Open AccessLevetiracetam‐responsive paroxysmal exertional dyskinesia in a Welsh Terrier
Author(s) -
Green Sherril,
Olby Natasha
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/jvim.16068
Subject(s) - medicine , levetiracetam , dyskinesia , anesthesia , pathophysiology , epilepsy , exertion , carbamazepine , paroxysmal dyskinesia , pediatrics , disease , physical therapy , psychiatry , parkinson's disease
A 5‐and‐a‐half‐year old, 9‐kg, spayed, female Welsh Terrier presented with a 12 month history of paroxysmal exertion‐induced dyskinesia (PED) characterized by recurrent episodes of involuntary hyperkinetic movements, abnormal muscle tone, and contractions triggered by exercise. A single episode occurred within 2 hours after exercise, lasted from 7 to 10 minutes, and resolved without treatment. The owner sought treatment for the dog when the episodes began to last longer (20‐30 minutes), and occurred as long as 2.5 to 8 hours after exercise. Diazepam administered intranasally at the start of an episode promptly alleviated the symptoms. Maintenance therapy with levetiracetam proved effective, such that the dog was gradually returned to exercise. However, attempts to wean the dog off the drug resulted in reoccurrence. Although the pathophysiology of PED is not fully understood, the clinical presentation and the positive response to antiepileptic therapy highlight the overlap between disease pathways in epilepsy and PED in dogs.