Effects of phenobarbitone on serum biochemical tests in dogs
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Multi-exon Skipping Using Cocktail Antisense Oligonucleotides in the Canine X-linked Muscular Dystrophy
Published on: May 24, 2016
S F Foster1, D B Church, A D Watson
1Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales.
Objectives:
To investigate effects of phenobarbitone on serum activities of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase and concentrations of bilirubin, albumin, cholesterol and total protein in dogs.
Animals:
Ten crossbreed experimental dogs and 10 client-owned dogs of mixed breeds treated chronically with phenobarbitone to control seizures.
Procedures:
Experimental dogs were allocated to treatment (6 mg/kg oral phenobarbitone, n = 6) and control (no treatment, n = 4) groups in which serum biochemical tests were performed at intervals during a 3-month period. Biochemical tests were performed once on the 10 epileptic dogs.
Results:
Phenobarbitone caused increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity but did not affect gamma-glutamyl transferase activity or bilirubin, cholesterol, albumin and total protein concentrations. Phenobarbitone had minimal effect on alanine aminotransferase activity.
Conclusions:
Individual dogs treated with phenobarbitone may have small increases in serum alanine aminotransferase activity and variable increases in alkaline phosphatase activity but are unlikely to have alterations in gamma-glutamyl transferase activity or bilirubin, cholesterol, albumin or total protein concentrations.
Related Concept Videos
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
Serum Studies: Renal Function Tests
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Affecting Factors
