My dog is suddenly aggressive and hyper on Epiphen. Is this normal?

You are correct that both of these medications are used to treat epilepsy in dogs. From the label of Pexion: "The pharmacological response to imepitoin (Pexion) may vary and efficacy may not be complete. Imepitoin is contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to it, with severely impaired hepatic function or severe renal or cardiovascular disorders." However, I could not find information that hyperactivity was a side effect of this medication. It could be that Jasmine is feeling uninhibited on this medication and thus does not know how to control her hyperactivity. A common side effect of Epiphen (phenobarbital) is sedation, but this effect commonly wears of with continued used. I could not find information on the same effect when using Pexion. Not knowing your dog's complete medical history and particular reasons for choosing anti-epileptic medications, I cannot make specific recommendations for her. I would recommend discussing these effects with your veterinarian. You may consider a consultation with a board certified veterinary behaviorist, or medications used for anxiety instead of seizures. Common supplements used for anxiety include Zylkene and Comfort Zone Adaptil Collars or Diffuser.

It could be a very bad side effect of the phenobarbital, it is a strong medication that tends to cause severe side effects, especially if given at a loading dose in the beginning. you should contact your vet immediately in order to discuss possibly changing the dosage.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. In the initial stages of starting Phenobarbital, dogs develop what we call transient symptoms. These include becoming wobbly (ataxia), drooling, disorientation, panting, etc. These symptoms will eventually subside as the dog's body becomes used to the phenobarbital. If Trapper is no longer having seizures, I would call the veterinarian and ask if the dose can be slightly lowered. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Phenobarbital therapy in dogs is begun at 2 to 4 mg/kg twice daily. So for a 33kg dog that would mean 66 to 132 mg twice a day. We always try to start low and increase if needed but he was essentially really underdosed in the beginning with taking 30mg twice a day. He is now on a more appropriate dose. Sedation is normal when therapy is initiated but once the dog's body gets used to the drug (after about 2 weeks) he should become more like himself. If you are really worried, you can ask the vet to run a phenobarbital level blood test to see if his dosing is too high and it can be adjusted accordingly. Please be aware that dogs will never be completely seizure free even while on anti-seizure medication. Breakthrough seizures are common but they should be pretty infrequent. If he continues to seizure or does not do well on the phenobarbital there are other medication options so please work closely with your vet.

Based on the history, a toxicity seems less likely and a primary disease of the brain more likely. If the seizures are not well controlled on phenobarbital it may be that she needs a higher dose. You should discuss phenobarbital levels with your veterinarian. If the levels are in therapeutic range, a second anticonvulsant such as levetiracitam should be considered. Furthermore, you may consider following up with a veterinary neurologist to discuss diagnostics including an MRI of the brain.

The pacing could be a side effect of the phenobarbital or a side effect of the underlying cause for Frito's seizures. If the pacing continues or he has any decreased appetite, vomiting, or seems excessively sedate then you need to contact your veterinarian to discuss altering the dose potentially.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is probably the overstimulation of her brain and the nerves that causes the breakthrough seizures. Exercise would not make her burn through the medication faster. It is really best to minimize excitement in any dog that has a history of seizures. That being said, if this is a new thing and it has been longer than 4 months since her last phenobarbital blood test, it would be best to go ahead and have that checked to see if the dosage needs to be adjusted. Hope this helps. Best wishes.