Around 30% of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy do not respond to conventional anti-epileptic drugs, prompting a search for alternative treatment approaches. In a study published by Ledeganck et al. (2022) in the Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift, researchers explored whether modulating the canine gut microbiota with antibiotics could impact seizure frequency.
The study involved five client-owned dogs diagnosed with drug-resistant idiopathic epilepsy. Each dog received oral amoxicillin-clavulanic acid as an add-on therapy for an average of 32 days. Prior to treatment, dogs experienced an average of 3.3 seizures per week and 0.9 cluster seizures weekly.
Remarkably, three dogs achieved complete seizure freedom during the treatment period. A fourth dog exhibited an 80% reduction in both seizure and cluster frequency. However, the fifth dog experienced a worsening of seizure activity. After the treatment ceased, seizure activity increased again in most dogs, suggesting a temporary effect correlated with the antibiotic regimen.
The findings support a growing body of evidence that the gut-brain axis may influence neurological disorders such as epilepsy. Through neural, endocrine, immune, and metabolic pathways, gut microbiota appear to interact with brain function in ways not yet fully understood.
Although preliminary and based on a small sample, this study proposes that modifying the gut microbiome could be a novel strategy for managing refractory epilepsy in dogs. Further research is needed to confirm efficacy, understand mechanisms, and assess long-term safety.
Source: L. Ledeganck, F. Verdoodt, M. Hesta, I. Cornelis, L. Van Ham, and S. Bhatti. “The gut-brain axis: effect of antibiotics on canine drug-resistant idiopathic epilepsy.” Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift, Published 2022-12-20.
