What is involved in monitoring my epileptic dog?
Monitoring involves a series of simple blood tests that measure the level of anticonvulsant medication in the blood stream. The results of a blood test may indicate that the dose of medication is too high or too low, at which point the dose will be corrected. After a trial period at the new dose, a follow up test will be done to see if further adjustment in the dosage is needed. The objective is to achieve and maintain medication levels in the blood that fall with within specified limits, called the therapeutic range. If blood levels are within the therapeutic range, then the expectation is that seizures will be controlled. How many blood tests are needed? In the newly diagnosed epileptic dog, frequent blood testing may be needed to get the dose of anticonvulsant “just right”. Once the correct dose of medicine has been established, and the dog appears stable, then testing every three to six months may be all that is needed; the longer the dog is on medication without seizures or compli
