Presentation Recap: Subcutaneous levetiracetam for epilepsy

Parenteral levetiracetam (Keppra—UCB) rapidly reaches therapeutic concentrations in dogs if given intravenously or intramuscularly. A research abstract presenting data from four healthy dogs showed that subcutaneous administration of levetiracetam exceeded the therapeutic range within 15 minutes of administration and remained elevated for at least seven hours.1 The drug was well-tolerated, and no adverse events were noted. Further research is warranted, but subcutaneous levetiracetam may provide an alternative to both clinical and at-home emergency management of epilepsy.

This "Presentation Recap" summary from the 2011 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum, which took place in Denver, Colo., was contributed by Jennifer L. Garcia, DVM, DACVIM, a veterinary internal medicine consultant in Houston, Texas.

REFERENCE

1. Hardy BT, Patterson EE, Cloyd JM. Subcutaneous administration of levetiracetam in healthy dogs (abst). J Vet Intern Med 2011;25(3):741.