Phenobarbital Alternatives for Dogs

Seizures are relatively common in dogs, affecting as much as 15 to 20 percent of certain breeds, notes R.M. Clemmons, associate professor of neurology & neurosurgery at the University of Florida Department of Veterinary Medicine. A relatively effective and safe maintenance treatment for seizures in dogs is the anticonvulsant drug phenobarbital. However, phenobarbital does cause some side effects that some dogs can't tolerate. When that happens, there are alternatives veterinarians can use to treat a dog's seizures.

  1. Potassium Bromide

    • This drug works as both a solo treatment for seizures in dogs and as a complement to phenobarbital, report both Clemmons and the Merck Veterinary Manual. According to Merck, dogs tolerate potassium bromide well, although the drug does cause some of its own side effects, including nausea and stomach irritation. Dogs with kidney problems should not take the drug.

    Diazepam

    • Diazepem is a commonly used benzodiazepine drug for controlling seizures in dogs; however, unlike phenobarbital it does not work as a maintenance therapy, says the Merck Veterinary manual, because it is metabolized quickly and dogs build up a tolerance to its effects. Diazepam is effective for treating persistent, long-lasting seizures, a condition called status epilepticus.

    Clonazepam

    • Like diazepam, clonazepam is a benzodiazepine drug. Unlike diazepam, however, clonazepam is absorbed better and dogs do not work up a tolerance, making it an acceptable maintenance drug substitute to phenobarbital, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Diarrhea is an occasional side effect of the drug, but it is otherwise well-tolerated in dogs.

    Primidone

    • Primidone is another alternative to phenobarbital, though it has many problems that make it less-commonly used, according to peteducation.com. Among these are the fact that it is poorly absorbed in the intestines and is more likely to cause liver problems. However, the Merck Veterinary Manual says that one study indicated that dogs whose seizures were not well-controlled with phenobarbital responded better to primidone.

    Non-Drug Alternatives

    • According to the University of Florida, acupuncture performed by a certified veterinary acupuncturist can sometimes be successful in controlling seizures in dogs. The university also recommends combining valerian root with potassium bromide as a seizure treatment.