The drug of choice for managing seizures long term is an oral barbiturate that has the benefit of being relatively inexpensive while having an extensive half-life. What is this drug?
Diazepam
Phenobarbital
Xylazine
Potassium bromide
Pentobarbital
Over time, barbiturate use results in upregulation of the enzymes responsible for the drug’s breakdown. This phenomenon is known as enzyme __________________.
tolerance
anabolism
induction
inactivation
modulation
Diazepam is a benzodiazepine tranquilizer that, in contrast to phenobarbital which is used as a long-term anti-seizure medication, is instead used as an emergency IV drug for use during an active convulsion. All of the following are characteristics of diazepam except one. Which choice is incorrect?
The mode of action is stimulation of GABA
Oral dosing is severely limited by an extensive first-pass effect
Tends to cause withdrawal signs after abruptly ceasing use
Good choice for a dog with a history of aggression that is controlled with obedience training
Which of the following is a property of potassium bromide?
Half-life exceeds 3 weeks
Drug of choice for cats with seizures
Often used as the sole therapy for seizures
Antagonizes the effect of phenobarbital if given concurrently
There are several mechanisms of action for behavior-modifying drugs used in veterinary medicine. Which of the following is not considered one of these mechanisms?
Modifying neurotransmitter release
Imitating a neurotransmitter in an agonistic or antagonistic manner
Modifying neurotransmitter duration by altering chemical breakdown capability
Stimulate euphoria by binding to the µ opioid receptor
Which neurotransmitter does acepromazine antagonize to decrease anxiety in both humans and veterinary patients?
Seratonin
Dopamine
Glycine
GABA
Which of the following classes of antidepressant medications function by modifying the activity of enzymes that are responsible for the biotransformation of neurotransmitters?
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
All of the above
What is the general role of the neurotransmitter serotonin?
Mood determinant
Starting material for catecholamine production
Central nervous system inhibition
Increase parasympathetic nervous system tone
What is primidone’s primary mechanism of activity?
Directly increases activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine
Directly decreases the activity of the excitatory neurotransmitter norepinephrine
Is metabolized to phenobarbital, so functions to stimulate GABA
Agonism of 2-adrenergic receptors
An uncommonly used unit of measurement that is often used in conjunction with barbiturates is the grain. What is the size in milligrams of a 2-grain phenobarbital tablet?
2 mg
20 mg
120 mg
200 mg
Seizures generally originate from the brain but seizure activity can also arise from other causes. Veterinary technicians should always consider these other sources except:
hypoxia.
hypoglycemia.
hypocalcemia.
hypothermia.
________________ is the term used to describe seizure activity that is prolonged and can result in positive feedback where muscle activity increases temperature and increase seizure activity.
Idiopathic
Status epilepticus
Prodromal phase
Postictal phase
Phenobarbital used to control seizures has a well-established therapeutic range for dogs but dosages vary widely based upon:
weight of the animal.
how the individual metabolizes the drug.
frequency of seizures.
animals age.
Side effects of using phenobarbital to control seizure activity in dogs include
ataxia.
polyuria.
polyphagia.
Phenobarbital induced hepatotoxicity:
is idiosyncratic in dogs.
happens more often in cats.
is a common occurrence.
causes kidney failure.
On an animal that is not responding particularly well to phenobarbital or the phenobarbital/bromide combination for long-term seizure control, all of the following drugs might be tried except:
Clomicalm.
levetricetam.
gabapentin.
zonisamide.
Drugs that “lyse” anxiety or decrease fear responses are called:
antipsychotic drugs.
anxiolytic drugs.
antidepressant drugs.
major tranquilizers.
Three classes of antidepressant drugs used in human beings have also found use in veterinary medicine include all except:
monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)
tricyclic antidepressants (TCA’s)
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s)
gamma () aminobutyric acid (GABA)
Clomipramine’s FDA–approved indication is for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders in dogs. A more common use of clomipramine in veterinary medicine is for:
treatment of separation anxiety.
treatment of depression.
treatment of seizures.
treatment of epilepsy.
Plasma phenobarbital concentrations achieved with any given dose vary considerably from patient to patient. Therefore, the only way to ensure a dosage regimen is adequate is to
monitor the animal’s behavior.
check blood levels of phenobarbital.
check frequent blood chemistry panels.
monitor the animal’s urine output.
When considering neurotransmitter-modifying drugs for behavior therapy, which of the following is true?
Use of these drugs provides an immediate response
Once an effective dose is determined, no further adjustments are needed
Every animal responds differently to these drugs
Allows for optimal behavior modification without requiring training
Potassium bromide is used as an adjunct drug for treating seizures when standard doses of barbiturates prove ineffective alone. Considering the long 3-week half-life of potassium bromide, how would you determine the length of time it takes to reach a steady state when using this drug daily?
10.5 days
21 days
21 weeks
105 days
201 Days
Which of the following is not a side effect of barbiturate use?
Polyphagia
Polydactyly
Polydipsia
Polyuria
What is the portion of the brain that controls animal emotion and is thus targeted for alteration by behavior-modifying drugs?
Cerebrum
Cerebellum
Limbic region
Pituitary gland
Pineal gland
In addition to treating behavioral problems, selegiline is also used to treat this condition in dogs.
Cushing’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Pituitary dwarfism
Hypoadrenocorticism
