The use of diazepam per rectum at home for the acute management of cluster seizures in dogs.

The use of diazepam per rectum (RDZ) in the home to control generalized cluster seizures in 11 dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy was evaluated over a 16-month period. All dogs had a prior history of clusters of generalized seizures and were treated with multiple antiepileptic drugs. Owners were instructed to administer diazepam injectable solution (5 mg/mL) per rectum to their dogs at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg when an initial generalized seizure occurred and when a second or third generalized seizure occurred within 24 hours of the first seizure. Seizure activity was recorded by owners in a daily log before the onset of RDZ use and for the duration of RDZ use, which ranged from 57 to 464 days (median = 157 days). The median age at which the first seizure occurred and the median age at the time of enrollment in the study were 19 and 42 months, respectively. All 11 dogs were treated with phenobarbital, with 10 dogs receiving concomitant bromide therapy. No significant correlation between the duration of the first, second, or third antiepileptic drug therapy and the change in the number of cluster seizure events before or after use of RDZ was found. Comparisons of seizure activity were done for the same time interval before and after the onset of RDZ availability. A significant decrease in the total number of seizure events and the total number of cluster seizures events was found after RDZ availability. Similarly, a significant difference in the average number of seizures per cluster seizure event and the total number of isolated seizure events occurred before and after RDZ therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)