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Principal Investigator: Curtis Dewey
Contact Information: E-mail: cwd27@cornell.edu - Phone: 607-253-4445
Sponsor: Collie Health Foundation
Grant Number: N/A
Title: Pregabalin Therapy for Refractory Idiopathic Epilepsy in Dogs
Annual Direct Cost: $8,860
Project Period: 07/01/07-06/30/08
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Epilepsy is a very common and serious disorder of dogs. Many breeds of dogs, including Collies, are predisposed to epilepsy. The standard epileptic drugs phenobarbital and bromide fail to adequately control close to one-third of all epileptic dogs. These dogs are referred to as refractory epileptics. Despite the introduction of several new and effective anticonvulsant drugs for dogs within the last 10-15 years, there are still limited options for treating refractory epilepsy in dogs. One of the "newer" anticonvulsant drugs, gabapentin, has shown moderate effectiveness in treating refractory epilepsy in dogs. The "next generation" of this drug, a drug called pregabalin, has recently been released for human use. In both experimental rodent seizure models and human clinical trials, pregabalin has been shown to be superior to gabapentin as an anticonvulsant drug. Although the side effects of gabapentin in dogs and people are minimal, they are reportedly less with pregabalin in people. To date, there is no information regarding the use of pregabalin in dogs, other than anecdotal scattered reports of veterinarians "trying it out" in canine patients. Pregabalin has the potential to be an effective and safe alternative anticonvulsant drug for dogs with refractory epilepsy. The purpose of the proposed study is to evaluate oral pregabalin as an add-on drug in epileptic dogs who are poorly controlled on phenobarbital and/or bromide.
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