Decision Making for Seizure Drug Selection

Choosing the right antiseizure medication can be challenging, especially when balancing seizure control with patient comorbidities, medication side effects, and client resources. This session will walk practitioners through a practical, case-based approach to seizure drug selection in dogs and cats, focusing on how to tailor therapy based on seizure type, frequency, patient age, liver and kidney function, and owner capabilities, as well as other patient and client based contextual factors that affect decision making. Attendees will leave with a more structured framework for selecting and adjusting seizure medications in general practice.

• 1.Describe how to assess seizure type, frequency, and patient-specific factors to guide initial antiseizure medication selection.
• 2.Compare and contrast commonly used antiseizure medications in veterinary medicine based on mechanism of action, efficacy, monitoring needs, and potential side effects.
• 3.Formulate a treatment plan that includes medication selection, owner education, and follow-up recommendations appropriate for general practice settings based on owner and pet contextual factors.