New epilepsy treatment from Dechra

09 March 2017

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a new product to support vets in the management of canine epilepsy cases.

The pharmaceutical firm has released Soliphen^® as a first line treatment for the condition. Soliphen contains phenobarbital, an anti-epileptic which is well tolerated and effective as a monotherapy in 60 to 80 per cent of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy.  

In up to 40 per cent of dogs, epilepsy cannot be controlled with phenobarbital alone. For the more challenging refractory cases, Dechra’s potassium bromide containing treatment Libromide^®, is licensed to be used alongside Soliphen as a concurrent therapy.

The combination of phenobarbital and potassium bromide has been shown to reduce seizure number and severity in dogs with refractory idiopathic epilepsy. In tests, the combination treatment reduced the mean seizure rate from 27.4 seizures per month to 2.2 seizures.

Dechra Veterinary Products Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: “Epilepsy is the most common chronic canine neurological disorder, affecting around 0.62 per cent of dogs. 

“It can be a distressing condition for both the animal and its owner so we are launching a therapy that can reduce the number of seizures in even the most challenging cases.

“We have also produced new guidelines for prescribing vets, detailing step by step how the treatments can act alone or concurrently. We believe using Soliphen as a sole therapy or in conjunction with Libromide will make a positive contribution to veterinary professionals in their ongoing treatment and management of dogs with epilepsy.”