Receiving a diagnosis of a lifelong disease for your beloved canine companion can be a daunting and emotionally challenging experience. Case in point: idiopathic epilepsy. Coping with this diagnosis – and helping your dog live healthily and happily with the condition – is, however, very doable with the right approach. An approach which involves understanding the condition, managing symptoms, and ensuring your dog’s quality of life.
Understanding Idiopathic Epilepsy
Idiopathic epilepsy (IE), often referred to simply as epilepsy, is one of the most common neurological disorders in dogs. It typically manifests as recurrent seizures with no identifiable underlying cause that can vary in severity, duration, and frequency.
While IE is a lifelong condition, it doesn’t necessarily equate to a poor quality of life for your furry friend. Your dog’s seizures, and your stress levels, can be kept under control, when you know what you’re dealing with, and know how to deal with it.
Managing Symptoms and Quality of Life Expectations
If you have received an IE diagnosis from your vet, it is important to work together to come up with a tailor-made treatment plan. Here are some key considerations for ensuring your dog’s well-being.
Managing Medication
Fortunately, we live in a world where innovation, science and caring have combined to deliver valuable tools to help us help our pets live their best lives. And when it comes to lifelong conditions, medication is a cornerstone component of disease management.
KBroVet®️-CA1, for example, is a valuable option that can help control seizures and improve your IE-diagnosed dog’s quality of life. Disguised as a once-a-day, deliciously flavored treat, here’s everything you need to know about KBroVet®️-CA1:
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- Formulated for only once-a-day administration, it provides a consistent and reliable source of potassium bromide to your dog’s system.
- Potassium bromide causes a drop in chloride levels in the brain which, in turn, inhibits the central nervous system. All of which helps reduce the severity and frequency of seizures – or even stops them from starting in the first place.1
- The convenient once-a-day treatment protocol makes KBroVet®️-CA1 a fantastic option for pet owners with busy lives. By comparison, other seizure drugs can be required to be dosed three times a day!
- Plus: with a 21-day half-life in the bloodstream, if you miss a dose, drug concentration fluctuation is unlikely to occur, which minimizes the risk of a seizure.2
- It is the first drug conditionally approved by the FDA for the control of seizures associated with idiopathic epilepsy in dogs.
Talk to your vet today to see if KBroVet®️-CA1 is right for your dog.
Managing Expectations
- Embrace trial and error: Rome wasn’t built in a day! Even with game-changing tools like KBroVet®️-CA1 in play, the seizures associated with IE could take multiple clinic visits, diagnostic tests, and tinkering with the right levels of medication to find the right treatment plan.
- Set realistic goals: While the right medication can undoubtedly decrease the frequency and severity of your dog’s seizures, it’s not going to eliminate them altogether. The goal is to decrease seizure activity, not magically make them disappear.
- Lifelong commitment: Lifelong diseases like IE require a lifelong commitment to any treatment plans you embark upon. Stopping medication may put your dog at risk of more severe seizures.
Managing Lifestyle
- Regular veterinary check-(p)ups: Frequent visits to the veterinarian are essential for monitoring your dog’s condition and adjusting their treatment plan as needed. Your vet can also provide guidance on managing potential side effects of medication.
- Lifestyle modifications: Make necessary adjustments to your dog’s environment to minimize triggers that can induce seizures. Reducing stress, ensuring regular exercise, and maintaining a consistent routine can all contribute to a better quality of life.
- Emotional support: Dogs with epilepsy can experience anxiety or stress related to their condition. Providing emotional support, love, and a comforting environment can make a significant difference in their well-being.
- Seizure monitoring: Keep a record of your dog’s seizures to help your veterinarian assess the effectiveness of treatment and make necessary adjustments. This can also aid in identifying potential patterns or triggers.
Support System
With the right management, medication, and support, many dogs with epilepsy go on to live happy and fulfilling lives. Let your dog be among that number.
*Important Safety Information
KBroVet®-CA1 is conditionally approved by FDA pending a full demonstration of effectiveness under application number 141-544. See prescribing information for complete details regarding adverse events, warnings, and precautions. It is a violation of Federal Law to use this product other than as directed in the labeling. Contraindicated in dogs with a history of hypersensitivity to bromide. Not for use in cats. Not for human use. Keep out of reach of children. Contact a physician in case of accidental ingestion by humans.
The most commonly reported side effects were increased appetite and thirst, increased urination, weight gain, sedation, and ataxia. Reversible neurologic signs (sedation, ataxia, weakness) were generally associated with adjunctive potassium bromide treatment or high serum bromide concentrations. Animals with kidney disease may be predisposed to bromide toxicities. The safe use of KBroVet-CA1 has not been evaluated in dogs that are intended for breeding, are pregnant or lactating, or less than 6 months of age. Use caution when changing diets, administering chloride-containing IV fluids, and administering concurrent medications. Careful monitoring is important in dogs that have a condition that may cause difficulty maintaining electrolyte balance.
1 Nettifee JA, Munana KR, Griffith EH. Evaluation of the impacts of epilepsy in dogs on their caregivers. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2017;53(3):143-149. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28291397/
2 Boothe, D, Dewey C, Carpenter D. Comparison of phenobarbital with bromide as a first-choice antiepileptic drug for treatment of epilepsy in dogs. JAVMA. 2012; Vol 240, No 9. 1073-1083.
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