Question submitted during Session IV of The Canine Epilepsy Summit:
"If an epileptic dog mostly has grand mal seizures between midnight and 6AM, is there any advantage to giving extra or increased doses of AEDs at bedtime?"
- Answer provided by Dr. Karen Muñana:
Most dogs will tend to have seizures when they are sleeping, as the brain waves during sleep are more prone to hypersynchronization. Because of this, it is more common for dogs to have seizures overnight. If a drug is given according to its recommended schedule and the targeted levels are achieved in the bloodstream, then giving additional drugs at night may not provide any additional control for these overnight seizures. But with that said, since each dog is different, this is something that is best discussed with your dog’s veterinarian.
