{"id":631650,"date":"2025-03-13T19:15:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T23:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=631650"},"modified":"2025-03-13T19:15:00","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T23:15:00","slug":"zonisamide-for-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/zonisamide-for-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"Can zonisamide be used in cats?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Veterinarians use <\/span>zonisamide<\/span><\/a> to treat seizure disorders (epilepsy) in cats. It can be used alone, but veterinarians more commonly use it as an add-on therapy with other <\/span>antiseizure medications<\/span><\/a>. Doses are administered twice daily every day, and treatment can last for years. Side effects are relatively mild, but zonisamide can damage a cat\u2019s liver in rare cases. Zonisamide may require caregivers to monitor their cat for possible signs of liver injury.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Save up to 80% on zonisamide<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

What is zonisamide used for in cats?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Zonisamide<\/span><\/a> therapy reduces seizure frequency and severity in epileptic cats. It can be used as a standalone treatment but is more likely to be prescribed as an add-on therapy in cats with refractory seizures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Seizure disorders<\/span><\/h3>\n

A seizure happens when nerves in the brain get overexcited and fire repetitively. For an observer, this neurological overactivity <\/span>can manifest in several ways<\/span>: \u201cblanking out,\u201d drooling, vomiting, random facial twitches, running around, tail-chasing, pooping, urinating, muscle rigidity, loss of consciousness, or body-wide convulsions. These seizure episodes are usually brief and last from a few seconds to a few minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Healthy animals do occasionally have seizures. Often, it\u2019s a one-time or temporary problem due to <\/span>some external problem<\/span><\/a> such as electrolyte imbalances, infections, or poisoning. Veterinarians will bring the seizures under control, examine the cat, perform tests, and treat the underlying cause.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Seizures are a problem when they happen repeatedly. Repeated seizures are the defining sign of a <\/span>seizure disorder<\/span><\/i> (epilepsy). <\/span>Seizure disorders are due to neurological problems<\/span><\/a> (secondary epilepsy) or for no discernible reason (idiopathic epilepsy). Fortunately, recurrent seizure disorders are not very common in cats (about <\/span>16 in 10,000<\/span><\/a>), but the incidence increases as a cat ages.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There is no consensus in veterinary medicine about when a cat should start therapy for epilepsy, but treatment is more likely if seizures are frequent or severe. When therapy is started, the cat will require long-term, daily anticonvulsant therapy to prevent seizures. These are drugs that slow down nerve activity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Veterinarians typically start by prescribing one and only one anticonvulsant drug. Using just one drug to treat seizures is called \u201cmonotherapy,\u201d and it\u2019s preferable to using two or more drugs because of possible side effects. Veterinarians usually start treating the cat with <\/span>phenobarbital<\/span><\/a> or levetiracetam. Bromide (<\/span>potassium bromide<\/span><\/a> or sodium bromide), a common choice in dogs, is not usually used in cats due to the high frequency of severe side effects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Monotherapy usually works at controlling a cat\u2019s seizures. When it doesn\u2019t, veterinarians will add other antiepileptic drugs to the treatment regimen. These drugs are called adjuvant (\u201chelping out\u201d) treatments. Veterinarians usually prescribe zonisamide as an adjuvant treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scientists don\u2019t fully understand zonisamide\u2019s mechanism of action at controlling seizures. Unlike other anticonvulsants, it does not primarily work by slowing down nerve activity. Instead, it seems to stabilize nerve activity by preventing large groups of nerves from firing at the same time. As a result, its sedative effects are not as pronounced as other anticonvulsants.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zonisamide lasts a long time in a cat, so many guidelines call for once-daily dosing. It\u2019s possible a veterinarian may divide the dose into two daily doses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Is zonisamide safe for cats?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Zonisamide is generally safe for cats but should be closely monitored for adverse reactions. Zonisamide may not be safe in cats with liver problems. Side effects seem to be minimal, but the drug has not been extensively studied in small animals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zonisamide is contraindicated in cats who:<\/span><\/p>\n