My dog's epilepsy meds caused liver damage. What are safe options?

Question

When a vet tells you the blood results show a significant change of damage from taking tablets for epilepsy and the tablet Denamarin has not worked what else can I give my dog ? I have been advised to have a scan but really worried as he has to be sedated for it and this is why he has fits originally due to been sedated and anaesthetic to clean teeth. Can his fits get worse after this sedation ? Need an opinion please. Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Male | unneutered | 9 years and 7 months old

Daniel Fonza, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello there and thank you for using Pet Coach! There are multiple anti-seizure drugs available and some with less side effects than others. If Bailey is on Phenobarbital, Keppra may be a good option for him as this particular drug has fewer side effects and I find that it is less harsh on the liver. Switching to a different drug with less side effects will certainly help. You can also talk to your vet about prescription liver diets in addition to the Denmarin. Hepagen-C is a veterinary product that is over the counter, which we use at our clinic in conjunction with Denamarin or Denosyl. Your vet can also perform a Bile Acids test to determine how much function of the liver has been lost. A scan would certainly be recommended and there are sedative combinations and drugs that we can use that will not trigger seizures, as they are anti-seizure drugs that we use to control seizures. I would still recommend an ultrasound, but talk to your vet about the different drugs that can be used to prevent seizures while sedated. I hope this helps! Please do not hesitate to contact me with any other questions or concerns that you may have. I am also available via phone or text consultation if needed. Please remember to rate this post as helpful or not. Thank you!

My dog's epilepsy meds caused liver damage. What are safe options?

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