02930: A Dose Finding Study of Cannabidiol in Dogs with Idiopathic Epilepsy
Grant Status: Open
One Health: Yes
Abstract
Affecting approximately 5% of the canine population, idiopathic epilepsy is a widespread disease that is often frustrating and, at times, debilitating to both dogs and their owners. About one-third of dogs afflicted by epilepsy are refractory to the standard drugs available to treat the disease so finding a replacement or adjunctive medication is imperative. Recently, the anticonvulsive properties of cannabidiol (CBD) have been demonstrated in human and canine patients. The primary objective of this study is to find an effective dose of CBD for idiopathic epilepsy in client-owned dogs with uncontrolled seizures (≥2 seizures per month). Aim 1 of this study is to determine the dose of oral CBD that will reduce average monthly seizure activity in client-owned refractory idiopathic epileptic dogs by 50% or more when added to standard anticonvulsive therapy. Aim 2 of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of CBD in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. Investigators hypothesize that, at the appropriate dose, CBD will be effective in lowering the average monthly seizure frequency by 50% in at least 50% of uncontrolled epileptic dogs and that CBD, even at high doses, will be well tolerated. An effective agent with limited side effects has the potential to improve the quality of life of epileptic dogs, and ultimately afflicted humans, as dogs serve as an ideal surrogate for human epileptic conditions.
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Publication(s)
None at this time.
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Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.
