Background: In people with epilepsy, the microbiota-gut-brain axis has been identified as a target in reducing seizure frequency, and probiotics have been found to decrease seizure frequency and severity. No large-scale prospective studies have been performed in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE).Hypothesis/
Objectives: Evaluate the effect of a probiotic (Visbiome®Vet) on seizure frequency in dogs previously diagnosed with IE receiving anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).Animals: Forty-two client-owned dogs with IE.
Methods: A prospective, placebo-controlled, masked, crossover clinical trial over a 9 or 12-month period (2 arms). After an initial 3-month observational period, each owner was given 3 months of a placebo capsule (Visbiome® Vet without the proprietary blend of probiotics) to administer to their dog. Afterwards, each owner was given 3 months of probiotic capsules (Visbiome® Vet) to administer to their dog. Owners were masked as to if the capsules were placebo or probiotic. Seizures were logged by the owners.
Results: Twenty-one dogs with IE were included in the final analysis. Mean seizure frequency during the observational period was 8.6 seizures/month (95% CI=4.9-15.2), during placebo administration was 10.3 seizures/month (95% CI=6.2-17.2), and, in the preliminary analysis, was 6.9 seizures/month (95% CI=3.5-13.6) during probiotic administration. When using a t-test to compare seizure frequency during the observational period to the periods of placebo and probiotic administration, there was no significant improvement to seizure frequency (P=0.75 and P=0.73, respectively). Conclusions and clinical importance: The preliminary results of this study indicate probiotics do not significantly reduce seizure frequency in dogs with IE.
