CBD for Seizures

Treating Seizures with CBD

The idea of treating seizures with CBD was first popularized in 2013 by a CNN documentary about a young girl with severe seizures successfully treated with CBD. Since that time there has been an explosion of interest and science behind the use of CBD and other canninbinoids to manage the frequency, severity, and length of seizures in animals. In 2018 the first CBD product was FDA approved for the treatment of severe forms of epilepsy in children. Unfortunately this medication is currently too expensive for use in dogs.

Research around the use of CBD for seizures has also been started for dogs. So far, there are only two studies evaluating the efficacy of two different CBD products for managing seizure activity in dogs. Both studies were optimistic but not curative.

Can I Replace My Pet’s Seizure Medication with CBD?

While there have been encouraging results in early studies, we do not yet have enough information to comfortably use CBD on it’s own for seizures. In general we recommend this as an enhancement to your pet’s seizure medication, not a replacement. In general, it’s not safe to alter your pet’s seizure medications unless under the guidance of a doctor. If you would like to discuss your pet’s seizure medications, please reach out to our Neurology team for an appointment. We will work closely with the Neurology team to find the right treatment plan for your pet.

Drug Interactions

Benzodiazepines- This is one of the most common drugs we see potentiating effects of even zero percent THC products. Animals may appear extremely lethargic or have symptoms similar to THC intoxication. While the idea of our animals being “high” may seem funny to some it is very stressful and potentially dangerous to animals.

Gabapentin, Acepromazine, Tramadol, Phenobarbital and Trazodone (or other behavioral drugs)- in some patients you may see lethargy, inappetence, abnormal behaviors and in severe cases urination. Dose de-escalating or escalating over time is usually warranted for the small percentage of animals that may experience these symptoms.

Theoretically, CBD may also induce changes in drug levels of medication like phenobarbital. However, so far studies have not found this to be true in dogs on CBC and phenobarbital together.

Side Effects and Monitoring

Studies as well as our clinical experience has found CBD to be safe and well tolerated in dogs and cats. Some pet's may experience side effects like sedation or GI upset. Sedation is particularly common if products also contain THC, as dogs are very sensitive to this compound. If GI upset is experienced, it is usually transient.

Pets on CBD also have elevations in their liver enzymes. This has yet to be associated with significant liver problems, however we recommended routine monitoring of liver enzymes for any patient who is on CBD more than 3 months.