The most common treatment that vets use to treat feline epilepsy is a drug called Phenobarbital.
The drug is very powerful and requires 6 monthly blood tests to insure that your cat stays within the 'therapeutic level'. If the level crosses over into the 'toxic level' it can cause damaging effects on your cats body.
When Polly began taking Phenobarbital she began with 1/2 a tablet twice a day. The drug made her very lethargic and sleepy. So much so that I was worried about her quality of life however, this phase is short lived and she shortly returned to normal.
After a couple of weeks of being on the drug she rapidly gained weight. But again this calmed down and she is back to her normal healthy weight.
The only long term side effect, after a year of being on Phenobarbital that I have noticed with Polly is a slight deterioration in her balance. Before her epilepsy appeared, Polly would love to jump and sit on top of door frames. Now your more likely to see her slipping off the side of the bath or a window seal. She is extremely clumsy which is quite abnormal for a cat.
Polly managed to be seizure free for 6 months. She began having fits again in May 2014 and we had to increase her dosage of Phenobarbital to 1 table in the morning and 1/2 at night. This dose increase made her fits even worse for 24 hours and then settled down. She then had a couple of short seizures mid June 2014 and when I spoke to the vet they told me we have to allow more time because Phenobarbital can take a little while to regulate.
Its important to remember that the same dose of Phenobarbital is not going to work for every cat and to be patient while you find the right dosage. Also note that there are other treatments that vets may offer you which may be more suitable for your cat.
Please be aware that there are more side effects of Phenobarbital and these are just Polly's individual reactions to the drug.
The drug is very powerful and requires 6 monthly blood tests to insure that your cat stays within the 'therapeutic level'. If the level crosses over into the 'toxic level' it can cause damaging effects on your cats body.
When Polly began taking Phenobarbital she began with 1/2 a tablet twice a day. The drug made her very lethargic and sleepy. So much so that I was worried about her quality of life however, this phase is short lived and she shortly returned to normal.
After a couple of weeks of being on the drug she rapidly gained weight. But again this calmed down and she is back to her normal healthy weight.
The only long term side effect, after a year of being on Phenobarbital that I have noticed with Polly is a slight deterioration in her balance. Before her epilepsy appeared, Polly would love to jump and sit on top of door frames. Now your more likely to see her slipping off the side of the bath or a window seal. She is extremely clumsy which is quite abnormal for a cat.
Polly managed to be seizure free for 6 months. She began having fits again in May 2014 and we had to increase her dosage of Phenobarbital to 1 table in the morning and 1/2 at night. This dose increase made her fits even worse for 24 hours and then settled down. She then had a couple of short seizures mid June 2014 and when I spoke to the vet they told me we have to allow more time because Phenobarbital can take a little while to regulate.
Its important to remember that the same dose of Phenobarbital is not going to work for every cat and to be patient while you find the right dosage. Also note that there are other treatments that vets may offer you which may be more suitable for your cat.
Please be aware that there are more side effects of Phenobarbital and these are just Polly's individual reactions to the drug.