# Seizures and Acepromazine



## vtomlin (Jul 23, 2007)

I was wondering if anyone has had a similiar experience as the one I descibe.

I have a 14 year old beagle in good health, other than having cushings disease which is being treated with great response. 

Recently my vet prescribed acepromazine as a sedative for a long trip we were taking. After giving a 1/2 pill on Saturday which knocked him out cold, I only gave him a 1/4 pill for the return trip. I gave the pill at 10am and at 2 am the following night I work up to him having, what the vet called, a grand mal seizure. He continued to seizure for the next 24 hours despite a valium injection and a 16.2 mg pill of phenobarbital (sp?). I consulted with another vet who suggested increasing the dosage of pheno to 10 16.2 mg per day. I only gave him 3 pill that night and the seizures stopped. Now, 3 days later no more seizures on 3 pills a day but it makes him unable to walk without stumbling.

Although I read that acepromazine can cause seizures in dogs that have a low seizure threshold, my vet thought it was probably due to a brain tumor, and pushed a MRI/CT scan.

My question is whether anyone has had a similar experience with acepromazine causing seizures in a dog that has never had a seizure prior. Also, I wonder if acepromazine can have a long term effect of lowering a seizure threshold and eventually causing seizures. Any related experiences would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

I don't think you can rule out the reason for seizures without an MRI/CT to rule out a brain tumor. If you found info that the drug can cause seizures on a reputable site like the drug manufacturer's, then there have been enough incidents with the drug, even if coincidental, to report it. However with a geriatric dog anything can happen and if you want to know the reason you will have to rule out every possibility before assuming it was the drug that caused the problem. 

It sounds as if your vet is trying to drill down to the reason for the seizure and is giving you sound advice.


----------



## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

MANY dogs are sensitive to Ace. In fact some breeds shouldn't have it at all. Since your Beagle is a senior, it could increase his sensitivity to it. Steer clear of it from now on and opt for Valium or benadryl, which are MUCH safer.


----------



## vtomlin (Jul 23, 2007)

Thanks so much for the response! It did not make sense to me that all of his blood work came back normal, and that the only thing different in his routine was the Ace which just happens to cause seizures. 

My problem with the recommendation of a MRI/CT scan, not the money b/c I would spend all the money in the world on my best friend, is what happens if the results come back postive. It my understanding that not much can be done for a brain tumor other than surgery, and that brain surgery is terribly risky. At his age of 14, my thought even if it is a tumor, putting him through such tests and meds and follow ups probably won't do much for his quality of life which up to giving him the Ace, has been great. For know, its seeing what the pheno does and if he can come of it seizure free. 

I am just so grateful to still have him in my life.


----------



## lovemygreys (Jan 20, 2007)

The ace certainly is suspect. I really don't like to give ace at all...very little benefit in most cases so that really only leaves potential problems. Hopefully he'll stay seizure free from this point out! In your shoes, with a dog of the same age we'd probably forgo an MRI for the same reasons you posted.


----------



## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

vtomlin said:


> Thanks so much for the response! It did not make sense to me that all of his blood work came back normal, and that the only thing different in his routine was the Ace which just happens to cause seizures.
> 
> My problem with the recommendation of a MRI/CT scan, not the money b/c I would spend all the money in the world on my best friend, is what happens if the results come back postive. It my understanding that not much can be done for a brain tumor other than surgery, and that brain surgery is terribly risky. At his age of 14, my thought even if it is a tumor, putting him through such tests and meds and follow ups probably won't do much for his quality of life which up to giving him the Ace, has been great. For know, its seeing what the pheno does and if he can come of it seizure free.
> 
> I am just so grateful to still have him in my life.


Epilepsy often does not show in the blood work because not all the chemicals in the brain can show in the blood. It sounds like managment is your best course.


----------



## Dogmom07 (Jul 5, 2007)

You are fortunate to still have him in your life! My Beagle lived to 16 1/2.  

My newly adopted Beagle, Buddy, is 3 1/2 and just started having seizures. After doing some research, I learned that Beagles were proned to have seizures, did you know this? 

I did not go through the tests and MRI's, I felt it was too much to put him through. After his blood work came back normal, we started him on Phenobarbitol and so far he is doing well. I hope for the same for you.


----------



## vabird (Jun 5, 2007)

While it is very easy to blame the ace, I think you have to remember a few points. He did not have a seizure on the higher dose and the first seizure occurred 16 hours after the ace dose. The link between seizures and ace is very controversial and has not been proven. Acepromazine actually has anti-convulsant properties and, I think, is used sometimes as a treatment for seizures in humans.


----------



## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

I agree with everyone above. If you are the type that is determined to know if it was the ace or a tumor, then I would do the tests to put closure on the subject. However, it is my personal feeling that you are lucky to still have a relatively healthy dog for 14years and perhaps things are best left alone.


----------



## Shalva (Mar 23, 2007)

I have a dog with epilepsy that we have been managing for 3 years.... I have been told by every vet that he has been to NOT TO GIVE acepromazine.... 

as far as doing an MRI CTscan... you can do that... its very expensive and it may show you a tumor but epilepsy/seizures can be caused by so many things that I opted not to do it.... 

I always felt like if it showed me a brain tumour it wouldn't change how I treated and managed the disease anyway so whats the point. 
good luck 
s


----------



## vtomlin (Jul 23, 2007)

Thank you all for the responses. Every response seems to come from the heart.

I read earlier on a different forum that acepromazine is not metabolized the same way in all dogs. That in some dogs, fattier or older dogs, it stores in the fatty tissues.

My thought is that my dog did fully metabolize the first dose of ace, but it may not have been enough to lower the seizure threshold. However, the additional dose that he had 3 days later perhaps tipped him over the edge considering he had not fully metabolized the first dose.

Given he is 14, never had a seizure before and very healthy otherwise, I can't conclude otherwise. As I am just a concerned parent as everyone seems to be on this forum, my lesson learned is ask, ask, ask. And if your not comfortable with the answer, ask another vet. 

If acepromazine causes seizures in even some cases, but not in all it should be disclosed to every dog owner by their vet before administered whether in surgery or just as a sedative.


----------



## lovemygreys (Jan 20, 2007)

> Given he is 14, never had a seizure before and very healthy otherwise, I can't conclude otherwise. As I am just a concerned parent as everyone seems to be on this forum, my lesson learned is ask, ask, ask. And if your not comfortable with the answer, ask another vet.


yes. yes. yes. I always ask our vet a TON of questions...about his exam, tests, various courses of action, treatment options. I like to pursue every avenue and I never leave the vet office with medicine or a prescription without asking about possible/common side effects, severe side effects...My vet knows to expect lots of questions.



> If acepromazine causes seizures in even some cases, but not in all it should be disclosed to every dog owner by their vet before administered whether in surgery or just as a sedative.


Drugs for dogs, just like drugs for humans, often have a laundry list of possible side effects. It may not be feasible or even reasonable for a vet to disclose every possible reaction to a drug (some owners freak out over even the slightest possibility of a side effect). I know one person who's greyhound died from rimadyl. That doesn't mean I don't give rimadyl to my own dogs...but it certainly made me more aware of things to watch for when I do. I think the most important point is made above: ask! ask! ask lots of questions before you leave the vet office!


----------



## Holls (Aug 19, 2012)

Hi there! I have joined this site just so I can reply to your thread. I had a 9 yo boxer. We took her on a long trip and she was having "panic attacks". We took her to a vet who prescribed acepromazine 10 mgs. He told us we could give her up to 3 of these (she was about 27kg). Being cautious we only gave her 1 tablet. We got about 10 minutes down the road and she collapsed on the back seat of our car. We thought she had died. We gave her just half a tablet the next day and there was no reaction like the 1st time. Life with our boxer continued as normal until about 5 weeks later when she started frothing at the mouth, collapsed etc on a walk late one afternoon. She nearly died that afternoon from what we later discovered was a grand mal seizure. Being tough she recovered completely eventually. However, she was continued to have occasional seizures so she was put on daily phenobarb. She lived to 12 and had quality of life. Towards the very end she seemed to have dementia or some brain injury. We think she may have had a very slow growing tumour. We would NEVER give another dog, particularly a boxer, acepromaazine again - and wish we told of possible side-effects before ever giving her this medication.


----------

