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Nimodipine for treatment of idiopathic epilepsy in dogs
D P O'Brien1, S T Simpson, R C Longshore
1Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate efficacy and safety of the calcium channel antagonist nimodipine in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy.
Design:
Prospective clinical trial.
Animals:
10 dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. Dogs were included if seizures were inadequately controlled despite treatment with barbiturates and serum phenobarbital concentrations were > 25 micrograms/ml, if dogs had intolerable adverse effects when treated with barbiturates, or if dogs had mild, inadequately treated seizures.
Procedures:
Dogs were treated with nimodipine (2.5 mg/kg [1.1 mg/lb] of body weight, PO, q 12 h), and other medications were slowly withdrawn. Dogs were monitored for seizure frequency and severity as well as any adverse effects to the medication.
Results:
Few adverse effects were reported. Seizure control, however, was generally inadequate. All but 2 dogs were withdrawn from the study because of poor seizure control. Plasma nimodipine concentrations were low, with a mean peak concentration of 105.3 ng/ml.
Clinical Implications:
Nimodipine was not successful in controlling seizures in dogs used in this study.