Treatment for Epilepsy?

[catluvrr]

My 1 yr old male cat has seizures about every 2-3 weeks. All tests were negative so they're saying it's probably epilepsy. No MRI was done. Should my cat be getting meds like phenobarbital full time or just deal with the seizures when they come? Seems like the seizure meds have a lot of side effects.I don't want a tired drooling cat all the time.

 

[neely]

I'm sorry your cat is experiencing seizures at such a young age. Phenobarbital is commonly used to treat seizures in both cats and dogs because it acts quickly. Although the medication used to treat seizures can come with side effects it does not necessarily mean your cat will be negatively affected by them if he receives the correct dosage. One of our dogs was on Phenobarbital for seizures and he lived well into his senior years. Regardless, I would not recommend letting your cat just deal with the seizures as you mentioned. Personally I feel he would suffer from not being treated when the proper medication could be administered to prevent his seizures. Please talk to your vet, discuss the different treatments available and start with the lowest possible dose. Here is a TCS Article about seizures in cats that might have some helpful information for you: Seizures In Cats – TheCatSite Articles

Best of luck, please keep us posted on your cat's progress.