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- Author or Editor: Britton L. Badgley x
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Abstract
Objective—To compare clinical outcome in dogs with serologically diagnosed acquired myasthenia gravis (MG) treated with pyridostigmine bromide (PYR) with that of dogs treated with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and PYR (MMF + PYR).
Design—Retrospective case series.
Animals—27 dogs.
Procedures—Medical records from August 1999 through February 2008 were reviewed to identify dogs with serologically diagnosed acquired MG treated with PYR or MMF + PYR. Data collected for each dog included signalment, whether the dog had megaesophagus or pneumonia (or both), thyroid hormone concentration, remission, time to remission, and survival time. Rates for detection of clinical signs and survival time were compared. Survival time was estimated via the Kaplan-Meier method. Influence of drug treatment protocol on likelihood of remission, time to remission, and survival time was examined. Effects of MMF treatment, megaesophagus, pneumonia, and low serum thyroid hormone concentration on time to remission and survival time were also analyzed.
Results—12 dogs were treated with PYR, and 15 were treated with MMF + PYR. Mortality rates were 33% (PYR) and 40% (MMF + PYR). There was pharmacological remission in 5 and 6 dogs in the PYR and MMF + PYR groups, respectively. No significant differences were detected between treatment groups for remission rate, time to remission, or survival time. Megaesophagus, pneumonia, and low serum thyroid hormone concentration had no significant effect on time to remission or survival time for either treatment group.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The results did not support routine use of MMF for the treatment of dogs with acquired MG.
Abstract
Objective—To assess tolerability and short-term efficacy of oral administration of pregabalin as an adjunct to phenobarbital, potassium bromide, or a combination of phenobarbital and potassium bromide for treatment of dogs with poorly controlled suspected idiopathic epilepsy.
Design—Open-label, noncomparative clinical trial.
Animals—11 client-owned dogs suspected of having idiopathic epilepsy that was inadequately controlled with phenobarbital, potassium bromide, or a combination of these 2 drugs.
Procedures—Dogs were treated with pregabalin (3 to 4 mg/kg [1.4 to 1.8 mg/lb], PO, q 8 h) for 3 months. Number of generalized seizures in the 3 months before and after initiation of pregabalin treatment was recorded. Number of responders (≥ 50% reduction in seizure frequency) was recorded, and seizure frequency before and after initiation of pregabalin treatment was compared by use of a nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test.
Results—Seizures were significantly reduced (mean, 57%; median, 50%) after pregabalin administration in the 9 dogs that completed the study; 7 were considered responders with mean and median seizure reductions of 64% and 58%, respectively. Adverse effects for pregabalin were reported in 10 dogs. Mean and median plasma pregabalin concentrations for all dogs were 6.4 and 7.3 μg/mL, respectively.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Pregabalin may hold promise as a safe and effective adjunct anticonvulsant drug for epileptic dogs poorly controlled with the standard drugs phenobarbital or potassium bromide. Adverse effects of pregabalin appeared to be mild. Additional studies with larger numbers of dogs and longer follow-up intervals are warranted.