seizure medication for dogs?
- Phenobarbital. …
- Potassium Bromide. …
- Levetiracetam (Keppra®) …
- Zonisamide (Zonegran®) …
- Premidone. …
- Per Rectal Diazepam. …
- Modified diet. …
- Supplements.
What natural remedy can I give my dog for seizures?
In both capsule and tincture form, many natural over-the-counter Western herbs — including
milk thistle, valerian, and oat straw
— are used to treat seizures. Milk thistle is often recommended by holistic veterinarians to be used in conjunction with phenobarbital.
Should I put my dog down if he has seizures?
If your dog only experiences one seizure and is otherwise healthy, then you don’t need to consider putting it down
. However, if your dog is having multiple seizures and does not respond well to treatment, then euthanasia may be the best decision for both you and your pet.
Can I give my dog CBD oil and phenobarbital?
Can You Mix CBD Oil With Phenobarbital? CBD is a natural plant compound. There have been no reports of negative side effects when using CBD oil with Phenobarbital or any other vet prescribed medications.
CBD can be used in conjunction with phenobarbital and it also can be used to replace it
.
Does phenobarbital make dogs thirsty?
Common short-term side effects of phenobarbital are mild sedation and some incoordination. Longer term side effects may be increased appetite, and,
occasionally, increased thirst and urination
. After 7-10 days, these effects wear off and your pet should appear normal again.
Can phenobarbital cause liver damage in dogs?
Long-term administration of phenobarbital has been reported to cause hepatic injury in dogs
. Phenobarbital induces hepatic enzymes, and it may be difficult to distinguish the effect of enzyme induction on serum liver enzyme activities from actual hepatic damage.
What can trigger a seizure in a dog?
- Epilepsy.
- Heat Exhaustion.
- Nutritional imbalances such as thiamine deficiency.
- Low blood sugar levels.
- Liver disease.
- Tumors.
How much phenobarbital is too much?
Phenobarbital Overdose
A lethal dose of phenobarbital is
6-10 grams
, which a person may have in their medicine cabinet if they have been prescribed this drug. As a daytime sedative, a doctor may prescribe anywhere from 30 mg to 120 mg, and as an insomnia treatment, an individual could take as much as 320 mg.
